By Jessica Pall, Sports Editor and Mindy Pierce, Sports Editor
Both Diet Coke and Coke Zero are low calorie soft drinks made by the same company with similar ingredients, so what is the difference between these two popular products, and which one is healthier?
Although both drinks contain carbonated purified water, flavoring, artificial sweeteners aspartame, preservatives and caffeine, the main difference is that Coke Zero is sweetened with both aspartame and acesulfame potassium while Diet Coke contains just aspartame.
For those who may prefer the taste of Coke Zero compared to Diet Coke, this is because Coke Zero is made using a modified form of the Coco-Cola recipe whereas Diet Coke uses an entirely different formula giving it a different flavor profile. Additionally, Diet Coke has one calorie per 100 ml while Coke Zero has 0.5 ml.
Coke drinkers looking for a low-calorie, vitamin enhanced soft drink should try Coke Diet Plus, where each 8 ounce(s) of Coke Diet Plus provides 15 percent of one’s recommended daily intake for Niacin and vitamins B6 andB12, and 10 percent for zinc and magnesium.
Other flavors of Diet Coke products include raspberry, vanilla, black cherry vanilla, lemon, lime, and caffeine free, and Splenda brand sweetener. Coke Zero currently just offers the original Coca-Cola flavor and cherry.
With the exception of caffeine free Diet Coca-Cola, one 12-ounce can of Diet Coca-Cola contains 45 milligrams of caffeine which is 37.5 mgs of caffeine per fluid ounce. In comparison, a 16-ounce Monster energy drink contains 160 mg while an 8.46ounce Red Bull contains 80 mg of caffeine.
While the health benefits of caffeine are often debated, the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences has found that all beverages, including those with caffeine, contribute to the total daily hydration including water, tea, coffee, milk, soft drinks, and sports drinks.
It is important to stay hydrated because 60 percent of the body is made of water, which helps regulate body functions, including helping control body temperature, keeping muscles strong, aiding digestion, and keeping the brain functioning right.
Also, dehydration reduces the blood flow of the body which can result in listless, tired behavior. Thus, drinking Diet Coke or Coke Zero in moderation can help keep the body hydrated, functioning, and energized.
Often, a consumer concern is that Diet Coke and Coke Zero is sweetened with aspartame; there is a controversy over the health effects this sweetener has on people. According to www.diet-coke.com, aspartame is safe for consumers as it has undergone hundreds of studies and no scientific evidence has linked it to cancer. However, Dr. Russell L. Blaylock, a professor of neurosurgery at the Medical University of Mississippi, recently published a book Excitotoxins: The Taste That Kills, linking aspartame to neurological disorders. Thus, consumers will have to decide for themselves whose advice they want to believe or just consume in moderation.
While Diet Coke has been out in the market since 1982, Coke Zero is just now rounding in its fifth year as a low calorie drink with record high number in sales.
Marketing may be the defining factor that distinguishes the main difference between both Diet Coke and Coke Zero, in addition to the taste. According todifferencebetween.net, Coke Zero is marketed more towards men because men do not like the title “diet” associated with Coke and the slick, black packaging is also considered manlier. Coke Zero is also preferred by younger adults.
According to Beverage Digest, “There are many people who like the taste of Coke Classic but who did not transition to Diet Coke when they got older. Coke Zero is keeping them in the Coca-Cola franchise.”
So what do fellow Saint Leo University students prefer?
“I prefer Coke Zero because it practically has no calories and I think it tastes better than Diet Coke,” said junior Chris Tamez.
However, some students are indifferent.
I really don’t care which one I drink, although Coke Zero tastes a little stale,” said freshman Charlie Arliss.
