India, Aug. 19 -- Many of us reach for diet sodas or soft drinks thinking they're a healthier alternative to sugary beverages. They're convenient, refreshing, and often marketed as a guilt-free choice. A new study published in the American Heart Association's journal has raised concerns over the health effects of diet sodas and artificially sweetened soft drinks.

A decade-long study following more than 2,800 adults aged 45 and older found that individuals who drank at least one artificially sweetened beverage daily had almost triple the risk of ischemic stroke and Alzheimer's dementia compared to those who seldom consumed these drinks. (Also read: Doctor says these everyday foods can be silently damaging your liver: From cookies, soda to...