Diet soft drinks entered the mainstream market in 1958 with a beverage called "Diet-Rite." Other diet soft drinks, such as Tab, Fresca and Diet Coke soon followed behind. Ingredients in early diet soft drinks included artificial sweetener ingredients such as cyclamates and saccharine, both later linked to cancer and no longer used. Although according to MayoClinic.com, ingredients now included in diet soft drinks are not harmful to most people, it is still important to know what they are when these beverages are part of your diet.
Carbonated Water
Carbon dioxide gas dissolved in water forms the effervescent, bubbly base of all carbonated soft drinks. Although carbon dioxide gas is both colorless and odorless, it can give water a tangy taste, according to "Practically Edible," an online food encyclopedia .
Coloring Agents
Dark colored diet soft drinks, such as Diet Coke and Diet Pepsi contain an FDA approved caramel coloring agent. According to "The Beverage Institute," caramel coloring contains either corn or cane sugar as its base ingredient. Colored diet soft drinks, such as Diet Mountain Dew Red include FDA approved food dyes such as Yellow 5 and Blue 1.
Sweeteners
Diet soft drinks can include an artificial sweetener, such as aspartame, a traditional sweetener, such as high fructose corn syrup, or both. Diet soft drinks such as Diet Pepsi and Diet Mountain Dew Code Red include aspartame, while Diet Coke includes both aspartame and high fructose corn syrup.
Aspartame is an artificial sweetener that according to "The Beverage Institute," is 200 times sweeter than sugar but used in such small amounts that its effect is negligible. Although individuals with a medical condition called PKU cannot metabolize phenylalanine, a component in aspartame and should avoid it, the FDA considers aspartame safe for all others.
High fructose corn syrup is similar to table sugar and contains four calories per gram, according to "The Beverage Institute" Although adding high fructose corn syrup to diet soft drinks increases the sweetness of the beverage, it is not the only reason diet soft drinks include it. According to MayoClinic.com, it is also included as a preservative ingredient.
Flavoring Agents
Phosphoric acid is another common ingredient in non-citrus based diet soft drinks that according to "American Beverage," serves two purposes. The first is as a flavor enhancer that adds a tart taste and the second is as a preservative. Citric acid, present in both non-citrus based diet soft drinks, such as Diet Coke or Pepsi as well as citrus-based diet soft drinks, such as Diet Mountain Dew Code Red is another common flavoring agent.
Unless your diet soft drink specifically states it is "caffeine-free," it contains this ingredient. According to the "The Beverage Institute," caffeine is a natural flavoring agent derived from seeds, leaves or fruits in a variety of plants.
Preservatives
Diet Coke, Pepsi and Mountain Dew Code Red include a preservative ingredient called potassium benzoate, an antimicrobial agent that extends the shelf life of the beverage by preventing the formation of yeasts, molds and bacteria. Potassium benzoate is a common preservative, but some diet soft drinks, Diet Mountain Dew, also include sodium benzoate as an additional preservative ingredient.
Member Comments