Diet Soda Has Experienced Changes Since Its Inception


by Ashley Harding


The majority of people have grown up knowing diet soda was available everywhere, but these soft drinks did not show in the United States until 1960s. The first one of these beverages on the market was Ginger Ale, which was made with saccharine to sweeten it rather sugar. Ginger Ale was marketed originally to diabetics.

When these drinks premiered, the taste was not something most consumers liked. As more people turned to diet soft drinks as a way to watch their weight, manufacturers began target marketing to dieters. Some major brands showed up during the 1960s but they were sweetened with cyclamates and not saccharine.

Soft drinks were very popular in the 1980s and this variety were gaining strength among dieters. Therefore, more efforts were put into making these taste better by using aspartame. This made them much more popular and sales soared.

Aspartame came under investigation over the years, and more manufacturers were using it. There were many independent studies that either showed it caused no harm in moderation or could cause harm if large amounts were consumed. However, the FDA was never convinced, and it is still the most used sugar substitute.

Stevia another sweetener that some of these sodas are using, because it's natural and derived from the stevia plant. Other countries have been using stevia for many years, but it just recently moved to the United States. Some big soda companies have began using stevia to make their soft drinks, but these are made in smaller quantities and not available everywhere in the United States.

It is clear that diet soda is an evolving drink with the goal of improving the taste and using more natural ingredients. These beverages appeal to dieters and diabetics alike. The future will no doubt see more changes as new sweeteners are developed.




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