Want to drink less alcohol? Soda may not be the best alternative, experts say.

It’s the company holiday party, and everyone around you is taking advantage of the open bar — but you’re not in the mood to drink alcohol tonight. Instead of ordering a colorful cocktail or cracking open a beer, you go for a different option: a nice, crisp Diet Coke. By the end of the night, you’re still sober — but you did just down three or four sodas.

While there’s no question that sipping soda (and not, say, Jack Daniel’s) all night will leave you better off — no disorientation, no hangover, etc. — experts say there are some downsides too. Here’s what to know about swapping in soda for alcohol and what experts suggest ordering instead.

Why you may want to skip alcohol — even just for 1 night

You may have heard that certain types of alcohol, like red wine, have health benefits, but the research is mixed. Meanwhile, the World Health Organization says that there’s no safe amount of alcohol, which is linked to a slew of health concerns.

“A glass of wine a couple of times a week won’t cause any harm,” dietitian Catherine Gervacio tells Yahoo Life. “However, the health benefits of drinking are not as solid as once thought, and even small amounts can increase risks for things like certain cancers, high blood pressure and liver issues.”

And according to Stephanie Dunne, a dietitian at Nutrition Q.E.D., alcohol can also impact your gut by damaging the lining of your stomach and intestine. Drinking also leaves you dehydrated, which can exacerbate that hungover feeling you get when you’ve had one too many.

While the “sober curious” movement is growing, there are other reasons why you might want to order something besides alcohol, even if you don’t typically abstain. Perhaps you’ve agreed to be the designated driver for the night, need to wake up early with a clear head or, as dietitian Lisa Moskovitz of NY Nutrition Group notes, are taking prescription medications that alcohol could interfere with.

Or, maybe you just don’t want to say anything you might regret in front of co-workers or judgmental relatives — which is more likely when you’re drinking, as alcohol lowers your inhibitions.

So ... what about soda?

“When comparing soda to alcohol, soda will have way less harmful negative side effects,” says Moskovitz. But while “an occasional soft drink will trump a cocktail anytime,” she adds, neither choice is “nutritious.”

The issue with most sodas is their high sugar content. One 12-ounce can of classic Coca-Cola, for example, has 140 calories and 39 grams of added sugar. By comparison, a 12-ounce can of Heineken beer, for example, contains 142 calories and 0 grams of sugar, while an average 5-ounce glass of red wine has roughly 125 calories and less than a gram of sugar. The Food and Drug Administration says we should stick to under 50 grams of added sugar per day — meaning just two cans of soda will put you well over that limit.

“Anything we consume with a large amount of sugar is going to impact blood sugar levels and blood sugar control,” says Dunne. This means you may feel a quick spike of energy — followed by a crash — after drinking a large quantity of sugar in one setting.

This, Dunne says, is especially apparent after you drink soda on an empty stomach — which is why she recommends eating food with protein, fat or fiber before drinking sugary drinks, as this will slow the absorption of the sugar.

It’s also worth noting that soda contains calories without nutrients, so you won’t fill up from sipping this beverage, nor fuel your body. Over time, these so-called empty calories can lead to weight gain, as well as an increased risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease and other chronic health issues. So, while ordering a Coke instead of a beer is a smart swap, sipping multiple sodas in one night isn’t something you want to do regularly.

What about diet soda?

Unlike regular soda, diet soda contains no calories and no sugar. It is sweetened, instead, by artificial sweeteners. (Diet Coke, for example, is sweetened with aspartame.) At the moment, the jury is still out on whether these artificial sweeteners are damaging to the body, but emerging evidence suggests that large amounts may lead to health issues.

“For diet soda, the lack of sugar is good, but consuming [multiple servings] means you’re taking in a lot of artificial ingredients, which could have long-term health effects that we’re still studying,” says Gervacio.

There’s also some evidence to suggest that artificial sweeteners (and therefore diet soda) may trigger high-calorie food cravings, meaning you may reach for less healthy foods if you’re sipping on Diet Coke all night.

Then there’s the other issue with sodas: Many, including colas like Coke and Diet Coke, contain caffeine. A regular can of Coke has 34 mg of caffeine per can, while one can of Diet Coke contains 46 mg. The FDA recommends having no more than 400 mg of caffeine per day, and while it would take more than 11 cans of Coke and more than eight cans of Diet Coke to reach this limit, that’s only if you haven’t already consumed any other forms of caffeine. Your morning cup of coffee, for example, already contains 96 mg of caffeine on average.

Too much caffeine comes with side effects like increased heart rate and anxiety. Plus, if you’re drinking these sodas at a late night party, you may go home too wired to sleep, which can impact your overall health.

What else should I order?

Dietitian Chris Mohr, nutritional adviser for Fortune Recommends, tells Yahoo Life that a great alternative to soda and alcohol is “sparkling water spruced up with some fresh juice, fruit or herbs like mint or rosemary.” You’ll get flavor and fizziness minus the heaps of sugar (artificial or otherwise) that come with soda. (Since juice can contain as much or even more sugar than soda, make sure you’re adding just a splash to provide sweetness.)

Plus, he says, “There’s been a huge shift in restaurants and bars offering mocktails, which is fantastic to offer choices for those who may not want to drink alcohol.”

The bottom line

Subbing soda in for booze once in a while — like, say, at a wedding when you’re not intending to drink — is a good way to cut back on your alcohol intake. Just try to avoid guzzling too much, given the sugar content and artificial ingredients involved. If all else fails: Alternate with water.