Diet Coke and Coke Zero difference explained by dietician - which causes outrage
Dietician Abbey Sharp also looked into which popular Coca-Cola beverage was healthier.
A dietician has settled the great Coke Zero vs Diet Coke debate in a viral TikTok video that has caused quite the stir.
Abbey Sharp, a registered dietitian, has uploaded a video that dissects the ingredients of both popular Coca-Cola products.
"Both contain aspartame, caffeine, natural flavors, caramel colors, etc," she said in her viral video posted on Sunday. Sharp then highlighted the primary distinction between the two popular fizzy drinks, reports the Mirror US.
"The key difference is that Diet Coke is sweetened exclusively with aspartame, whereas Coke Zero also contains a sweetener called acesulfame potassium or Ace-K," she noted.
Sharp addressed the controversy over these sweeteners directly, commenting: "While the wellness community will call both of these sweeteners complete poison, the reality is, they're both FDA-approved and have been deemed safe in moderation."
She went on to talk about aspartame, an artificial sweetener found in Nutrasweet, Equal, and Sugar Twin, which is 200 times sweeter than sugar.
Last year, the cancer research department of the World Health Organization (WHO) described aspartame as "possibly carcinogenic to humans."
Nevertheless, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has contradicted the WHO's stance, asserting that it "does not mean that aspartame is actually linked to cancer."
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The FDA maintains that the acceptable daily intake of aspartame is 50 milligrams per kilogram of body weight per day.
Ace-K, another ingredient, is a whopping 200 times sweeter than regular table sugar. The FDA recognises it as a food additive and has conducted over 90 tests to determine any potential toxic effects from this artificial sweetener.
A French study published in 2022 associated aspartame with an increased risk of stroke, while Ace-K was linked to a higher likelihood of coronary artery disease.
"I'm generally not concerned about either of these sweeteners, though I prefer not to take the risk specifically in pregnancy with Ace-K because it has been shown to cross the placenta," Sharp commented.
Sharp also pointed out the significant difference in caffeine content between Coke Zero and Diet Coke. A can of Diet Coke packs approximately 46 milligrams of caffeine, whereas Coke Zero contains 34 milligrams.
"Diet sodas are not health foods, let's be honest. They should be treated no differently than regular, full-sugar soda," Sharp emphasised, adding that moderation is crucial.
"They don't really add anything to the diet except for maybe some pleasure and a little energy kick. Diet, zero, regular, whatever, if you're gonna drink soda, choose the one you like the most and enjoy in moderation."
People in the comments sections shared their own thoughts on whether they preferred Coke Zero or Diet Coke. "Coke Zero tastes better. Diet Coke has a weird aftertaste," one TikTok user responded.
Another person said: "Diet Coke is just superior, especially with a lime."
"I don't care for the taste for either one. Though cherry coke 0 wasn't terrible," a third account holder said.
