Diet soda

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Diet sodas (also diet, sugar-free, or light soft drinks, refreshments, or carbonated beverages) are sugar-free, artificially sweetened, non-alcoholic carbonated beverages generally marketed towards health-conscious people, diabetics, athletes, and other people who want to lose weight or stay fit.

Contents 1 Sweetening 1.1 Cyclamates 1.2 Saccharin 1.3 Aspartame 1.4 Sucralose and acesulfame potassium; "sugar-free" sodas 2 History 3 Health Concerns 4 Nomenclature 5 Reduced-calorie soda 6 Incomplete list of major diet soda brands or brands with diet versions, with sweetener 6.1 Acesulfame potassium 6.2 Aspartame 6.3 Saccharin 6.4 Sucralose 6.5 Currently Unclassified (please file)

[edit] Sweetening

As of 2004, a sugar substitute named aspartame (commonly known by the brand name NutraSweet) is usually used instead of sugar to give diet soda a sweet taste. Opinion is mixed as to the taste of these beverages: some think they lack the taste of their sugar-sweetened counterparts, others think the taste is similar. Some also note an unusual non sugary aftertaste.

Some feel the opposite, that diet soda has no aftertaste and that high fructose corn syrup sweetened soda has a gritty over sweet aftertaste.

[edit] Cyclamates

The first artificial sweeteners used in diet sodas were cyclamates (often synergistically with saccharin). While many say these cyclamate-sweetened sodas had a more pleasant taste than the diet sodas that followed them, in 1970 the Food and Drug Administration banned cyclamates in the United States on (some say scant) evidence that they caused cancer in lab rats. Cyclamates are still used in many countries around the world, including for diet soda. (See cyclamate.)

[edit] Saccharin

Once cyclamates were banned, American producers turned to saccharin. Saccharin alone was often criticized for having a bitter taste and "chemical" aftertaste. Some manufacturers, such as Coca-Cola with Tab, attempted to rectify this by adding a small amount of sugar. In 1977, the FDA was petitioned to ban saccharin, too, as a carcinogen, but a moratorium was placed on the ban until studies were conducted. The ban was lifted in 1991, but by that time, virtually all diet soda production had shifted to using aspartame. Perhaps the most notable holdout is Tab, which nevertheless also uses some aspartame in its formula.

[edit] Aspartame

Aspartame had the great commercial advantage of not being linked in the public mind with cancer, and by the mid-1980s, American manufacturers were switching en masse from saccharin to aspartame. The 1982 introduction of aspartame-sweetened Diet Coke accelerated this trend. Today, at least in the United States, "diet" is nearly synonymous with the use of aspartame in beverages.

[edit] Sucralose and acesulfame potassium; "sugar-free" sodas

Recently two other sweeteners, sucralose (marketed as Splenda) and Acesulfame potassium ("Sunett" or "Ace K", which is usually used in conjunction with aspartame, sucralose, or saccharin rather than alone) have come into growing use, particularly by smaller beverage producers (e.g. Big Red). Diet Rite is the non-aspartame diet soda brand with the highest sales today; it uses a combination of sucralose and acesulfame potassium.

Advocates say drinks employing these sweeteners have a more natural sugar-like taste than those made just with aspartame and do not have a strong aftertaste. The newer aspartame-free drinks can also be safely consumed by phenylketonurics, because they do not contain phenylalanine. Critics say the taste is not better, merely different, or note that the long-term health risks of all or certain artificial sweeteners is unclear.

The widespread, though not universal, agreement that the newest formulations taste much more "normal" and sugar-like than the older diet sodas have prompted some producers, such as Jones Soda, to abandon the "diet" label entirely in favor of "sugar-free soda," implying that the taste is good enough to drink the soda even when not trying to lose weight. (This idea was first floated by Diet Coke in 1984, with the tagline, "Just For the Taste of It.")

In 2005, the Coca-Cola Company announced it would produce a new formulation of Diet Coke sweetened with sucralose, to be called Diet Coke with Splenda, but it would continue to produce the aspartame version as well. There were also rumors that a sugar-free version of Coca-Cola Classic, also sweetened with sucralose, was being formulated as well. This formulation was eventually called Coca-Cola Zero.

[edit] History

The beginning of the diet soda or refreshment era was in 1952, when Kirsch Bottling in Brooklyn, New York launched a sugar free ginger ale called No-Cal. It was designed for diabetics, not dieters, and distribution remained local. Royal Crown Cola placed an announcement in an Atlanta newspaper in 1958 announcing a diet soda product, Diet Rite. In 1963, the Coca-Cola Company joined the diet soda market with Tab, which proved to be a huge success. Tab was originally sweetened with cyclamates and saccharin.

Tab, Diet Rite, and Fresca (a grapefruit-flavored soda introduced by Coca-Cola) were about the only well-known diet refreshment on the markets until Pepsi released Diet Pepsi in the 1960s (initially as Patio Diet Cola). Coca-Cola countered by releasing Diet Coke in 1982. After the release of Diet Coke, Tab took a backseat at the Coca-Cola production lines; Diet Coke could be more easily identified by consumers as associated with Coca-Cola than Tab. Also, a study was released revealing that saccharin was a possible carcinogen, leading to Coca-Cola's decision of pushing Tab's production numbers down. During the middle 1980s also, the alcohol industry began to follow lead to the refreshment industry, with some beer companies putting sugar-free beer on the market.

By the start of the 1990s, a wide array of different companies had their own diet refreshments on supermarket shelves. Tab made a comeback during the late 1990s, after new studies demonstarted that saccharin is not an important factor in the risk of cancer. Nevertheless, the Coca-Cola Company has maintained its 1984 reformulation, replacing some of the saccharin in Tab with NutraSweet.

By 2002, some soda companies had diversified to include such flavors as vanilla and lemon among their products, and diet sodas were soon begun to be produced with those flavors too (see Diet Vanilla Coke, Diet Pepsi Vanilla). By 2004, several alcohol companies had begun to release sugar-free or "diet" alcoholic products too.

[edit] Health Concerns

While these drinks are marketed to those who are weight conscious, no published study has shown that drinking diet soda will cause a person to lose weight. Changing the food energy intake from one food will not necessarily change a person's overall food energy intake, or cause a person to lose weight. One study [1], at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, reported by Sharon Fowler at the ADA annual meeting, actually suggested the opposite, where consumption of diet soda was correlated with weight gain. While Fowler did suggest that the undelivered expected calories from diet soda may stimulate the appetite, the correlation does not prove that consumption of diet soda caused the weight gain. The weight gain may have caused the consumption of diet soda. The ADA has yet to issue an updated policy concerning diet soda, and may face a conflict of interest in doing so, as they are now in partnership with candy and soda companies [2].

[edit] Nomenclature

For cultural reasons, in some countries outside the United States and Canada, the term "light" is often used instead of "diet". The word diet in these countries typically refers to the programs given by doctors to patients who need to lose weight, and not as a way to describe food products.

[edit] Reduced-calorie soda

In an effort to cash in on the surging popularity of low-carbohydrate diets, in 2004 both Coca-Cola and Pepsico released reduced-calorie versions of their flagship sodas that contain approximately half the sugar of the regular version. The Pepsi variant, Pepsi Edge, is sweetened with sucralose and corn syrup. The sweetening of the Coca-Cola variant, Coca-Cola C2, is a combination of corn syrup, aspartame, acesulfame potassium, and sucralose. In May of 2005, Pepsi announced that they will abandon the market by the end of the year, citing lackluster sales. It is rumored that Coke is soon to follow suit.

(It should be noted that even just half the sugar of a can of regular cola is more sugar than many people on popular low-carbohydrate diets are permitted to have in a day. It is possible that these sodas are targeted, instead, at so-called "carb-conscious consumers" who are paying attention to, but not trying to drastically reduce, their carbohydrate intake.)

[edit] Incomplete list of major diet soda brands or brands with diet versions, with sweetener

[edit] Acesulfame potassium

• Soda Club (sucralose and Ace K or sucralose) - available in 12 diet flavors in the USA
• Big Red (aspartame and Ace K)
• Coca-Cola C2 (reduced-calorie formulation; corn syrup, aspartame, Ace K, and sucralose)
• Coca-Cola Zero (aspartame and Ace K)
• Diet Black Cherry Vanilla Coke (aspartame and Ace K)
• Diet Cherry Coke (aspartame and Ace K)
• Diet Coke with Lemon (aspartame and Ace K)
• Diet Coke with Lime (aspartame and Ace K)
• Diet Coke with Splenda (sucralose and Ace K)
• Diet Vanilla Coke (aspartame and Ace K)
• Diet Sprite Zero (aspartame and Ace K)
• Vault Zero (aspartame and Ace K)
• Fresca (aspartame and Ace K, multiple flavors)
• Sugar Free Full Throttle and Full Throttle Fury (sucralose, Ace K and saccharin)
• Diet Rite (sucralose and Ace K, multiple flavors)
• Hansen's Natural Soda (sucralose and Ace K)
• Pepsi ONE (sucralose and Ace K)
• Diet Pepsi Vanilla (aspartame and Ace K)
• Diet Pepsi Lime (aspartame and Ace K)
• Diet Wild Cherry Pepsi (aspartame and Ace K)
• Diet Pepsi Jazz (aspartame and Ace K, multiple flavors)
• Diet Mountain Dew (aspartame, Ace K, and sucralose)
• Sierra Mist Free (aspartame and Ace K)
• Slice ONE (sucralose and Ace K, multiple flavors)
• Sugar Free Mountain Dew MDX (aspartame, Ace K, and sucralose)
• Diet Orange Tropicana Twister Soda (aspartame and Ace K)
• Diet Rockstar (sucralose and Ace K)
• Diet 7 Up (sucralose and Ace K)
• 7 Up Plus (sucralose and Ace K, multiple flavors)
• Diet Dr Pepper Berries & Cream (aspartame and Ace K)
• Diet Sunkist (aspartame and Ace K)
• Diet Red Bull (aspartame and Ace K)

[edit] Aspartame

• Diet A&W Root Beer (aspartame)
• Diet Big Red (aspartame and Ace K)
• Diet Canada Dry (aspartame)
• Coke Zero (aspartame and Ace K)
• Coca-Cola C2 (reduced-calorie formulation; corn syrup, aspartame, Ace K, and sucralose)
• Diet Coke (aspartame)
• Diet Black Cherry Vanilla Coke (aspartame and Ace K)
• Diet Cherry Coke (aspartame and Ace K)
• Diet Coke with Lemon (aspartame and Ace K)
• Diet Coke with Lime (aspartame and Ace K)
• Diet Vanilla Coke (aspartame and Ace K)
• Diet Sprite Zero (aspartame and Ace K)
• Vault Zero (aspartame and Ace K)
• Fresca (aspartame and Ace K)
• Tab (saccharin and aspartame)
• Diet Barq's Root Beer (aspartame)
• Diet Pepsi (aspartame)
• Diet Pepsi Vanilla (aspartame and Ace K)
• Diet Pepsi Lime (aspartame and Ace K)
• Diet Wild Cherry Pepsi (aspartame and Ace K)
• Diet Pepsi Jazz (aspartame and Ace K, multiple flavors)
• Sierra Mist Free (aspartame and Ace K)
• Diet Mountain Dew (aspartame, Ace K, and sucralose)
• Sugar Free Mountain Dew MDX (aspartame, Ace K, and sucralose)
• Diet Orange Tropicana Twister Soda (aspartame and Ace K)
• Diet Mug Root Beer (aspartame)
• Diet Dr Pepper (aspartame)
• Diet Cherry Vanilla Dr Pepper (aspartame)
• Diet Dr Pepper Berries & Cream (aspartame and Ace K)
• Diet Sunkist (aspartame and Ace K)
• Diet Red Bull (aspartame and Ace K)

[edit] Saccharin

• Tab (saccharin and aspartame)
• Sugar Free Full Throttle and Full Throttle Fury (sucralose, Ace K, and saccharin)

[edit] Sucralose

• Soda Club (sucralose or sucralose and Ace K) - available in 12 diet flavors in the USA
• AriZona Diet Green Tea (sucralose)
• Cricket Cola (sucralose)
• Crystal Light (bottles)
• Coca-Cola C2 (reduced-calorie formulation; corn syrup, aspartame, Ace K, and sucralose)
• Diet Coke with Splenda (sucralose and Ace K)
• Sugar Free Full Throttle and Full Throttle Fury (sucralose and Ace K)
• Diet Rite (sucralose and Ace K, multiple flavors)
• Diet Orange Crush (sucralose) - available in Canada
• Diet 7 Up (sucralose and Ace K)
• 7 Up Plus (sucralose and Ace K, multiple flavors)
• Hansen Beverage Company (sucralose and Ace K)
• Jones Soda (sucralose, called "sugar-free" rather than "diet")
• Pepsi ONE (sucralose and Ace K)
• Slice ONE (sucralose and Ace K, multiple flavors)
• Diet Mountain Dew (aspartame, Ace K, and sucralose)
• Sugar Free Mountain Dew MDX (aspartame, Ace K, and sucralose)
• Diet RC Cola (sucralose)
• Diet Rockstar (sucralose and Ace K)

[edit] Currently Unclassified (please file)

• Kist
• Kola Champagne (Puerto Rican soda)
• Materva (with mate)
• Safeway Select
• Schweppes
• Slice (orange flavor)