Milly Gaines
PepsiCo Inc. has launched a new drink called Pepsi True, which is a mid-calorie version of the soda made with natural sweeteners. Pepsi True is made with a mix of sugar and stevia, a natural sweetener with no calories. The drink has 30% fewer calories than the regular version and comes in 7.5-ounce cans, each containing 60 calories. Diet Pepsi, on the other hand, does not contain stevia but is instead sweetened with artificial sweeteners like aspartame or sucralose.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Does Diet Pepsi have Stevia? | Pepsi True is a mid-calorie version of Pepsi made with a blend of sugar and stevia. |
| What is Stevia? | A natural, plant-based, low-calorie sweetener added to foods and beverages. |
| Why use Stevia? | Stevia is a natural sweetener with no calories. |
| What are the concerns with Stevia? | Stevia has a bitter aftertaste that people don't always enjoy. |
| What other drinks use Stevia? | Coca-Cola Life, Coke Life, Bai, and Starbucks Refreshers. |
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What You'll Learn
Pepsi True is a stevia-sweetened drink
Stevia is a natural, plant-based, low-calorie sweetener that has been used for over 200 years. It is native to Paraguay in South America, and people have traditionally chewed the leaves, used it to mask the unpleasant flavour of medicines, or added it to drinks. Stevia has gained popularity as a sweetener because it is seen as a healthier alternative to sugar, and it has been deemed safe for consumption by various regulatory bodies.
However, stevia is also known for its bitter aftertaste, which has made it challenging for beverage companies to create reduced-calorie drinks with only natural sweeteners. To address this issue, PepsiCo has experimented with substances like Sweetmyx, which enhances the taste of stevia and other sweeteners. Despite these efforts, opinions of Pepsi True were mixed, and some consumers rejected the taste of stevia-sweetened drinks.
It is worth noting that while stevia-sweetened drinks are becoming more common, they are still harder to find than drinks with other nonnutritive sweeteners such as aspartame and sucralose. In the case of Pepsi, the company has replaced aspartame with sucralose in its diet drinks, showing a shift towards different types of sweeteners.
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Stevia is a natural, plant-based sweetener
Stevia is an attractive alternative to sugar as it provides a sweet taste without the calories. It is also a good alternative to artificial sweeteners, which are often viewed as processed and fake. Major manufacturers such as Coca-Cola and Pepsi have launched drinks containing stevia, including Coke Life and Pepsi True. These drinks are marketed as natural and have fewer calories than regular versions. For example, Pepsi True is a mid-calorie version of Pepsi made with natural sweeteners and has 30% fewer calories than the original drink.
However, stevia has a bitter aftertaste that is not always enjoyed. This has made it a struggle for companies to create formulas with fewer calories using only natural sweeteners. To combat this, companies often add other sweeteners, such as sugar or sugar alcohols like erythritol, to mask the bitterness. Despite this, stevia is generally recognised as safe by the Food and Drug Administration in the United States. The European Food Safety Authority and the Joint Food and Agriculture Organisation/World Health Organisation Expert Committee on Food Additives also affirm that stevia is safe for adults and children, including pregnant and nursing women.
In addition to its sweetening properties, stevia has been found to have therapeutic effects against various health conditions. Research suggests that stevia can help manage diabetes, hypertension, inflammation, obesity, cystic fibrosis, and tooth decay. As a result, stevia is an appealing option for consumers looking for natural, plant-based sweeteners with potential added health benefits.
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Stevia is generally recognised as safe
Pepsi has launched a stevia-sweetened drink called Pepsi True, which is a mid-calorie version of the soda made with natural sweeteners. Pepsi True contains 30% fewer calories than the regular Pepsi and is made with a blend of sugar and stevia. However, it is important to note that stevia is used as a sweetener in Pepsi True, and not in Diet Pepsi.
Stevia is a natural, plant-based, low-calorie sweetener added to foods and beverages. It is native to Paraguay in South America and has been used as a sweetener for over 200 years. The use of stevia provides a way to sweeten products without the calories of sugar. This makes it an attractive option for consumers looking to reduce their calorie intake.
In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has deemed steviol glycosides, the sweetener component of stevia, as GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe). This means that steviol glycosides are widely accepted as safe for consumption by the FDA. However, it is important to note that the use of stevia leaf and crude stevia extracts is not considered GRAS, and the FDA has not approved their use in food or beverages.
The European Food Safety Authority and the Joint Food and Agriculture Organization/World Health Organization Expert Committee on Food Additives also affirm that stevia is safe for adults and children, including pregnant and nursing women. Additionally, research suggests that stevia is not mutagenic or carcinogenic. On the contrary, some compounds in stevia have therapeutic effects against various health conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, inflammation, obesity, cystic fibrosis, and tooth decay.
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PepsiCo is experimenting with a substance called Sweetmyx
PepsiCo has been experimenting with sweeteners other than aspartame, such as stevia, to cater to consumers who are seeking alternatives to artificial sweeteners. The company's stevia-sweetened drink, Pepsi True, contains 30% less sugar and 40% fewer calories than regular Pepsi. However, stevia has a bitter aftertaste that is widely disliked, and it is predicted that this will lead to the failure of Pepsi True.
To combat this, PepsiCo is experimenting with a substance called Sweetmyx (S617), a flavour modifier developed by Senomyx Inc. that enhances the taste of sugar, stevia, and other sweeteners. Sweetmyx has been determined to be Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS) by the Flavor and Extract Manufacturers Association (FEMA) Expert Panel, and PepsiCo has exclusive rights to use it in non-alcoholic beverages. The company has expressed strong potential with Sweetmyx, seeing it as another option for developing flavour systems that meet consumer demand for tasty, low-sugar, and low-calorie beverages.
Sweetmyx is the result of San Diego-based Senomyx's work in using high-throughput biological screening techniques to evaluate millions of molecules and identify those that bind to specific taste receptors. The company has struck deals with several big names in the industry, including PepsiCo, Firmenich, and Ajinomoto. While the details of Senomyx's partnerships are confidential, it is known that Firmenich has lifetime rights to commercialize Sweetmyx for food product categories and alcoholic beverages, with exclusive rights until March 2018.
As PepsiCo continues to innovate, stevia may be replaced in the future with other natural sweeteners such as monk fruit. The company has stated that its current exploration with Sweetmyx is just the first round in a lot of innovation to come.
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Stevia has a bitter aftertaste
Pepsi True is a mid-calorie version of Pepsi, made with natural sweeteners. It is a blend of sugar and stevia, a natural sweetener with no calories. The drink was launched in response to consumers' concerns about the high fructose corn syrup in regular Pepsi and the artificial sweeteners in diet sodas.
However, stevia has a bitter aftertaste that some people don't enjoy. This has made it a struggle for companies like Pepsi and Coca-Cola to create lower-calorie drinks using only natural sweeteners. To mitigate the bitterness of stevia, companies often add other sweeteners, such as sucrose (table sugar) or sugar alcohols like erythritol. In the case of Pepsi True, the addition of sugar helps to mask the bitter aftertaste of stevia while still providing a lower-calorie option compared to regular Pepsi.
Despite the bitter aftertaste of stevia, it has gained popularity as a natural, plant-based, low-calorie sweetener. Stevia is native to Paraguay in South America and has been used as a sweetener for over 200 years. Its leaves were traditionally chewed as a sweet treat, used to mask the unpleasant flavour of medicines, or added to drinks. Today, it is commonly used as a sugar substitute in beverages and food products, especially for those who are looking to reduce their calorie intake without resorting to artificial sweeteners.
While stevia has faced some challenges due to its bitter aftertaste, companies like Pepsi and Coca-Cola continue to experiment with it and other natural sweeteners. For example, PepsiCo has been working with a substance called Sweetmyx, which enhances the taste of stevia and other sweeteners. Additionally, there is ongoing innovation in the field of natural sweeteners, with potential alternatives like monk fruit being explored. As consumer preferences evolve and the demand for natural, low-calorie options increases, companies will likely continue to innovate and find ways to address the bitter aftertaste associated with stevia.
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Frequently asked questions
Pepsi True is a mid-calorie version of Pepsi made with natural sweeteners. Pepsi True contains a blend of sugar and stevia.
Stevia is a natural, plant-based, low-calorie sweetener added to foods and beverages. It is a plant native to Paraguay in South America and has been used as a sweetener for over 200 years.
Stevia is used as an alternative to artificial sweeteners like aspartame and sucralose. It is also used to reduce the number of calories in drinks when compared to sugar.
No, stevia has a bitter aftertaste that people don't always enjoy. However, stevia can be mixed with other sweeteners to mask the bitterness.
The European Food Safety Authority and the Joint Food and Agriculture Organization/World Health Organization Expert Committee on Food Additives affirm that stevia is safe to consume for adults and children, including women who are pregnant or nursing.
