Artificial Sweeteners & Coke Zero

[Dave Gray]

I am very sensitive to certain kinds of artificial sweeteners.  Whatever is in diet coke and sweet n low, I find very "chemical" tasting.  It's one of the few flavors that I find repulsive.  It almost tastes like poison to me and I'm not even being facetious.

Other sweeteners, like Splenda and whatever is in Coke Zero, I can distinguish from sugar, but they are a suitable substitute.  To me, there is no comparison between Diet Coke and Coke Zero.  One is good and tastes basically like Coca-Cola.  The other tastes like Coke that has been tampered with medicine.  I don't know if others feel this way, but I do notice that it's hard to find Coke Zero at restaurants.  Most places that sell cans have it, but most places that have fountain soda do not.

I will only drink Diet Coke if I'm at a bar and drinking rum & coke.  I find that the rum taste cuts the sweetener.  Otherwise, I just don't drink it.  I will use splenda in coffee.  If no alternative is available, I'll drink without.

What is your experience with artificial sweeteners?

[Phishfan]

I have never tried Coke Zero but I completely agree with your assessment of the sweeteners. I need to give Coke Zero a try. My dad drinks it so maybe next time I visit them.

[MyGodWearsAHoodie]

If I drink soda, I drink regular soda as what I am typically after is the boost I get from the sugar and caffeine.  If I want caffeine but not sugar, I drink coffee.   If I am avoiding both I drink water. 

[bsfins]

Sorry haven't had a coke,in years,and never liked diet sodas when I did...

Hi,My name is B....and I'm a Sweet and low addict,my last taste of sweet and low was...20 seconds ago...I'm the rat at the feeder bar wanting more....

I use 6-9 packets day...3 in my *coffee in the morning,then I'll drink ^tea (3 packets in the same size cup),then switch to my green tea at night.

I can't use splenda packets I get incredibly sick,and  nauseous,sick feeling after I use them.Things made with splenda I'm ok in small doses...

I use Truvia when I cook,and bought Stevia in the raw,to try out a few weeks ago.Nicko's kitchen and a girl at work both use Stevia in the raw.I tried it,it seems like It takes me 4-5 packets for me to even notice a change in sweetness...

Oddly enough, I don't use any sweetener at all when I order Iced tea out at a restaurant...I just take it unsweetened...

*My coffee- Is a shot of my coffee brew in a 32oz tumbler,3 sweet and low packets,then filled to the top with milk...
I make 1-12 cup pot that I add creamer to,then let cool,put in pitcher in the refrigerator.That 1 pot lasts me all week,I take a little "shot" each day.I was downing that same 12 cup pot in about 2 hours everyday,and found this was the best way to cut back...

^ My tea is a home brew of orange pekoe dust,and green tea packets...32 oz tumbler of tea with 3 sweet and low packets..I average 1-2 these glasses a day,depending on when I'm at home.

The 32oz tumblers I still use daily provided to me by an awesome TDMMC board member...Thank you..

When I'm not at home I drink Green tea that I bottle myself...

[Sunstroke]

Sodas, sodas...hmmm, they sound vaguely familiar.

[Brian Fein]

Drinking Coke, and Coke Zero, makes me want to vomit.  I hate the feeling Coke leaves like a sticky sugary film in your mouth.  And the taste is downright repulsive.  Coke Zero, less disgusting film, but taste is the same so I associate it with grossness.

Diet Coke is wonderful.  No sticky film and just plain old tastes better. 

I guarantee you, Dave.  Guarantee.  Drink Diet Coke exclusively for a month and you will never go back to regular.

[fyo]

Dave, the reason Coke Zero takes "basically like Coca Cola" is because that's what Coke were shooting for. Diet coke was always supposed to be different and was a huge hit. For some reason, the male half of the population didn't really buy into it though... so Coke introduced Coke Zero with a completely over-the-top masculine marketing frenzy. And, important here, with a flavor that was as close a match to classic Coke as was possible.

FYI, Diet Coke is sweetened with aspartame (aka NutraSweet), while Coke Zero has both aspartame and acesulfame potassium (aka Ace K, Sunett, Sweet One, and Sweet & Safe).

In my personal experience, combining multiple artificial sweeteners is an excellent way to minimize the "off" taste.

In case anyone made it this far, Spenda is suchralose, while Sweet'n'Low is saccharine. The latter causes cancer in male rats, but is apparently safe for humans.

One final note... Diet Coke in Germany is completely different. I've visited a number of times (a while ago now) and the Diet Coke there was just disgusting (and Diet Coke was my soda of preference at the time). A bit of investigation revealed that the German version is sweetened differently: With aspartame, acesulfame potassium, and sodium cyclamate. The latter was banned by the FDA in the late 60s... and apparently tastes like shit.

[Phishfan]

After reading B talk about green tea, I ran across this review.

http://shine.yahoo.com/healthy-living/what-s-in-your-green-tea---192412541.html

[Brian Fein]

fyo, that's not just Germany.  Apparently that's "the rest of the world" because in Spain, France, Italy, and China, its all the same shit-tasting diet coke.  There's definitely a difference.  It tastes closer to regular coke to me, and thus, why I don't like it.

[fyo]

fyo, that's not just Germany.  Apparently that's "the rest of the world" because in Spain, France, Italy, and China, its all the same shit-tasting diet coke.  There's definitely a difference.  It tastes closer to regular coke to me, and thus, why I don't like it.

I'm not talking about the classic Coke taste (I have no problem with that). It's a different and completely disgusting flavor.

France and Spain (at least) have a Diet Coke that's much closer to the US version. I had mixed experiences in Belgium, but Scandinavia seemed to avoid the German taste. I haven't traveled much in Eastern Europe, but Poland had a nice enough Diet Coke.

The formulation does appear to be adjusted slightly from country to country. Apparently, internationally, Coca Cola supplies syrup for its various products to licensed "bottling franchises" (often major companies in the countries involved), who then add sweeteners, water and carbon dioxide. The syrup remains the same all over, but the other ingredients are modified slightly.

Edit:

Looking up the ingredients (yes, I suspect cyclamate is the source of the bad taste for me), Sweden, Denmark, France, and Italy all use NutraSweet and Ace K. Spain, however, appears to use cyclamate like Germany, so my cyclamate-theory might be wrong :/

[bsfins]

Yeah Phish,Saw the exact article right after I left here....Thought Ahh shit...come on

[mecadonzilla]

I'm allergic to high fructose corn syrup so it pretty much ended my ability to consume American non-diet soda in the early 90s.  However, when I do feel like a Coke, I buy the imported Mexican Cokes that are made with actual sugar.  Plus, they actually taste like Coca-Cola unlike the stuff made in America now.  They're about a dollar a bottle here, but I only drink one every few days.

I don't care much for the Coke Zeros or the Sprite Zeros.  If I have to do diet, I go for the aspartame containing Diet Dr. Pepper.  I'm starting to feel like sugar is a health food because it's better for you than any of the chemical laden substitutes.

[fyo]

I'm allergic to high fructose corn syrup so it pretty much ended my ability to consume American non-diet soda in the early 90s.  

What are you allergic to? White sugar is 50% sucrose, 50% fructose... The high fructose corn syrup used in soft drinks is 55% fructose, 45% sucrose.

[mecadonzilla]

Yeah, I don't know what does it, but I have not been able to consume it in any large amount since at least the early 90s.  It causes cramps, nausea, vomiting, and/or diarrhea.  I spent the better part of my adult life wondering what was making me sick.  When I figured it out and eliminated it from my diet, all those symptoms went away.

It's still in many things, unfortunately, so I have to be very careful when I want sweets to make sure they're made with actual sugar or I have a bad time.  It's also used in a lot of cheap bread products so I have to be careful there as well.

[Dave Gray]

I guarantee you, Dave.  Guarantee.  Drink Diet Coke exclusively for a month and you will never go back to regular.

I am trying not to be dismissive, but I just don't see how that's possible.  I did exclusively drink diet coke for a short while (like a week or something) just to see...  I'm not being dramatic - it tastes like it's been spiked with chemicals.  The sweetener overpowers any other flavors in the drink.  People must just have different taste buds.  It's not just that I don't prefer it; it's that it is so patently offensive, as a flavor.  ...and I eat almost anything.  Perhaps that could change over time, but as I really love Coke Zero and it has 0 calories, there's no need.