Aspartame is used as an artificial sweetener in thousands of products, including well-known sodas such as Diet Pepsi and Diet Coke. You might know it better as NutraSweet or Equal. However, aspartame is only one of four artificial sweeteners that have won approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. You can also find products that use saccharin, Acesulfame potassium and sucralose to sweeten things up.
Diet Rite
The makers of Diet Rite soft drinks passed on using aspartame to sweeten their beverages and instead went with two other artificial sweeteners. Diet Rite uses a blend of sucralose and Acesulfame potassium. Sucralose is marketed under the brand name Splenda. Acesulfame potassium is better known as Sunett or Ace K. Diet Rite reports it's the first major diet drink maker in the United States to use this "special blend." Diet Rite is sold in stores across the country. If you're having trouble finding it near you, the company website has a telephone number you can call to find a local retailer.
Big Red
Big Red, which sells its drinks online and at Wal-Mart stores across the country, makes a diet version of Big Red that does not contain aspartame. The ingredient label on Diet Big Red lists sucralose as a sweetener, in addition to natural and artificial flavorings. Big Red has been making its Diet Big Red since 1982. According to the Big Red website, Big Red beverages are available to consumers in 43 states.
Jones
The Jones bottled soda company makes a line of diet products called Jones' Zilch Zero Calorie that don't use aspartame. The sodas come in Black Cherry, Pomegranate and Vanilla, and all three varieties are sweetened with sucralose. Jones sodas are sold online and at convenience, grocery and discount stores.
Snapple
Some Snapple drinks use aspartame, but others use a combination of sucralose and Acesulfame potassium as artificial sweeteners. Try Diet Lime Green Tea, Diet Plum-A-Granate Tea, Diet Green Tea, Lemonade Iced Tea or Diet Mango Green Tea if you want to avoid aspartame. Snapple products are sold at a variety of retailers across the country.
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