Coke Zero? WTF is in that thing?

HogSandwich
HogSandwich Posts: 146 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I'm a coke fiend from way back, so in a bid to wean myself off coke I've downgraded to coke zero. But I'm also marginally perplexed by MFP's database listing for it: A 600ml bottle has 2 calories and 1 carb?? Whut?

I know it's a bit of a can of worms in terms of urban myths and everything, but does anyone have any informed knowledge about what's actually in coke zero? To be honest I don't avoid products because they have "chemicals and preservatives", so that side of things doesn't worry me.
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Replies

  • Trotters8
    Trotters8 Posts: 47
    I'm no expert but I think they have lots of caffeine and not really sure what else. Have heard that they can cause white spots on the brain.

    Nothing wrong with Water though ;)
  • skinimin
    skinimin Posts: 252 Member
    they have used a chemical sugar substitute which is like 400 (i forget the exact number) times sweeter than sugar, which means they dont need to use as much of it as they do sugar, which of course means less calories.
  • HogSandwich
    HogSandwich Posts: 146 Member
    oh right, this makes sense. not too worried about the caffeine, I'm pretty impervious to coke caffeine. Not coffee, though, that makes me feel like I'm looking through time and space.
  • TheVimFuego
    TheVimFuego Posts: 2,412 Member
    Not avoiding chemicals? Then you need not worry about the Aspartame in Coke Zero.

    Enjoy!
  • bcampbell54
    bcampbell54 Posts: 932 Member
    I don't know what yours has in it, but mine usually has a taste of Captain Morgan.
    It's the closest thing to regular old Coke that I've found.
  • SocialRopes
    SocialRopes Posts: 51 Member
    i don't care what's in it -- it's delicious!
  • kgb6days
    kgb6days Posts: 880 Member
    Don't know what's in it but it makes me nauseated and I get a headache. Can't be good for me
  • AlmstHvn
    AlmstHvn Posts: 376 Member
    I think there are a few entries in the database that are incorrect.
    From the nutrition information on a 2 liter bottle - 0 calories , 30 mg sodium
  • dickster1961
    dickster1961 Posts: 29 Member
    I don't know what yours has in it, but mine usually has a taste of Captain Morgan.
    It's the closest thing to regular old Coke that I've found.

    love this^
  • xarge
    xarge Posts: 484 Member
    Don't know what's in it but it makes me nauseated and I get a headache. Can't be good for me

    Aspartame amount in one can is very small compared to RDI. You may want to get checked for phenylketonuria as phenylalanine is a by product of aspartame when digested and your symptoms suggest a sensitivity to that. Unless you have migraine and it is getting triggered.
  • TheVimFuego
    TheVimFuego Posts: 2,412 Member
    Aspartame amount in one can is very small compared to RDI. You may want to get checked for phenylketonuria as phenylalanine is a by product of aspartame when digested and your symptoms suggest a sensitivity to that. Unless you have migraine and it is getting triggered.

    Or maybe the RDI is wrong ...

    Given the number of complaints attributed to Aspartame consumption maybe this is worth considering?

    But, hey, the OP doesn't care about chemicals so the point is moot ...
  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,247 Member
    The FDA guidelines for calories is that something with less than 5 calories per serving can be labeled a zero calorie food.

    For instance, a 20 oz bottle of Mountain Dew will say that it has 10 calories per bottle. But that one bottle is technically 2.5 servings. 10 divided by 2.5 = 4 calories per serving, which is less than 5. So while it might be considered "zero" calories per serving, it's still 10 per bottle.
  • xarge
    xarge Posts: 484 Member
    Or maybe the RDI is wrong ...

    Given the number of complaints attributed to Aspartame consumption maybe this is worth considering?

    But, hey, the OP doesn't care about chemicals so the point is moot ...

    RDI can vary but not by what you think. In Europe it's set at 40 mg/kg whereas in the US, FDA set it at 50 mg/kg. One can has around 1/15 of the daily total for a 120lbs woman. Drinking one can and getting symptoms is not normal reaction by any means, it hints to some sensitivity.
  • halphord
    halphord Posts: 379 Member
    I don't know what yours has in it, but mine usually has a taste of Captain Morgan.
    It's the closest thing to regular old Coke that I've found.

    ^^ haha....mine usually has some jack daniels, or whipped vodka. ;)
  • SPNLuver83
    SPNLuver83 Posts: 2,050 Member
    i don't know, but i like it anyways lol
  • chocolateandpb
    chocolateandpb Posts: 438 Member
    I like it! I'm not a soda drinker ever except for when I'm using it as a mixer. One of my favorite mixed drinks is called "Dracula's Kiss" and is made from black cherry vodka, Coke and grenadine. Is it healthy? Not so much, but it's damn tasty, and a fun drink to make for Halloween parties.
  • Sidesteal
    Sidesteal Posts: 5,510 Member
    Don't know what's in it but it makes me nauseated and I get a headache. Can't be good for me

    Aspartame amount in one can is very small compared to RDI. You may want to get checked for phenylketonuria as phenylalanine is a by product of aspartame when digested and your symptoms suggest a sensitivity to that. Unless you have migraine and it is getting triggered.

    ^ Great post.

    And on a side note, there's more phenylalanine in chicken then a can of diet coke. Dosage is key.
  • marinebiologist_girl
    marinebiologist_girl Posts: 300
    Is there no nutritional data on the bottle? In the UK you legally have to have some and that would tell you what's in it...

    I got this from the Coca Cola website:
    Carbonated water, colour (caramel E150d), phosphoric acid, sweeteners (aspartame, acesulfame-K), flavourings (including caffeine), acidity regulator (E331). Contains a source of phenylalanine.
    Per a 330ml bottle:
    Calories 1.0 (<1% daily)
    Sugars 0g
    Fat 0g
    Saturates 0g
    Salt 0.1g (<1% daily)
  • DoingitWell
    DoingitWell Posts: 560 Member
    I don't know what yours has in it, but mine usually has a taste of Captain Morgan.
    It's the closest thing to regular old Coke that I've found.




    Same here but mine Is Captain Morgan's Black Rum.
  • andreamelo1
    andreamelo1 Posts: 161 Member

    Nothing wrong with Water though ;) <
    THIS
  • puffidredz
    puffidredz Posts: 119 Member
    I think there are a few entries in the database that are incorrect.
    From the nutrition information on a 2 liter bottle - 0 calories , 30 mg sodium

    i wish that not every tom **** and harry on MFP could put the nutrition info for products. i've seen some wrong stats too and i ahve to manually enter them in. some products need to be set in stone or only accepted by the UPC code.
  • waqasahmed939
    waqasahmed939 Posts: 6
    It will likely have aspartame in it instead of sugar or HFCS depending on what country you live in. I'd just try and stay away from all fizzy drinks, unless sparkling water if you like that sort of thing

    There are some studies (not with major backing, I dont think) that aspartame can lead to the body wanting the real thing, because it can't break down the aspartame, and craves the energy that would have been there, making you make it up

    That may or may not have any backing, but I certainly found it true for me
  • xarge
    xarge Posts: 484 Member
    Don't know what's in it but it makes me nauseated and I get a headache. Can't be good for me

    Aspartame amount in one can is very small compared to RDI. You may want to get checked for phenylketonuria as phenylalanine is a by product of aspartame when digested and your symptoms suggest a sensitivity to that. Unless you have migraine and it is getting triggered.

    ^ Great post.

    And on a side note, there's more phenylalanine in chicken then a can of diet coke. Dosage is key.

    Indeed, it's hard to miss PKU if you are already getting enough animal proteins without problems. Unlike diet coke, coke zero has a mixture of sweeteners besides aspartame, can be a reaction to any of them or even caffeine itself~again, it's like 100 mg caffeine in 1 liter of coke so it would be severe reaction to get nauseated. It can easily be migraine but pretty much everything can trigger migraine from cheese to chocolate to citrus fruits. That doesn't make aspartame evil.

    I''m not a regular soda drinker but when I do, I drink a whole lot more than one can just because I like the taste (or when I have a bad hangover, coke helps me greatly). Never ever had any kind of problems.
  • Aldino557
    Aldino557 Posts: 15
    Zero is really not zero.

    As some other posts have remarked, if the amount per serving is below a given number, they get to list it as zero.
    A lot of people are really worked up about aspartame and splenda, etc. Table sugar is so benign it causes Type 2 Diabetes, but hey, it's a natural product right? Much better for you than the "artificial" stuff. Fact is you can use sugar to cure meat, ever hear of sugar cured ham? Anything in excess will probably harm you. If you keep the coke zero jones to reasonable levels you are probably going to be better off than if you drink a regular coke or other sugary drink.
  • HogSandwich
    HogSandwich Posts: 146 Member
    Aspartame amount in one can is very small compared to RDI. You may want to get checked for phenylketonuria as phenylalanine is a by product of aspartame when digested and your symptoms suggest a sensitivity to that. Unless you have migraine and it is getting triggered.

    Or maybe the RDI is wrong ...

    Given the number of complaints attributed to Aspartame consumption maybe this is worth considering?

    But, hey, the OP doesn't care about chemicals so the point is moot ...

    Being heavily chemically enhanced myself (arthritis meds) I don't buy into chemicals being a bad thing. And more to the point, Aspartame is only an issue when over-consumed (like real sugar, incidentally) or to people with allergies.

    So yep, your point is moot.
  • drmerc
    drmerc Posts: 2,603 Member
    Nm stupid tablet
  • Roni_M
    Roni_M Posts: 717 Member
    I believe Coke zero uses sucralose (splenda), while diet coke uses aspartame which is the main difference between the two. "sucralose" is suppose to be derived from sugar so coke zero is supposed to taste more like the original. I don't drink either though so don't have an opinion as to whether or not that's true.

    ETA: I drink flavored water sweetened with sucralose and can't stand the taste of aspartame (personal preference). So I always read what the diet stuff is sweetened with to make sure I don't get the nasty after taste from aspartame. I'm also chemically enhanced with arthritis meds! LOL
  • kiachu
    kiachu Posts: 409 Member
    I don't know whats in it but its delicious!
  • Sapporo
    Sapporo Posts: 693 Member
    I thought Coke Zero meant zero everything including caffeine? I have had it before but I don't like pop much to begin with. It def tastes better than diet Coke, I wish movie theatres here had Coke Zero because that is where I'm stuck drinking pop.
  • PayneAS
    PayneAS Posts: 669 Member
    does anyone have any informed knowledge about what's actually in coke zero?

    I'm sure the label on the back of the can will tell you exactly what's in it. Try reading it?

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