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Non-Alcoholic and Mocktail

What's The Big Difference Between Zero Sugar And Diet Sodas? By Alexandra Fay Oct. 30, 2025 6:20 pm EST

If you've ever taken a sip of a zero sugar soda and expected diet soda flavor, or vice versa, you already know: Not all sugar-free sodas taste the same. The difference isn't in the calorie or sugar count (both have virtually none), but lies in the recipe itself: Which sweeteners are used.

Take Coke, for example. Diet Coke leans solely on aspartame, which gives it a sharper, more acidic flavor, while Coke Zero Sugar blends aspartame with acesulfame potassium (Ace-K) to create a rounder, sweeter sip that aims to mimic classic Coca-Cola. Pepsi follows a similar playbook — Diet Pepsi is aspartame-forward, while Pepsi Zero Sugar adds Ace-K to

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