![Coke Zero](https://images.medicinenet.com/images/article/main_image/junk-food-soft-drinks-soda-restaurant-girls.jpg?output-quality=75)
Coke Zero, which was formally renamed Coke Zero Sugar in 2017, is a calorie-free soda alternative and claimed to be devoid of sugar, carbs, and other nutrients, except for 40 mg of salt and two percent of your daily potassium needs (a negligible amount that comes from potassium benzoate and potassium citrate, a preservative, and buffering agent, respectively).
Furthermore, according to the manufacturer, it tastes more like the original soda than the company's initial diet soda alternative, Diet Coke.
What are the ingredients present in Coke Zero?
Coke Zero Sugar contains:
- Carbonated water
- Caramel color
- Phosphoric acid
- Aspartame
- Potassium benzoate (to protect taste)
- Natural flavors
- Potassium citrate
- Acesulfame potassium
- Caffeine
The contents in Coke Zero Sugar are given in descending volume order. At least three of these nine components have been linked to harmful health impacts, such as weight gain and kidney issues.
What are the effects of artificial sweeteners on health?
Coke Zero Sugar contains artificial sweeteners, aspartame, and acesulfame potassium. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved these and considers them to be generally regarded as safe (GRAS).
- According to research published in Nutrition Reviews in 2017, long-term aspartame consumption can damage cell membranes, create oxidative stress, upset the body's antioxidant balance, and cause widespread chronic inflammation even when ingested within the recommended safe levels.
- According to a 2017 study published in the Iranian Journal of Kidney Diseases, aspartame consumption is associated with weight gain and obesity, metabolic syndrome, imbalances in beneficial gut bacteria, and potential damage to kidney tissue. However, more research is needed to draw firm conclusions about these associations. Aspartame is present in Coke Zero and other diet sodas.
- In 2017, scientists specifically examined the consumption of acesulfame potassium and reported their findings in the journal PLoS One. The main takeaways were that regular use of the artificial sweetener can lead to weight gain, an imbalance in the gut bacterial microbiome, and accelerated cell damage (unproven claim).
What are the health risks of phosphoric acid?
An inorganic mineral acid called phosphoric acid is a preservative found in processed foods and beverages, such as soda. It lends the beverage some of its distinctive tartness and extends its shelf life.
- Even though data on the health consequences of phosphoric acid is limited. A review published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in September 2014 suggested a link between phosphoric acid-containing sodas and a loss of bone mineral density in women's hips.
- A study published in the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology in January 2017 reported that consuming phosphoric acid-containing sodas raises the risk of kidney disease.
![](https://images.medicinenet.com//images/slideshow/foods-that-arent-as-healthy-as-you-think/foods-that-arent-as-healthy-as-you-think-s1-bulletproof-coffee.jpg)
SLIDESHOW
Foods That Aren't as Healthy as You Think See SlideshowWhat causes the caramel color in Coke Zero?
The distinctive caramel-brown hue of Coke Zero Sugar is due to ammonium molecules. This chemical is used to create this synthetic caramel hue to decompose to produce a chemical called 4-methylimidazole or 4-MEI.
- According to a study published in PLoS One in 2015, regular exposure to 4-MEI is one of the risks of Coke Zero and can raise the risk of various types of cancer.
- In response to studies linking caramel color to cancer, California declared 4-MEI as a carcinogen under the Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986, also called Proposition 65.
- This study mentions that Coca-Cola and other soda producers decided to restructure their caramel colorings, so they no longer include 4-MEI. Coca-Cola adds on its website that although it did lower the levels of 4-MEI in its products, they still contain trace amounts of the chemical.
Regular Coke vs Coke Zero
No soft drink is a healthy choice.
You should not have either ordinary Coke or Coke Zero Sugar.
- Coke Zero and other diet sodas have several other side effects that are problematic.
- Regular Coke does not include any artificial sweeteners, but it does contain high-fructose corn syrup, which has its own set of issues.
High-fructose corn syrup has been connected to metabolic syndrome, obesity, diabetes, and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. According to a review published in Obesity in 2019, the high-fructose corn syrup and the different ways that the liver metabolizes fructose could be to blame for these unfavorable effects.
If you are unsure which beverage to pick, water is always the best option. The next best is green tea.
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Health Solutions From Our Sponsors
Coca-Cola® Zero Sugar. https://us.coca-cola.com/products/coca-cola-zero-sugar/coca-cola-zero-sugar
Revisiting the safety of aspartame. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28938797/
Nephrotoxic Effect of Aspartame as an Artificial Sweetener: a Brief Review. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29038387/
The artificial sweetener acesulfame potassium affects the gut microbiome and body weight gain in CD-1 mice. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5464538/
Are Liquid Sugars Different from Solid Sugar in Their Ability to Cause Metabolic Syndrome? https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31054268/
Soda consumption and risk of hip fractures in postmenopausal women in the Nurses’ Health Study1,2,3,4. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4135502/
Diet Soda Consumption and Risk of Incident End Stage Renal Disease. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5220651/
Caramel Color in Soft Drinks and Exposure to 4-Methylimidazole: A Quantitative Risk Assessment. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4333292/
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