Leena Watts
Diet drinks are sweetened with non-nutritive sweeteners such as aspartame, which is about 200 times sweeter than sugar. These sweeteners pass through the body without being metabolized in the digestive tract, thus providing no energy to be stored as fat. While the sweet taste of diet drinks is often attributed to these artificial sweeteners, new research suggests that it is influenced by a subtle factor called mouth-feel, which refers to a food or beverage's body, fullness, and thickness. This explains why some people find the taste of diet drinks off-putting, while others prefer them over their regular counterparts.
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What You'll Learn
- Artificial sweeteners like aspartame are 200 times sweeter than sugar
- Sweet taste is processed differently in the brains of diet soda drinkers
- 'Mouth-feel' impacts how people perceive the taste of diet soda
- Colouring in drinks can enhance the perception of body and carbonation
- Lemon-lime flavours mask the mouth-feel difference between diet and non-diet drinks
Artificial sweeteners like aspartame are 200 times sweeter than sugar
Artificial sweeteners are used in diet drinks to substitute the high-fructose corn syrup or sucrose found in regular sodas. These artificial sweeteners are nonnutritive, which means they provide a sweet taste without the calories. For example, saccharin, an artificial sweetener, passes through the body without being metabolized in the digestive tract, thus releasing no energy to be stored as fat.
One of the most common artificial sweeteners used in diet drinks is aspartame. Aspartame is a nonnutritive sweetener that is much sweeter than sugar. Specifically, aspartame is about 200 times sweeter than sugar by weight. Aspartame has a half-life of about 300 days in solution at a pH of around 4, which is similar to the pH of soft drinks. However, if the cans are exposed to high temperatures, they may deteriorate faster. Therefore, it is important to check the expiration date on the package to ensure optimal taste.
The use of artificial sweeteners like aspartame in diet drinks can impact an individual's perception of taste. Factors like the fullness and thickness of the beverage, also known as "mouth-feel," can affect how people perceive the taste of diet soda. For example, adding natural sugars from orange juice to Coke Zero gives the drink more body and masks the taste of artificial sweeteners. Similarly, the saltiness from peanuts can add a savoury taste to zero-sugar colas, enhancing the drinking experience.
While artificial sweeteners like aspartame are generally considered safe for consumption, some people may find the taste off-putting. Some individuals describe the taste of aspartame as metallic and bitter, while others prefer diet drinks over their regular, sugar-sweetened counterparts due to the reduced sweetness. It is worth noting that regular exposure to nonnutritive sweeteners may alter the reward processing of sweet taste in the brain, potentially influencing energy intake and contributing to obesity.
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Sweet taste is processed differently in the brains of diet soda drinkers
The sweet taste in diet drinks comes from artificial sweeteners, such as aspartame, sucralose, and saccharin, which are nonnutritive or non-caloric. These provide the desired sweet taste without the calories, as they pass through the body without being metabolized in the digestive tract.
Research has shown that sweet taste is processed differently in the brains of diet soda drinkers. One study examined fMRI responses to sucrose (a nutritive sweetener) and saccharin (a nonnutritive sweetener) in young adult diet soda drinkers and non-diet soda drinkers. Diet soda drinkers demonstrated greater activation to sweet taste in the dopaminergic midbrain (including the ventral tegmental area) and right amygdala. This suggests that there may be alterations in the reward processing of sweet taste in individuals who regularly consume diet soda.
The study also found that saccharin elicited a greater response in the right orbitofrontal cortex (Brodmann Area 47) in non-diet soda drinkers relative to sucrose. This indicates that the activation patterns produced by a non-nutritive sweetener differ according to diet soda intake. In other words, the brain can differentiate between a sweet nutritive taste and a sweet nonnutritive taste, and this differentiation may be altered in diet soda drinkers.
Furthermore, the fMRI activation of the right caudate head in response to saccharin was negatively associated with the amount of diet soda consumed per week. Individuals who consumed more diet sodas had reduced caudate head activation. These findings suggest that frequent consumption of artificially sweetened beverages may be linked to impaired energy regulation and increased risk of obesity.
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'Mouth-feel' impacts how people perceive the taste of diet soda
Mouthfeel, or the way a drink feels in the mouth, can significantly impact how people perceive the taste of diet soda. Factors like the fullness and thickness of the beverage can alter the drinker's perception of its taste. For example, a lemon-lime drink with added colour was found to be far more satisfying to drink and was perceived as tasting more like its non-diet counterpart due to the exciting mouthfeel of the lemon-lime flavour. Similarly, the natural sugars in orange juice can mask the artificial sweeteners in Coke Zero, giving the drink more body.
The addition of certain ingredients can also improve the mouthfeel of diet soda. For instance, the creaminess of dairy can add a float-like foam to zero-sugar soda, and dirty diet colas are often made with half-and-half and coconut syrup. Maraschino cherries can also elevate zero-sugar colas, providing the nostalgia of a Cherry Coca-Cola.
On the other hand, some people find the presence of artificial sweeteners in their drink to be an immediate turn-off, describing the taste of aspartame and acesulfame potassium as metallic and bitter. The aftertaste of zero-sugar drinks can also be off-putting to some, but this can be mitigated by adding a handful of peanuts or a shot of espresso to the drink, or by pairing cherry-flavoured diet drinks with vodka for a spicy cherry cola.
The temperature of the drink can also impact mouthfeel and, consequently, taste perception. For instance, Coca-Cola released a Zero Sugar Coca-Cola with Coffee in 2021, capitalising on the popularity of adding coffee or espresso to cola beverages.
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Colouring in drinks can enhance the perception of body and carbonation
Diet drinks use artificial sweeteners to substitute the high-fructose corn syrup or sucrose found in regular sodas. While these artificial sweeteners provide the desired sweet taste, they can also leave an aftertaste. To combat this, people add other ingredients such as mint, lime, or orange juice to mask the artificial taste and enhance the body of the drink.
Colouring in drinks can also enhance the perception of body and carbonation. A study by Schifferstein assessed the expected and actual experience of drinking liquids in receptacles made from different materials. Participants in the study associated pink-coloured receptacles with higher sweetness ratings than clear glass ones. Similarly, beverages in red receptacles were rated as being more carbonated than those in black receptacles. This highlights the influence of receptacle colour on consumer perceptions and preferences.
The weight of the receptacle also plays a role in perceived carbonation. Participants who drank from heavier receptacles perceived more carbonation, especially when the beverage was bitter. Heavier receptacles were found to enhance the flavour intensity of the beverages, and greater perceived bitterness was associated with greater carbonation.
Additionally, colour has been found to influence sensory perception and liking of certain drinks. For example, strawberry odour, coupled with red colour, enhances the sweetness of sucrose solutions. Colour cues have been shown to have a different effect on taste versus flavour perception. While 'taste' refers to the perception of sweet, sour, bitter, and salty, 'flavour' includes experiences with a retronasal olfactory component, such as meaty, burnt, floral, or fruity.
Overall, the interplay between intrinsic and extrinsic factors, such as colour and weight, can significantly impact the multisensory experience and perception of food and beverages.
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Lemon-lime flavours mask the mouth-feel difference between diet and non-diet drinks
Lemon-lime flavours are known to mask the mouth-feel difference between diet and non-diet drinks. The sourness of lemons and limes comes from their high levels of citric acid. Lemon juice contains around 48 grams of citric acid per litre, while lime juice contains around 45.8 grams per litre. This is what gives them their strong, sour flavours.
The nutritional benefits of lemons and limes are the same. Both fruits contain antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. Lemons have slightly more of some vitamins and minerals, but the difference is too small to have any effect.
Lemons and limes are commonly added to hot and cold drinks. For example, a person can add chunks of lemon or lime to water to make citrus water, or they can use lemon or lime to flavour teas. Lemon and lime rinds are also popular in cooking.
In addition to their use in food and drinks, lemons and limes are also used in traditional medicine and have a range of health benefits. For example, lemon water is claimed to have powerful health benefits, and the essential oil of lemon can enhance one's mental state through inhalation and aromatherapy.
The addition of lemon-lime flavours to diet drinks can thus enhance their taste and provide various health benefits.
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Frequently asked questions
Diet drinks contain non-nutritive sweeteners (NNS) that provide a sweet taste without the calories. Aspartame, for example, is about 200 times sweeter by weight than sugar.
Non-nutritive sweeteners pass through the body without being metabolized in the digestive tract, and therefore release no energy to be stored as fat.
Research suggests that the bad taste of diet drinks is due to how they feel in the mouth, a factor known as "mouth-feel". Mouth-feel refers to the body, fullness, and thickness of a food or beverage.
Some people add sugar-free mint to their diet drinks to make the aftertaste more bearable. Others mix their diet drinks with orange juice or coffee to mask the taste of artificial sweeteners.
