The most current Church literature relating to the question is found in a Priesthood Bulletin statement dated February 1972: Volume 8, number 1, subheaded 6, paragraph 2:

“With reference to cola drinks, the Church has never officially taken a position on this matter, but the leaders of the Church have advised, and we do now specifically advise, against the use of any drink containing harmful habit-forming drugs under circumstances that would result in acquiring the habit. Any beverage that contains ingredients harmful to the body should be avoided.”

Even after I converted, I never had a problem with soda, because it gives me a painful fizzy feeling in my nose. I will occasionally have a caffeine-free root beer or shirley temple, though, and haven’t suffered any ill-effects from these, despite my high susceptibility to migraines. I’ve had a few delicious frappuccinos, too, and felt the spiritual guilt afterward. The last time I was faced with the choice of getting a coffee, I got a caramel macchiato–hold the espresso shots–basically steamed milk with caramel. I was greatly enjoying the drink and my “spiritual triumph” until I remembered my milk protein allergy. Needless to say my body did not forgive me for a while.

What I mean to convey here is, you just can’t win sometimes. So to every man his own, I say.

That’s the biggest thing I’ve noticed so far now that I’m off diet Coke: I wake up feeling well rested in the mornings. I used to wake up and feel like a train had just run over me. I never used to feel well rested waking up in the morning. Instead, I was always in a groggy haze until lunchtime when I’d have my Diet Coke. It’s like my body was waiting until noon to wake up each day. Now, my body wakes up in the morning when I need it to.

I’ve also noticed that my energy level is more constant all day long, instead of peaks and valleys that are dependent on my caffeine intake.

I also don’t get grouchy when I don’t get my caffeine fix at the noon hour like I used to.

At this point, I’m determined to stay off the sauce for life. Not because I fear any divine consequences if I fail to do so, but just because for me it seems . . . wise.

I am 100% addicted to the stuff. Over the years, I’ve quit for periods of time. Not for Word of Wisdom reasons, but for general health reasons (as deatiled above). It never sticks. However, we have a strict “no soda in the fridge” rule, meaning we’ll drink when we eat out, but won’t stock any at home. The idea is that we don’t want out small one to get a taste for soda yet. It’s ultimately a losing battle, but we’re fighting the good fight now.

As a side note, the greatest health benefit I have experienced is to drop soda in any form. The difference is dramatic. When the need arises to ‘do stupid things more quickly’ at work, I resort to Coffee or Tea.

There is a continent-sized (at least twice the size of Texas) floating island of trash between California and Hawaii. It has been growing tenfold each decade since the 1950s.

Speaking of urban legends, I think we should compress the toxic plastic island into that bridge to Hawaii I used to hear about in middle school.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Pacific_Garbage_Patch

There is a continent-sized (at least twice the size of Texas) floating island of trash between California and Hawaii. It has been growing tenfold each decade since the 1950s.

Speaking of urban legends, I think we should compress the toxic plastic island into that bridge to Hawaii I used to hear about in middle school.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Pacific_Garbage_Patch
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dead_zone_(ecology)

Right now I’m drinking bottled water. I plan to recycle the bottle after, but just in case something goes awry–dolphins, this is your warning!

Hi, my name is Andrew, and I used to be a diet Coke-oholic. I’ve been clean for one day, and counting . . .

I’m someone who has given up the “recreational use” of caffeine, but still use it when I work night shifts. Take it like medicine….though I’ve been volunteering for more night shifts.

Since Mormons aren’t real common where I’m from, I occasionally have someone at work look over and say “Are you allowed to have that?”. I say, “sure, where did you get the idea that I couldn’t?” They then say something about how I don’t drink coffee, I affirm that and then they say “so why don’t you guys drink coffee then?”

I tell them that I could give them a scientific answer or the real answer, but that they probably wouldn’t like the real answer. (Of course they immediately demand the real answer) Which is: “God told us not to.”

This sends the discussion rapidly in one of two directions. They either cut it off quickly, or they follow up with something like “How do you know God told you not to drink coffee?” That’s when the real fun begins. So my nightshift helper actually leads to many gospel conversations. Take that, uptight Mormon teetotallers!

Sorry…it is science speak. Thank you for pointing it out hawkgrrrl….I just read your response after I wrote the above.

Whenever taking any drug..cafeine included…it is about weighing the cost to benefit ratio in our minds and taking the responsibility for our choice like good sensible adults. And my choice is to hold off drinking Aspartame filled drinks as much as I can whilst the evidence is inconclusive.

However I know other medical students and doctors who choose to drink it despite the inconclusive evidence as they are willing to bear the risks which are minimal.

Health benefits certainly are there if you are substituting aspartame for high calorie alternatives. If you can cut both out, you’re probably even better off. But a zero calorie soft drink vs. a 200 calorie soft drink? No brainer!

“In my small town growing up, only McDonald’s would hire me at 15.”

At 17 I was working network support for Internet Service Providers!

Again…data has shown that in small amounts the positive benefits of aspartame outway the negative effects.

I don’t see how there are any “positive benefits” to aspartame or caffeine. They are vanity, not benefit! You cannot scientifically study the “benefits” of vanities!

In my small town growing up, only McDonald’s would hire me at 17. Only fat people (and women) ordered diet sodas with their super-sized value meal. Nobody will convince me that a little fructose would have made these people any fatter… If anything, Aspartame was probably making these people “dumber” rather than skinnier.