Stevia to be used in Diet Coke and Diet Pepsi

United States
May 20, 2008 11:10am CST
I heard on the news that Coke and Pepsi are planning to use Stevia as a sweetener in their diet colas. Stevia is a natural herb that is 200 times sweeter than sugar. I actually like it, but I have to say it's an acquired taste. It's not dissimilar to saccharin, but is much healthier and not as strong. I kinda hope that they blend it with another sweetener. Stevia is the only non-sugar sweetener that I can tolerate, so I'm excited about this. But, I hope the soda doesn't taste too much like Tab. If it's not too bad, I may start drinking soda more often. So, would you buy this drink with Stevia in it?
4 people like this
10 responses
@ElicBxn (63608)
• United States
20 May 08
I don't like stevia, I don't like the taste. So long as Diet Dr Pepper doesn't use it, I'm good.
4 people like this
• United States
21 May 08
I'm one of those people who has a high tolerance for bitter foods. So, I can taste the bitterness, but it doesn't really bother me that much.
1 person likes this
• United States
20 May 08
LoL, it's definitely can be an acquired taste for some people. But, it took me less time to get used to it than I did saccharin, which I never got used to.
4 people like this
@ElicBxn (63608)
• United States
21 May 08
I read recently that there are "low" tasters and "high" tasters and to the "high" tasters saccharin tastes bitter, to the "low" tasters it is sweet. The roomie says its bitter but its sweet to me. Funny thing, the former roomie, who can decern tastes of all kinds of things, thinks its sweet too.
3 people like this
@drannhh (15219)
• United States
20 May 08
I would not buy it even without the Stevia, as I don't "do" cola beverages. Have you tried birch sugar or Xylitol? I wholly approve of the use of Stevia and am ever so glad to see that the bad has been lifted, however, personally, I cannot stand the taste. http://www.xylitol.org/ Although I can tolerate any kind of natural sweetener, I try to make healthy choices in sweeteners whenever practical. Therefore I use agave syrup when I want something runny, and xylitol when crystals are desired. Both are reasonably shelf-stable, but xylitol obviously stores better.
4 people like this
• United States
20 May 08
I've seen Xylitol for sale at my local farm store, but it's too high priced for me.
4 people like this
• United States
20 May 08
Thanks for the link. It definitely is a lot less expensive there, but I have to watch every dollar I'm making right now until our city's budget comes out. Also, I am losing hours in July for 4th of July, so I need to watch it moneywise.
3 people like this
@drannhh (15219)
• United States
20 May 08
For sure! So we buy ours online from these folks: http://www.emeraldforestxylitol.com/xylitol.htm Enjoy!
4 people like this
• United States
20 May 08
I have read this to Darlene. I can't tolerate the taste of diet sodas, about the only one that I will drink on occasion is Fresca. If I am cutting down on sugar I would rather do without, then to drink diet. i Drink my Tea unsweetened, with lemon occasionally and I like that okay. or just water and lemon. I know with your condition you look for treats anywahere you can find them. I hope this proves good for you.
4 people like this
• United States
20 May 08
As long as they don't blend it with a lot of sugar, I think I will definitely try it. I may try it once even if it has a sugar blend, but I wouldn't drink it regularly.
3 people like this
@dragon54u (31634)
• United States
20 May 08
That would be great, I think Stevia tastes a lot like sugar and it's supposed to be all natural. I actually loved the taste of Tab back in the 70's but I think it tastes awful now. Either they changed the recipe or my taste buds have changed but I can't stand it! Same with Coke Zero, nasty stuff and nothing like the regular Coke! I don't drink much pop. They say it takes 8 gallons of water to flush out the effects of one can of pop so I'll have a real Coke every once in awhile but that's about it. Even though it's bad for you, I'd drink more pop with Stevia in it, especially if they could make diet Coke taste like the non-diet!
4 people like this
• United States
20 May 08
I've actually found that Stevia has an aftertaste to me. But, it tastes better than Saccharin, which my body has a hard time metabolizing. I don't like the empty calories in sugary sodas, so I don't drink regular colas.
3 people like this
• United States
21 May 08
I emailed the coca cola company about using stevia and this is the response I got Thank you for contacting The Coca-Cola Company. We appreciate the opportunity to respond. Stevia is not approved for use in soft drinks in the United States. If you have any additional comments, please feel free to contact us again. Jeffrey Industry and Consumer Affairs The Coca-Cola Company
1 person likes this
@dragon54u (31634)
• United States
21 May 08
So they can serve it in coffee shops and restaurants but not pop? How silly. I wrote to Coke and asked them to relocate the "handle" on their 12packs because I have to turn it over to reach it and often end up dropping it. They said people have been asking them to do that for years. Well, DUH!! Then do it!! Silly people.
1 person likes this
@kenzie45230 (3560)
• United States
21 May 08
I don't drink much soda anymore, mostly because sugar is so bad for you and artificial sweetners taste so horrible to me. I might try drinking it more often with Stevia. Good to know.
4 people like this
• United States
21 May 08
I'm not sure how it would taste, but I know I'll be able to drink it more often then the other sweeteners.
1 person likes this
• Philippines
21 May 08
Anything that will taste close to sugar without the loaded calories and safe by medical standard would be fine by me. If stevia it is then I guess I would be one of the many that would be glad.
3 people like this
• United States
21 May 08
I feel it's safer than other sweeteners, but I think there's been some controversy as to categorization by the FDA of whether it's an herbal remedy or a food item.
1 person likes this
@gberlin (3836)
21 May 08
I would drink it. I have always stayed away from diet drinks because I did not care to be drinking artificial sweeteners. I hope other companies follow suit.
2 people like this
• United States
21 May 08
I'm hoping that I will be able to drink soda more often if they use Stevia as long as it tastes good.
1 person likes this
@luvstochat (6907)
• United States
21 May 08
Oh I am going to have to email the coca cola company if they change my diet coke I will be mad! I don't like these other sweetners they use in pop. I know diet 7 up now uses splenda and I can't stand the taste of that pop anymore it is gross. Useing a different sweetne rin my pop will change the flavor! They will lose alot of money from me if they do that as I will no longer buy diet coke.
1 person likes this
• United States
21 May 08
Well, that's a surprise because I heard it on the news and it came from an extremely reliable source. I also heard it somewhere else, too. I will try to find a news link if I can.
1 person likes this
• United States
21 May 08
The site of the news source that I heard it from doesn't have an article for it. There are other articles relating to this subject, but they aren't as credible as the source that I heard from, so I won't post any links to them.
1 person likes this
• United States
21 May 08
It is not true I emailed the coca cola company here is their response Thank you for contacting The Coca-Cola Company. We appreciate the opportunity to respond. Stevia is not approved for use in soft drinks in the United States. If you have any additional comments, please feel free to contact us again. Jeffrey Industry and Consumer Affairs The Coca-Cola Company
1 person likes this
@Hatley (163776)
• Garden Grove, California
21 May 08
As a diabetic I think I might like stevia in my diet soda and it would be safer than some of the other sugar free things. I would go back to drinking more diet sodas then. I do not like tab however.
• United States
21 May 08
I'm not sure how it would be for diabetics as I don't know a whole lot of people who actually use Stevia.
1 person likes this
• United States
21 May 08
I wonder what is stevia. I never heard of this before in my life. I would not support the idea of adding anything to diet sodas at all. I much rather have diet sevenup, sierra mist, and sprite with nothing in it at all. The reason I choose diet is that I can maintain my great health. You know what I mean? I wonder where you got the news of stevia in diet sodas.
• United States
22 May 08
I guess the news wasn't true to begin with. I wish these those reporters would do their research! It's not approved as a sweetener in the U.S., so, right now, it's not an option. But, that doesn't mean it won't be in the future. Stevia is basically a natural herb that is 200 times sweeter than sugar. I did some research and I've found that it's safe for diabetics and can be used in cooked foods. It's aftertaste has been described as being like black licorice. It's not a strong aftertaste, but it does have one. I just know that it doesn't affect me like other sweeteners.