who writes -- i use artificial sweetener in my four cups of daily coffee and drink a liter of diet soda every day. some of my friends insist artificial sweeteners are bad for one's health. please settle this." we have heard about artificial sweeteners for years. >> before we get into this, i want to look at what this gentleman or patient is doing. four cups of coffee is okay, but make sure you cut down on the cream and the sugar. right off the bat. liter of soda a day cannot be good for anybody, because it can cause dental cavities and osteoporosis, et cetera. look at the sweetener, there are mixed facts and data out there. there has been a lot of talk and under juteny maybe it -- scrutiny. maybe it causes cancer but it's never been proven. if someone wants to lose weight it may be one option but not sure it is the best option. hit the gym and cutting down portions is better than taking the sweeteners.