Diet Coke and Coke Zero are both low-calorie sodas from Coca-Cola, but they have a few differences:
Ingredients and Nutrition Facts:
- Both drinks contain similar ingredients, including carbonated water, caramel color, aspartame, phosphoric acid, potassium benzoate (to protect taste), natural flavors, and caffeine1.
- Both drinks also contain the amino acid phenylalanine, so people with phenylketonuria (PKU) should avoid them1.
- Diet Coke uses only aspartame as a sweetener, while Coke Zero uses both aspartame and acesulfame potassium2.
- Both drinks provide 0 calories, 0 grams of total fat, 40 mg of sodium, 0 grams of total carbohydrates, 0 grams of total sugars, and 0 grams of protein per 12-ounce (355-mL) serving1.
- However, Coke Zero contains 34 mg of caffeine, while Diet Coke contains 46 mg1.
Flavors:
- Coke Zero comes in a variety of flavors, including cherry, cherry vanilla, orange vanilla, and vanilla1.
- Diet Coke is available in flavors such as ginger lime and feisty cherry1.
Target Market:
Taste:
In terms of health, neither drink is necessarily healthier than the other. Both drinks use artificial sweeteners, which may not be so healthy either12. It’s best to simply go with the one you like the taste of2. If you want to minimize your caffeine content, go for Coke Zero instead of Diet Coke2. However, it’s important to know that neither drink is considered healthy2.