[saberience]

There’s a major benefit you’re missing, no calories.

If you drink seven cans of Coke a day you’re likely going to end up gaining weight and could end up obese with all the additional health issues that brings.

If you drink seven cans of Diet Coke per day you’re not going to end up obese (through that method anyway).

What seems to be missing in this HN debate is that sugar itself (yes the natural substance) is not good for us either! Aspartame may be “bad” (debatable) but sugar is bad but in different ways.

[random_mutex]

You failed to answer my question. Again is there a benefit to tricking your body that you are eating a meal which provides a high amount of energy?

Sugar isn't bad, it is a biological solution to the energy storage problem just like fat, and our bodies know how to deal with the sugar present in nature (in fruits). The sugar in an apple is absorbed slowly, without a dramatic increase in blood glucose unlike the one in a Coke can.

[iamacyborg]

Sugar isn’t bad for you, too much of it is.