So, for most people, natural sugars are a far better alternative to either artificial sweeteners or regular table sugar. For people living with diabetes or prediabetes, though, you still need to go easy on some natural sugars.
Artificially sweetened diet soda is widely used as a low or zero-calorie alternative to regular sugar-sweetened beverages. While it may seem like a healthier choice, a growing body of evidence shows that artificially sweetened diet sodas aren't any better than their regular sugar alternatives.
According to the FDA, over 100 studies have shown aspartame to be safe for most people. Agencies in Europe, Canada, and many other countries also approve its use, including: European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) Health Canada.
Artificial Sweeteners. The absolute worst sweeteners are artificial sweeteners, such as sucralose, saccharin, and aspartame. These are the worst sugar substitutes because these sweeteners are manufactured in a lab, meaning they're not found in nature.
Aspartame has been linked to behavioral and cognitive problems including learning problems, headache, seizure, migraines, irritable moods, anxiety, depression, and insomnia, wrote the researchers of a 2017 study in Nutritional Neuroscience.
Sugar is better for you than artificial sweeteners. Or even better yet — no added sugar. That's your absolute best bet. “Really, both sugar and artificial sweeteners are a problem for your health,” says functional medicine specialist Melissa Young, MD.
Scientific evidence has continued to support the FDA's conclusion that aspartame is safe for the general population when made under good manufacturing practices and used under the approved conditions of use.
Unfortunately, in 1970, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) banned its use in the USA due to suspicions of causing cancer. Interestingly, it has not been banned in other countries [2]. Following this, the invention of aspartame proved to be a breakthrough.
While both Coca-Cola Zero and Diet Coke contain the same sweeteners (a blend of aspartame and acesulfame-potassium or Ace-K) and contain zero calories, Coca-Cola Zero uses a different flavour base and delivers the great taste of Coca-Cola with zero sugar.
3. Coke No Sugar is sweetened with aspartame and Acesulphame Potassium (sometimes called Acesulphame-K or Ace-K). These are non-sugar sweeteners, which are also in Coke Zero and Diet Coke.
Diet Soda is Just as Bad as Regular Soda
Regular soda contains a lot of sugar whereas diet coke contains artificial sweeteners like aspartame. Despite being low or zero calories, diet coke offers no nutritional value whatsoever.
The main difference between coke and coke zero is the sugar content. When drinking coke zero as opposed to regular coke, you are consuming significantly less sugar which is a positive for weight loss and reduces the risk of weight-related diseases.
Aspartame was subjected to safety testing for many years, and was finally approved for use in foods and beverages in Europe and the United States in the 1980s. It is also approved for use in a wide range of foods in Australia and New Zealand, where it is most commonly sold under the brand names Nutrasweet or Equal.
Pepsi ditched the controversial sweetener last August in a move to placate health-conscious consumers looking to cut unnatural chemicals from their diets. Aspartame had been linked to cancer in lab mice, and industry executives blamed the decline in sales on unfounded concerns people had about the artificial sweetener.
And because aspartame still provides sweetness without the calories, it can help everyone – including diabetics – manage their calorie intake to enjoy more food and drink choices. Did you know? Almost all Coca‑Cola brands have a lower sugar or no-sugar alternative.
“Stevia leaf extract is safer than many other sugar substitutes, especially aspartame and sucralose,” Lefferts says. Research has linked sucralose, aspartame, and saccharin with cancers. That said, there is still a need for more research around stevia.
In addition, FDA considers three plant- or fruit-based high-intensity sweeteners to be generally recognized as safe for use as sweeteners in the United States: stevia, luo han guo (also known as Swingle fruit or monk fruit extract), and thaumatin.
Coke Zero Sugar is a zero-sugar, zero-calorie cola. Sugar alternatives are used in place of sugar in many foods and drinks to provide people with a reduced, low, or no sugar and calorie option. Because sugar alternatives provide a sweet taste with few or no calories, they can help people manage their calorie intake.
The acceptable daily intake of aspartame is 50 mg/kg of body weight per day; this new study suggests that this number may be too high and should be more in the area of 20 mg/kg of body weight.