How healthy is diet cola?

Q: How many calories are in diet cola?

100 g of diet cola has 1 kcal. A typical portion, 1 can (355 ml) (355 g), has about 4 kcal.

Q: How much protein is in diet cola?

Diet cola has 0.1 g of protein per 100 g, or about 0.4 g in 1 can (355 ml).

Q: Is diet cola good for weight loss?

Diet cola is low in calories (1 kcal per 100 g), so it adds volume to meals without many calories. No single food causes weight loss; the overall diet does.

Is diet cola healthy? Better than sugary cola; water is better still. Diet cola scores 12/100 on the HowHealthyIs Score: 100 g provides 1 kcal. Diet cola has almost no calories and no sugar, but also no nutrients; it can help some people cut sugary drinks. Source: USDA FoodData Central.

Low calorie

Score explained

The score compares nutrient density per 100 kcal across every food we cover (NRF9.3 method). Diet cola ranks higher than 12% of them.

Counts in favor (% daily value per 100 kcal)

Protein1%
Calcium1%
Potassium1%
Iron1%
Fiber0%
Vitamin A0%
Vitamin C0%
Vitamin E0%
Magnesium0%

Counts against

Saturated fat0%
Added sugars0%
Sodium1%

Raw NRF9.3: 4 minus 1 = 3. The score is not a verdict on whether to eat a food; portion, the whole meal and your own health matter more. Full methodology

How many calories are in diet cola?

Your amount

Calories4kcal

Protein0.4g

Carbohydrates0.4g

Fat0g

Fiber0g

Sugars0g

Nutrition facts for diet cola. Per 100 g and for the selected portion (355 g). %DV uses FDA Daily Values.
Nutrient	Per 100 g	Per portion	%DV
Energy and macronutrients
Calories	1 kcal	4 kcal
Protein	0.1 g	0.4 g	1%
Carbohydrates	0.1 g	0.4 g	0%
Fiber	0 g	0 g	0%
Sugars	0 g	0 g
Added sugars	0 g	0 g	0%
Fat	0 g	0 g	0%
Saturated fat	0 g	0 g	0%
Vitamins
Vitamin A	0 µg	0 µg	0%
Vitamin C	0 mg	0 mg	0%
Vitamin E	0 mg	0 mg	0%
Minerals
Calcium	3 mg	11 mg	1%
Iron	<0.1 mg	<0.1 mg	0%
Potassium	7 mg	25 mg	1%
Magnesium	0 mg	0 mg	0%
Sodium	4 mg	14 mg	1%

Source: USDA FoodData Central, "Beverages, carbonated, low calorie, cola or pepper-type, with aspartame, without caffeine" (FDC 174850). Values rounded.

Why is diet cola good for you?

A typical portion does not supply 10% or more of the daily value for any of the nine nutrients we score.

Good ways to use it

Stepping down from sugary soda
Occasional drinks

What should you watch out for?

Sweeteners are considered safe at normal intakes. Acidic drinks can wear tooth enamel. People with phenylketonuria must avoid aspartame.

What can you eat instead of diet cola?

Foods you can use the same way with a higher HowHealthyIs Score.

Green tea

1 kcal per 100 g

Low calorie

Coffee

1 kcal per 100 g

Low calorie

How does diet cola compare?

Common questions about diet cola

How many calories are in diet cola?

100 g of diet cola has 1 kcal. A typical portion, 1 can (355 ml) (355 g), has about 4 kcal.

How much protein is in diet cola?

Diet cola has 0.1 g of protein per 100 g, or about 0.4 g in 1 can (355 ml).

Is diet cola good for weight loss?

Diet cola is low in calories (1 kcal per 100 g), so it adds volume to meals without many calories. No single food causes weight loss; the overall diet does.

Sources

U.S. Department of Agriculture. FoodData Central, SR Legacy: "Beverages, carbonated, low calorie, cola or pepper-type, with aspartame, without caffeine", FDC ID 174850. fdc.nal.usda.gov
U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Daily Value on the Nutrition and Supplement Facts Labels (21 CFR 101.9).
Fulgoni VL, Keast DR, Drewnowski A. Development and validation of the Nutrient-Rich Foods Index. J Nutr. 2009;139(8):1549-1554.
Monteiro CA, et al. Ultra-processed foods: what they are and how to identify them. Public Health Nutr. 2019;22(5):936-941.

Review and updates

Last updated: October 8, 2026
Medical review: Pending. A registered dietitian signs off every food page before launch. Our reviewers
Score version: HowHealthyIs Score 1.0

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More: Drinks ranked, foods high in protein.