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- Water. Hydrating, inexpensive and sugar-free: water is the best choice for drinking over the day. If you want to give it some flavour without adding sugar, try adding ice cubes and fresh mint or strips of cucumber.
- Tea or coffee without sugar. Although some people think that the caffeine in tea and coffee might damage their health, this isn’t the case for most people.
- Sugar-free drinks e.g. sugar-free cola, sugar-free lemonade, and no-added-sugar squash. These drinks contain artificial sweeteners, which will provide a sweet taste but won’t have an effect on blood sugar levels, which is good for people with diabetes.
- Fruit juice (150mls) Stick to 150mls and a glass of pure, unsweetened juice can count as one of your 5 a day. But be aware that even though fruit juice will come with vitamins, it also contains free sugars – 2-3 tsp in a small glass.
Through in-house innovation and extensive market testing, the no-calorie fan favorite delivers an even better-tasting recipe and goes by the name Coca‑Cola Zero Sugar. The new and improved recipe tastes like a Coke, but with zero sugar and zero calories.
Coke Zero claims to be devoid of sugar, however, it does contain artificial sweetener that has been linked to several negative side effects. Learn about the ingredients in Coke Zero, as well as its health risks and differences from regular Coke.
- Overview
- Nutrition facts and ingredients of Coke Zero and Diet Coke
- Taste comparison
- Potential side effects
- Which is a better choice?
- Tips for reducing diet soda intake
- The bottom line
There isn’t much difference between Coke Zero and Diet Coke. You can drink either coke if you want to reduce your sugar intake. However, they both contain artificial sweeteners, which may not be so healthy either, researchers suggest.
You’ve likely heard that limiting the amount of added sugar in your diet is important for your health.
People who regularly consume sodas may try switching to sodas made with artificial or non-nutritive sweeteners to reduce their added sugar intake.
These alternatives make products taste sweet but don’t lead to the blood sugar increases that traditional sugar may cause.
Diet drinks are a way to avoid added sugars in beverages, but more recently, sodas with “zero” in their name have hit the market alongside them. Coca-Cola is a popular example of a brand with both “diet” and “zero” varieties.
If you’re wondering about the differences between Coke Zero and Diet Coke — and how to determine which is a better choice for you — read on.
Coke Zero nutrition facts
Coke Zero’s ingredients include: •carbonated water •caramel color •phosphoric acid •aspartame •potassium benzoate (to protect taste) •natural flavors •potassium citrate •acesulfame potassium •caffeine It also contains the amino acid phenylalanine, so people with phenylketonuria (PKU) should avoid it. A 12-ounce (355-mL) serving of Coke Zero provides: •Calories: 0 •Total fat: 0 grams •Sodium: 40 mg •Total carbohydrates: 0 grams •Total sugars: 0 grams •Protein: 0 grams •Potassium: 60 mg •Caffeine: 34 mg Coke Zero contains no added sugars since it uses artificial sweeteners instead. It comes in a variety of flavors, including cherry, cherry vanilla, orange vanilla, and vanilla. Caffeine-free Coke Zero is also available.
Diet Coke nutrition facts
Diet Coke’s ingredients include: •carbonated water •caramel color •aspartame •phosphoric acid •potassium benzoate (to protect taste) •natural flavors •citric acid •caffeine Like Coke Zero, Diet Coke contains the amino acid phenylalanine, so people with PKU should avoid it. A 12-ounce (355-mL) serving of Diet Coke provides: •Calories: 0 •Total fat: 0 grams •Sodium: 40 mg •Total carbohydrate: 0 grams •Total sugars: 0 grams •Protein: 0 grams •Caffeine: 46 mg Diet Coke contains no added sugars since it uses artificial sweeteners instead. Regular Diet Coke uses aspartame, but you can also purchase a variety of Diet Coke that’s made with Splenda, a brand of sucralose. Flavor varieties of Diet Coke include ginger lime and feisty cherry. Like Coke Zero, Diet Coke also comes in a caffeine-free version.
Key differences between Coke Zero and Diet Coke
These products are essentially the same, especially in regards to their main selling point: not containing sugar. What differs between the two is the type of sweetener they contain, as well as their caffeine content, although these two differences are still unlikely to be significant to most people. While Diet Coke uses aspartame as its sweetening agent, Coke Zero uses both aspartame and acesulfame potassium, also called “Ace K” or “acesulfame K.” Acesulfame potassium is another calorie-free sweetener that passes through the body without raising blood sugar levels. Per Diet Coke’s ingredient label, its primary sweetener is aspartame, and since ingredients are listed in order by weight, it’s reasonable to assume that it contains much less acesulfame potassium. This means that these drinks are quite similar in terms of ingredients (1). The other key difference is caffeine content. Coke Zero has less caffeine than Diet Coke. However, both beverages are well below the recommended daily caffeine limit of 400 mg per day for adults (2). One debatable difference is the taste of these two drinks. Some say they cannot taste a difference, while others swear by either Diet Coke or Coke Zero as tasting closest to the “real deal.” Summary Coke Zero has less caffeine than Diet Coke. It also uses an additional sweetener, acesulfame potassium, that Diet Coke doesn’t. Overall, their ingredient contents and nutritional profiles are similar.
As of late, Coca-Cola writes on its website and in its most recent marketing materials that it has developed a new recipe for Coke Zero. The company doesn’t go into detail about how it has changed but maintains that it “has more real Coca-Cola flavor, still without any sugar” (3).
Coke Zero has a slightly different aftertaste than Diet Coke, likely due to its acesulfame potassium. Diet Coke tastes more like regular Coke to many people. However, for some, it’s the reverse.
Neither tastes just like the original Coca-Cola. Depending on multiple factors — like whether you get it from a beverage fountain, in a can, or in a bottle — each type may have a slightly different taste.
Summary
For most, not many harmful side effects come from drinking carbonated beverages in moderation.
However, caffeine and artificial sweeteners may negatively affect some people, even at moderate intake levels.
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) recommends that adults have no more than 400 mg of caffeine per day.
That’s about 4 cups of coffee, or nine or eleven 12-ounce (355-mL) cans of Diet Coke or Coke Zero, respectively. So, you’re unlikely to exceed the limit by drinking these sodas in moderation (2).
If you’re highly sensitive to caffeine, though, you may want to watch your intake of these beverages. Otherwise, they contain a relatively low amount of caffeine.
Aspartame may cause headaches for some people, according to the American Migraine Foundation. While this effect may vary, it’s good to know ahead of time so you can connect the dots if you start experiencing headaches after drinking these beverages (4).
There are very few differences between Diet Coke and Coke Zero. As such, there is no concrete, measurable reason to suggest that one is superior to the other.
Nutritionally, there are no significant differences. Their ingredient and caffeine contents are similar as well, so neither is healthier than the other.
Remember that diet soda is not considered a healthy drink. It’s a fun treat that can be consumed in moderation — and switching from original sodas to diet ones is a great starting place if you’re trying to cut back on added sugars.
Whichever you choose will depend largely on which tastes better to you. Coke Zero has been said to taste more like regular Coke, but some people feel differently and even prefer Diet Coke over regular Coke.
Summary
The best choice will depend on your taste preferences. There are no significant differences nutritionally between Coke Zero and Diet Coke.
With the conflicting evidence surrounding artificial sweeteners, you may be wondering how you can get your fizzy fix while limiting your artificial sweetener intake.
Here are some ideas you can try:
•Flavored waters. Calorie-free flavored waters can be refreshing and hydrating. Consider them as a healthy addition to your fridge or cooler.
•Kombucha. This probiotic-filled beverage promotes healthy gut bacteria and is naturally fizzy due to the fermentation process. Most kombuchas have less sugar than regular sodas, but compare labels to ensure you’re not overdoing it on added sugars.
•Probiotic sodas. Some brands of probiotic “soda” are similar to kombucha. They’re designed to taste similar to soda but have far less sugar. Their benefits are similar to those of kombucha due to the probiotics.
•Stevia sodas. Several brands of fizzy drinks mimic popular soda flavors and contain no artificial sweeteners. Instead, these sodas use plant-based alternative sweeteners like stevia or monk fruit. They still taste similar to soda but have no sugar or artificial sweeteners.
If you want to limit added sugars, sodas made with artificial sweeteners — like Diet Coke and Coke Zero — may seem like a good choice.
While some of the artificial sweeteners in these two drinks have faced controversy over their potential negative health effects, consuming either beverage in moderation should not be a concern, especially when compared with the negative effects of their sugar-laden alternative.
Coke Zero and Diet Coke are essentially the same nutritionally. They differ mostly in their flavor.
If you decide you want to limit added sugars and non-nutritive sweeteners, kombucha or a probiotic soda may be good alternatives.
Mar 20, 2023 · Coke Zero is sugar-free. However, the sugar substitutes it contains may not necessarily be a healthier option for people looking to reduce their risk of diabetes. A 14-year study in...
People also ask
Does Coke Zero Sugar taste like a Coke?
Is Coke Zero Sugar-Free?
Does Coke Zero Sugar have artificial sweeteners?
Are Diet Coke and Coke Zero Sugar the same?
Jan 30, 2024 · Diet Coke and Coke Zero both contain zero calories, zero sugar (carbohydrates) and zero protein, meaning they provide no nutrition. Both Diet Coke and Coke Zero Sugar contain 40 milligrams of sodium per 12-ounce (355-milliliter) can, or 2 percent of your recommended daily sodium intake.
The new and improved recipe tastes like a Coke, but with zero sugar and zero calories. Coca‑Cola Zero Sugar hit store shelves nationwide in August 2017. We will continue to reformulate our drinks in response to changing consumer tastes, with the aim to help people reduce the sugar they consume, whilst offering them a choice of great tasting drinks.
