A dietitian has taken to social media to reveal what the healthier option is – Coke Zero, or Diet Coke.
Toronto-based dietician Abbey took to TikTok to share some thoughts on a topic that’s long been the subject of debate. Lasting only 90 seconds in total, she packed a lot of information in quickly for Coke fans.
“Both contain aspartame, caffeine, natural flavors, and caramel colors, etc.,” she said.
“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,” Sharp revealed. “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.”
The consensus on aspartame is uncertain, with theWorld Health Organization’s cancer researcharm classifying it as “possibly carcinogenic to humans,” and demanding further research on potential health risks.
However, despite this, theFood and Drug Administration contendsthat this “does not mean that aspartame is actually linked to cancer.”
“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 continued.
“Honestly, diet sodas are not healthy foods. They should be treated no differently than regular, full-sugar soda,” she contended. “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.”
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Coke also went viral after Subway announced they’d be ditching the brand andteaming up with another soda giant.
Lauren Lewis was a Food Writer on Dexerto’s UK team and is a Master’s graduate. Her expert coverage areas include McDonald’s, KFC, Wendy’s, Chick-fil-A, Starbucks, Taco Bell, and Domino’s Pizza, as well as viral food stories from YouTube, TikTok, and X/Twitter.
