Why Do Diet Sodas Taste Like Crap?
Why do diet sodas taste like crap? Ed and Alaina both love Diet Coke but I think it's pretty nasty, it's got to be the regular stuff for me, and preferably from a glass bottle or can. Scientists from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign say people like me say we don't like diet sodas because of the chemicals, but the real reason we don't like them is because the high-fructose corn syrup in regular sodas give them a better mouth-feel.
I know they've done a study, but still: I call bullshit! Anyone who's ever had a Coke from outside the US or Passover Coke knows that real sugar is where it's at—you get a superior mouth-feel while drinking, and the aftertaste is clean and sweet. Coke made with high-fructose corn syrup is different but still good, but to me the ones made with sweeteners like aspartame and sucralose initially taste too sweet, then get bitter, and then leave my mouth feeling both dry and sticky. Ugh! No thanks! [via The Knowledge for Thirst]
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5 Comments:
Heh I've never tried coke made with cane sugar, but I can certainly vouch for Dublin Dr. Pepper (made with cane sugar.) Right now I'm finishing a 24 back I ordered and definitely plan to order again. I don't know if it's some kidn of placebo, but I just don't feel as bad after drinking a high fructose corn syrup soda. I'm thinking of this sinking feeling that I get.
Joseph Bayot at 3:52PM on 04/30/07
Oh hey, KFT is back up.
Christopher Balla at 8:58AM on 05/01/07
In some places here in Texas you can find Coke from Mexico, which is made from cane sugar. It has a much better taste. I'm fascinated to learn that Dr. Pepper is made anywhere outside of North America (it's always been kind of a southern US thing, and it used to be hard to find even outside of Texas.)
Overall I too prefer the taste of the real stuff over the diet drinks, but alas, I cannot indulge too often because it is SO much sugar if you drink a lot of soda.
Jeana at 4:26PM on 05/01/07
Three big problems are the obsession with zero or 1 calorie, low cost of inferior sweeteners and existing customers.
Zero or 1 calorie means you cannot use natural flavors that have any calories, so diet drinks tend to be made with more artificial flavors.
Saccharine is CHEAP, that's why they kept using it for the longest time, even with NutriSweet was available. Same with other newer sweeteners that cost more than NutriSweet. They cost more, and reformulating drinks to use these new sweeteners costs money.
Worst problem is - People have grown to LIKE the nasty taste of Diet Coke, so it's very hard to sell new better tasting drinks. They try with drinks like Coke Zero. Coke Zero isn't perfect, but it tastes a lot better than that awful Diet Coke (based on a nasty sweet taste formula designed to make Saccharine paletteable).
Best diet drink I've had was a Diet Coke in England in 2000. It almost tasted more like original Coke than the Corn Sweetened version in the USA.
If you want a good diet drink, buy some lemons, and make lemonade with whichever lo-cal sweetener you prefer (I use a mixture, half Sucralose and half Nutrisweet). Maybe add some cranberry juice for color (if you are into the whole pink lemonade thing).
peekpoke at 10:10AM on 05/02/07
Diet coke doesn't contain saccharine; it contains aspartame. Personally, I love Coke Zero. The acesulfame potassium + aspartame combo makes me happy (and it's what my local store-brand uses in their diet cola). I do like regular diet coke, too, though. I cannot drink non-diet sodas if they contain HFCS (though I do like the ones that contain cane sugar). And sucralose? EWWWWWW. I cannot drink anything that contains it. It's vile, disgusting stuff.
randomeater at 12:22PM on 08/07/08