Diet soda
Though artificial sweeteners had been known since the discovery of saccharin in 1878,[1] the diet beverage era began in earnest with the 1949 launch of La Casera (also known as Gaseosa) in Madrid, Spain using cyclamate.
Recognizing Americans' growing desire for weight loss, Kirsch began marketing No-Cal to the general public, particularly to women.
Following highly successful trials in Chicago and North Carolina, RC began marketing Diet Rite nationwide for the general public in 1962.
[5][6] Per the Delaney amendment, the FDA immediately announced a ban on cyclamate in food and drink products, to take effect in 1970.
Tab made a comeback during the late 1990s after new studies demonstrated that saccharin is not an important factor in the risk of cancer.
Due to its high efficiency (20,000 times sucrose) which enables use of minute quantities for sweetening, advantame has the advantage of being safe to consume for individuals with phenylketonuria.
[15] In 1970, the Food and Drug Administration banned cyclamates in the United States based on the results of a study which found that it caused bladder cancer in rats in combination with saccharin.
Acesulfame potassium is usually combined with aspartame, sucralose, or saccharin rather than alone and its use is particularly common among smaller beverage producers (e.g. Big Red).
[citation needed] The widespread, though not universal, agreement that the newest formulations taste much more "normal" (sugar-like) than the older diet soft drinks have prompted some producers, such as Jones Soda, to abandon the "diet" label entirely in favor of "sugar-free", implying that the taste is good enough to drink even when not trying to lose weight.
[citation needed] Stevia-based sweeteners incorporate steviol glycosides, sweet-tasting compounds produced in the leaves of the Stevia rebaudiana plant.
One study investigated the electrochemical properties of stevia rebaudiana, a herb with potential as a glucose sugar alternative.
By using a cyclic voltammetric technique with a nano-sensor modified glassy carbon electrode, the limited safety dose was determined as 0.4 mM (28 mg/mL), where the stevia compound acted as an anti-oxidative sweetener.
The table below displays milligrams of sweetener and phosphorus in a 12-ounce (≈355 ml) serving of canned soft drink, as provided by the manufacturers in the US market in 2012.
[20][21] Some older reviews and dietetic professionals have concluded that moderate use of non-nutritive sweeteners as a safe replacement for sugars can help limit energy intake and assist with managing blood glucose and weight.
While reverse causality could not be excluded, newer studies, for example MESA showed that regular consumption of diet soft drinks is associated with an increased risk of metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes, independent of adiposity measures.
[28] These results are largely consistent with other research in the field, providing a robust body of evidence for the potential adverse health effects of diet soft drinks.
In an effort to profit on the surging popularity of low-carbohydrate diets, Coca-Cola and PepsiCo both released reduced-calorie versions of their flagship colas in 2004.
It is possible that these soft drinks were targeted to so-called "carb-conscious consumers", who are paying attention to their carbohydrate intake but not trying to drastically reduce it.
