Atrial fibrillation (AFib) is the most common heart arrythmia, and the leading cause of stroke in the U.S. It is also associated with increased risk of blood clots, dementia, and heart and kidney diseases. Nearly 6 million Americans suffer from atrial fibrillation.

A study in the journal Circulation looked at more than 200,000 subjects without AFib at baseline, and studied their intake of sugar-sweetened and artificially sweetened beverages, and their risk of developing AFib. During a median follow-up of 10 years, 9,362 cases of AFib were diagnosed.

Those who drank more than two liters per week of either sugar or artificially sweetened beverages had a 20 percent higher risk of developing atrial fibrillation.

Artificially sweetened drinks are not healthier than sugar-sweetened beverages. Water should be your beverage of choice.