Are You Being Fooled by Zero Calorie Sodas?
by Vin Miller
Zero calorie sodas such as Coke Zero and Pepsi Max are slowly but surely becoming the next generation of diet soft drinks. Based on their popularity, people are obviously drinking them, but if they don’t contain any calories, then what exactly is it that you’re drinking?
As a result of consuming too much processed food that’s high in sugar and refined carbohydrates, the majority of the population is overweight and many of the people who are trying to slim down by cutting calories are failing miserably. As such, zero calorie beverages such as Coke Zero and Pepsi Max are not the answer to weight loss that many people believe them to be, and to make matters worse, the chemical additives in these beverages can compromise your health.
Coke Zero and Pepsi Max
Most diet sodas, including Diet Coke and Diet Pepsi, have been virtually calorie free for years. As such, Coke Zero and Pepsi Max are nothing more than diet sodas with some new ingredients and a unique marketing spin. The following are some of the more notable ingredients found in Coke Zero and Pepsi Max that don’t exist in their full calorie Coke and Pepsi counterparts.
Aspartame
Aspartame is an artificial sweetener that’s considered by many health experts to be one of the most dangerous food additives in existence. Despite a significant amount of controversy, aspartame is frequently associated with cancer, neurological disorders including Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease, and a very long list of other conditions and unpleasant symptoms.
Much of the controversy surrounding aspartame is fueled by corporate interest. In the late 1990s, Dr. Ralph Walden showed how significant this influence is by conducting a peer review of the 165 studies that were available at the time and were related to the safety of aspartame for humans. Of these studies, 74 were funded by corporations with financial ties to aspartame and the other 91 were funded by independent sources. All of the research that had financial ties to aspartame deemed it to be safe while 92% of the independent research indicated otherwise.
Acesulfame Potassium
Acesulfame potassium, often referred to as Acesulfame K, is another artificial sweetener that’s increasing in popularity. Although more research needs to be done on Acesulfame K, it’s been shown to promote cancer and increased insulin production in animals.
Potassium Benzoate
Potassium benzoate is a food preservative that’s used to prevent the growth of yeast, mold, and bacteria. It’s drawn a lot of negative attention due to it’s potential to form benzene when combined with vitamin C. Long term exposure to benzene has been found to cause cancer, anemia, suppressed immunity, irregular menstruation, and infertility.
Trading One Problem for Another
As shown by the following table, the biggest difference between Coke Zero, Diet Coke, Pepsi Max, and Diet Pepsi is the introduction of the Acesulfame K sweetener and the reduction of aspartame.
| Coke Zero | Diet Coke | Pepsi Max | Diet Pepsi | |
| Acesulfame K | 46 mg | 0 mg | 32 mg | 0 mg |
| Aspartame | 87 mg | 187 mg | 123 mg | 177 mg |
Although Acesulfame K appears to be much less of a risk than aspartame, it’s safety is still in question, and that leaves Coke Zero and Pepsi Max with two potentially dangerous artificial sweeteners instead of one.
The Max Factor
In addition to being a zero calorie soft drink, Pepsi Max is also marketed for it’s increased caffeine content and the addition of ginseng, both of which give it the appeal of an energy drink. In comparison to the 38 mg of caffeine in regular Pepsi, there’s 69 mg of caffeine in Pepsi Max. The inclusion of ginseng, which is a natural herbal supplement used to promote better mental and physical function, even gives Pepsi Max a bit of a misleading health appeal.
Neither caffeine nor ginseng will ever provide you with the long lasting and balanced sense of energy that can only result from optimal health. Furthermore, frequently relying on caffeine for energy will likely worsen the underlying problem that’s causing you to be tired and eventually lead to adrenal fatigue and poorer health.
Another suspect ingredient in Pepsi Max is calcium disodium EDTA which is commonly used by health professionals to help remove excess metals such as mercury, lead, and iron from the body. What does this have to do with soda you may ask? According to Pepsi, it helps to “protect flavor.” The real reason why it’s in Pepsi Max is to reduce the risk of benzene forming from the potassium benzoate preservative. How nice of Pepsi to look out for us like that.
A Better Perspective on Weight Loss
Clearly, the most obvious reason to drink zero calorie beverages such as Coke Zero and Pepsi Max is to reduce calorie intake, and in turn, lose weight. Ironically, research has shown that people who rely on artificially sweetened products are actually more likely to gain weight. This is because artificial sweeteners, particularly aspartame, are believed to cause a change in brain chemistry that increases appetite and calorie consumption.
Losing weight is no different from increasing your energy in the regard that it’s most effectively done through a healthy lifestyle. Too many people prioritize their appearance over their health, and as a result, fail to understand that pursuing better health and following a healthy diet will naturally lead to weight loss.
No type of soda, regardless of how many or how few calories it has, is ever a good choice. However, by following healthy habits on a regular basis, you’ll be able to enjoy soda in moderation without much impact to your health or weight, and when you do, you might as well enjoy the real thing!
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Vin, soda is junk. I drink one with splenda in it a couple of times a week. I should feel guilty even at that, but I figure I eat healthy enough to indulge once in a while. Thanks!
Hi Stephen, thanks for your comment! There’s nothing wrong with occasional indulgence! When you do, embrace it and don’t feel guilty! Otherwise, what’s the point? On the few occasions that you do indulge, I personally think you’d be better off with regular soda than Splenda. Here’s why.
Hey Vin, I think I’ve found the perfect solution to the soda problem, I call it the Zero Soda Solution.
Thanks for your comment, Jonathan! I like that – the best zero calorie soda is no soda at all!
Thanks for this article – it was really useful. I’ve recently changed from regular coke to pepsi max because I thought it wasn’t as bad! I guess I shouldn’t drink any soft-drink… the only problem is that I’m addicted! Any ideas?
Hi Stella,
Yes, the best solution is to minimize your consumption of all soft drinks. Whether your addiction is to caffeine or artificial sweeteners, it would probably be best for you to reduce your consumption gradually. In addition, you might find The Mood Cure by Julia Ross to be helpful. Julia Ross is an addiction specialist, and in this book, she discusses how to overcome addictions and mood issues through diet. The following article, which is based on this book, might be helpful as well: How to Improve Your Mood Through Diet.
Great article- all the more reason why I avoid diet soft drinks.
I am doing a chemistry experiment analyzing pepsi max. Do you know the reported aspartame content in mg / 8 fl. oz serving? This would be very beneficial to my project. Thanks!
Thanks, Allyson!
According to this page from Pepsi, if you select Pepsi Max as the product, it shows as having 82 mg of aspartame per 8 oz serving. Good luck with your experiment!
I use to be quite addicted to Coke for over 10 years. I always was a overweight person and I tried so hard to lose weight but nothing ever worked, so then I read something online and started drinking Pepsi Max. I still didn’t lose weight. Then suddenly I replaced it with water and I lost weight easily. This article is toooo right and if you want to lose weight just replace it with water. Just think off water as a magic bullet for every coke addict to losing weight.
Hi Oggydude, thanks for sharing your experience and congratulations on your weight loss!
Drinking water instead of soft drinks is not only a good way to support weight loss, but it’s also a great way to promote optimal health, especially since most people don’t drink enough of it and are chronically dehydrated.
I have been drinking zero-calorie sodas for years and I am a very happy and healthy athlete. I am now 24 and at least superficially healthy. I otherwise eat healthy and do parkour every day, and also drink coke zero calories about 4 times a week many times a day. If I do get cancer and bad stuff in the later years, then fine, who wants to live to be 80+ anyways? Not me that’s for true. Oh, also I just started smoking and drinking whisky.
Hi Jay, thanks for sharing your opinion.
It sounds to me like you’re greatly underestimating the quality of life that can be maintained in old age and I hope you consider reevaluating your perspective. There are more and more cases of people in their 70s displaying amazing levels of strength and athleticism in addition to being full of energy and thoroughly enjoying life. As science continues to advance, the age cap on this is likely to continue increasing. Besides, it’s certainly possible to live a vibrant, active, energetic, and happy life in old age without being a model of superior fitness and athleticism.
It’s certainly your choice to embrace the “live now pay later” approach, but realize that you’re taking the risk of majorly regretting this when you’re older and potentially unwell. Even though you may think you don’t want to live beyond 80, you might live that long anyway, and instead of living a vibrant life at this age, you may be in pain with a greatly compromised quality of life. Granted, following healthier habits doesn’t guarantee anything, but it certainly improves the odds, and with a deeper understanding of one’s values, novelties like soda, cigarettes, and whiskey generally don’t provide much fulfillment anyway. Consider the famous quote from Yogi Berra: “If I had known I was going to live this long, I would have taken better care of myself.”
Another important concept you brought up is superficial health. Contrary to what many people think, having the appearance of a fit athlete is not always synonymous with good health and optimal wellness. In fact, many of the models seen on magazine covers are compromising their health to look the way they do. Here’s a telling article by one such person.
Personally, I do want to live beyond 80, and at that age, I plan to be active and fit. I currently live my life in a way that promotes this, and I still live a fulfilling and enjoyable life. Based on this, even if I don’t age as well as I hope to, I’ll have nothing to regret. In fact, it will be quite the opposite because I’ll know that I did my best, and even if my health is not up to expectations, I’m sure I’ll still be better off than if I hadn’t made the effort.