Diet soda facts for kids
Diet or light drinks are special beverages that have very little or no calories. They are usually made without regular sugar and instead use artificial sweeteners. These drinks are often sold to people who want to lower their sugar intake, like those with diabetes, or anyone trying to manage their weight.
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History of Diet Drinks
People have known about artificial sweeteners since the late 1800s. But diet drinks really started becoming popular in 1949 with a drink called La Casera in Spain.
Then, in 1952, a new drink called No-Cal ginger ale was created in Brooklyn, New York. It was first made for hospital patients who couldn't have sugar. But soon, its creators, Hyman and Morris Kirsch, started selling it to everyone, especially women who wanted to lose weight. By 1953, it was a hit in New York City. Other companies like Canada Dry also made their own diet drinks.
In 1958, Royal Crown Cola introduced Diet Rite, which became very popular. By 1962, it was the fourth best-selling soda in the US!
Soon after, other big companies joined in. In 1963, Dr Pepper released "Dietetic Dr. Pepper" (now Diet Dr. Pepper). The Coca-Cola Company launched Tab, and Pepsi introduced Patio Diet Cola (later Diet Pepsi).
However, there was a big problem. Many early diet drinks used sweeteners called cyclamates and saccharin. In 1969, some studies raised concerns that cyclamates might cause cancer in lab animals. Because of this, the US government quickly banned cyclamates from food and drinks in 1970. Diet sodas had to change their recipes, mostly using only saccharin. But many people didn't like the taste, and sales of diet sodas dropped a lot.
In the 1980s, after more studies, most companies switched to a new sweetener called aspartame in 1983. By the 1990s, many different diet drinks were available again.
Around 2002, companies started adding new flavors like vanilla and lemon to their diet drinks. You could find Diet Vanilla Coke and Diet Pepsi Vanilla.
Sweeteners in Diet Drinks
Many different sweeteners are used instead of sugar in low-calorie diet drinks. The main ones around the world are aspartame, saccharin, sucralose, cyclamates (though not in the US), acesulfame potassium (often called "Ace K"), and stevia.
The goal is to make these drinks taste exactly like sugary ones, but without the calories. However, many artificial sweeteners can leave a slight aftertaste, which some people describe as "bitter" or "metallic."
Recently, more people want "natural" products. This has led to a higher demand for stevia-based sweeteners.
Aspartame
Aspartame is one of the most common artificial sweeteners. You might know it by the brand name NutraSweet. When Diet Coke started using aspartame in 1982, it became very popular. In the United States, if a drink says "diet," it almost always means it uses aspartame.
Newer sweeteners like neotame and advantame are also related to aspartame. Advantame is very sweet, so only tiny amounts are needed. This means it's safe for people with a rare condition called phenylketonuria (PKU), who can't process a part of aspartame called phenylalanine.
Cyclamates
In 1970, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) banned cyclamates because a study suggested they might cause bladder cancer in rats. Later studies showed that this effect was specific to rodents and that cyclamates are not considered harmful to humans. However, cyclamates are still banned in the US.
Sucralose and Acesulfame Potassium
Two other sweeteners, sucralose (known as Splenda) and acesulfame potassium ("Ace K"), are now used more often. Ace K is usually mixed with other sweeteners like aspartame or sucralose. Diet Rite is a popular diet soda that uses a mix of sucralose and acesulfame potassium instead of aspartame.
These sweeteners were approved for use in soft drinks in the US in 1998. Many people say drinks made with sucralose and Ace K taste more like real sugar and don't have a strong aftertaste. Also, drinks without aspartame are safe for people with PKU because they don't contain phenylalanine.
Because these newer drinks taste so much like regular sodas, some companies, like Jones Soda, have stopped using the word "diet" and instead say "sugar-free." This suggests the taste is good enough for anyone to enjoy, not just those trying to lose weight.
In 2005, The Coca-Cola Company started making Diet Coke with Splenda, but they still made the original aspartame version too. They also created Coca-Cola Zero (now Coca-Cola Zero Sugar), which uses aspartame and acesulfame potassium.
Stevia
Stevia-based sweeteners come from sweet compounds found in the leaves of the Stevia rebaudiana plant.
One study looked at how stevia works and found that it can act as an antioxidant. It also showed that stevia's properties change depending on whether it's in an acidic or alkaline liquid.
In 2013, Coca-Cola Life was launched, using a mix of stevia and sugar. Pepsi also released Pepsi Next, which is sweetened with stevia and sugar.
Sweetener Amounts in Diet Drinks
This table shows how much sweetener and phosphorus are in a 12-ounce (about 355 ml) can of some popular diet soft drinks in the US, based on information from 2012.
| Beverage | Aspartame (mg) | Acesulfame K (mg) | Sucralose (mg) | Phosphorus (mg) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Diet Coke | 188 |
|
0 | 0 | 27 |
|
||
| Coke Zero Sugar | 87 |
|
47 |
|
0 | 54 |
|
|
| Diet Pepsi | 124 |
|
32 |
|
0 | 33 |
|
|
| Diet Pepsi Lime | 125 |
|
32 |
|
0 | 89 |
|
|
| Diet Pepsi Vanilla | 125 |
|
32 |
|
0 | 89 |
|
|
| Pepsi Max | 125 |
|
32 |
|
0 | 42 |
|
|
| Pepsi Next | 36 |
|
18 |
|
14 |
|
33 |
|
| Diet Dr. Pepper | 185 |
|
0 | 0 | 50 |
|
||
| Diet Mountain Dew | 86 |
|
27 |
|
27 |
|
0 | |
| Sprite Zero Sugar | 75 |
|
51 |
|
0 | 0 | ||
| Fresca | 75 |
|
51 |
|
0 | 0 | ||
| Barq's Diet Root Beer | 99 |
|
61 |
|
0 | 0 | ||
Health Concerns
Many people wonder about the possible health effects of artificial sweeteners and too much caffeine.
Experts and dietitians generally agree that using artificial sweeteners in moderation, as a way to replace sugar, can help people control their calorie intake and manage blood sugar and weight.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has said that aspartame, a sweetener in many diet drinks, might be a possible cause of cancer. However, they also say it's still safe to drink in normal amounts.
Different Names for Diet Drinks
Outside of the United States, United Kingdom, and Canada, diet drinks are often called "light" drinks. Sometimes, even in countries where English isn't the main language, they use the English word "light," like "Coca-Cola Light" in Spain. The recipes for "light" drinks can be a little different from "diet" versions, so they might taste slightly different too.
Reduced-Calorie Drinks
In 2004, Coca-Cola and PepsiCo tried to make drinks with fewer calories, but not zero. These drinks had about half the sugar of regular sodas. Pepsi released Pepsi Edge, and Coca-Cola released Coca-Cola C2. However, both companies stopped making these drinks by 2005 because they didn't sell very well. Pepsi later released Pepsi Max in 2012.
Even with half the sugar, these drinks still had more sugar than some popular low-carb diets allowed. They were probably aimed at people who wanted to be more aware of their carbohydrate intake, but weren't trying to cut them out completely.
Who Drinks Diet Sodas?
A study from 2009-2010 found that about one-fifth of people in the US aged 2 and older drank diet drinks on any given day. Among 12- to 19-year-olds, more girls drank diet drinks than boys. The study included diet versions of sodas, fruit drinks, energy drinks, sports drinks, and sparkling water.
See also
- Fat substitute
- Light beer
- List of brand name soft drinks products
- List of soft drink flavors
- List of soft drink producers
- List of soft drinks by country
