General Question

willbrawn's avatar

Can you taste the difference between regular soda and diet?

Asked by willbrawn (6614points) July 24th, 2008 from iPhone

my girlfriend can’t taste the difference and says there isn’t one. I can for sure taste a difference between any regular and a diet. Can you taste a difference?

Observing members: 0 Composing members: 0

17 Answers

girlofscience's avatar

Most definitely. I think it is more apparent in some sodas than in others (Dr. Pepper)? In my experience, people prefer one or the other. Many people who drink diet soda simply prefer the taste, even though they’re not concerned about the calories. I don’t drink a whole lot of soda (I actually don’t really like the cola flavor very much), but when I do, I drink regular.

Traveosa's avatar

Yes. Regular is more sweet i think.

jcs007's avatar

Yes. Diet sodas definitely lack the exquisite flavor of their regular counterparts. The lack of sugar and high fructose syrup saddens me when I sip the diet.

flyawayxxballoon's avatar

I can taste the difference between most. Diet isn’t bad, exactly, just different…I actually like diet. I now have been drinking Diet Coke so long that I like it better than regular, though the same can’t be said for Diet Sprite.

figbash's avatar

Diet has a dry, salty aftertaste.

PupnTaco's avatar

Absolutely. Diet soda tastes chemically and bitter.

Babo's avatar

Oh yeah!!!

tinyfaery's avatar

I can taste an artificial sweetner in anything. I can’t explain it, but they have a chemical taste. Unfortunately, I probably consume a lot of sugar. Oh well.

dragonflyfaith's avatar

Some people taste artificial sweetener as having a bad after taste whereas to some it tastes no different than real sugar. I’m able to taste it.

I have a chemical sensitivity and react badly to artificial sweeteners. I get bad headaches, stomach cramping and I even sometimes shake in response to consuming fake sugar. It happens with some other chemicals as well.

marinelife's avatar

I can taste the difference. I wish manufacturers would use Splenda rather than aspartame. It tastes a lot better. That is why I now drink Diet Rite if I drink diet soda (sweetened with Splenda, no caffeine, no sodium). I try to limit it.

mzgator's avatar

I can definitely taste the difference. I am a coca- cola addict. I am ashamed to admit it. I just love it! Two years ago I gave up drinking regular coke for coke zero. I really have gotten used to the coke zero, but it is not the same. Once in a long while I will treat myself to an old fashioned coke in the glass bottle. A ten ounce bottle of happiness for me. When I splurge and have the real coke, I realize what I have given up!

marinelife's avatar

@mzgator try a coke made with sugar instead of high fructose corn syrup. I can still remember the taste from childhood. It is nothing like today’s coke.

mzgator's avatar

@Marina: You are so right. I remember the good old days when a coke was really a coke!

tinyfaery's avatar

Mexican Coke people!
I’m so glad I live in L.A. Coke and Jarritos. Yum!

Indy318's avatar

I agree with tinyfaery- soda from tropical countries tastes way better because it lacks that chemically-altered high fructose corn syrup (yuck) and is made with natural sugar. The difference more noticable than regular and diet.

aneedleinthehayy's avatar

diet sodas taste watered down. same with light beers.

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