# Why Diet Coke? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [October 31, 2002, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-diet-coke/134629 "2002-10-31T02:28:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Hanna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b3f665/32.png) [@Hanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hanna)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2002, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-diet-coke/134629/21 "2002-10-31T04:16:47Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Ceejaytee \* > \*\*I prefer Diet Pepsi. I drink diet sodas (and Diet iced teas) because I hate hate hate the taste and mouthfeel of corn syrup and sodas are loaded with them. It grosses me out. \*\* Ditto. I can’t stand to drink sugared pop. I drink Diet Pepsi because I like the way it tastes, not because it has no calories. I started drinking diet sodas when I was 20, and as an added benefit, my teeth are in excellent shape. I haven’t had a cavity in years. My BF just recently switched to diet sodas, and he has been to hell and back with his teeth. I drink water too, but I like the caffeine in colas. ---
**Author:** ![Siegfried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/91b2a8/32.png) [@Siegfried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siegfried)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2002, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-diet-coke/134629/22 "2002-10-31T04:19:03Z")
My mother loves Diet Coke, and she refuses to drink any other soda. Given a choice, I’ll pick Coca-Cola Classic over Diet Coke. I just can’t stand the taste of it. My favorite soft drink is Diet Dr Pepper. I think it tastes great, but it doesn’t have that stinky, syrupy after taste that regular Dr Pepper has (although I do drink it and Mr. Pibb whenever I eat out since its rare to find a restaurant serving Diet Dr Pepper). ---
**Author:** ![Daowajan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3bc359/32.png) [@Daowajan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Daowajan)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2002, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-diet-coke/134629/23 "2002-10-31T04:20:53Z")
Thick and sugary and syrupy is bad? 😃 Something about Diet Coke tastes carcinogenic to me. Maybe it’s from one of my childhood friends telling me that if I drank a can of Diet Coke every day for 40 years I’d have stomach cancer. And I probably shouldn’t admit this, but there have been days when my entire caloric intake has been from regular Coke. ---
**Author:** ![Qwisp](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qwisp/32/397_2.png) [@Qwisp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qwisp)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2002, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-diet-coke/134629/24 "2002-10-31T04:24:03Z")
I don’t get the whole soda thing at all. I’ll admit once in a while I like a couple _sips_ of soda.(No diet, please).I don’t get why anyone would drink a six pack of it a day.Yuck. If I’m thirsty give me water or ice tea. I like orange juice once in a while.Oh and liquor.Can’t forget that. ---
**Author:** ![kevja](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/aeb1de/32.png) [@kevja](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kevja)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2002, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-diet-coke/134629/25 "2002-10-31T04:27:56Z")
Regular Coke is too sweet and syrupy. It’s not about dieting. It’s more like the old lite beer commercials. Tastes great (after you get used to it) and it’s less filling. ---
**Author:** ![hegel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/cab0a1/32.png) [@hegel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hegel)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2002, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-diet-coke/134629/26 "2002-10-31T04:33:25Z")
No diet colas–they all have that slightly off aftertaste. Nothing goes down like a good 'ol corn syrup soda. ---
**Author:** ![RexDart](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b77776/32.png) [@RexDart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RexDart)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2002, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-diet-coke/134629/27 "2002-10-31T04:58:19Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Ceejaytee \* > \*\*I prefer Diet Pepsi. I drink diet sodas (and Diet iced teas) because I hate hate hate the taste and mouthfeel of corn syrup and sodas are loaded with them. It grosses me out. \*\* _DIET ICED TEAS??_ The unsweetened, no-lemon Nestea has ZERO calories, that’s about as diet as you can get this side of bottled water. That’s what I drink. I guess the factory could put nutrasweet in bottled iced tea, I do it at restaurants sometimes, but bottled iced teas have shown themselves to be pretty inept at making sweet teas of any kind, so I wouldn’t trust a “diet” sweet tea. ---
**Author:** ![Athena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/35a633/32.png) [@Athena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Athena)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2002, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-diet-coke/134629/28 "2002-10-31T05:03:31Z")
Because if I drink something with 150+ calories in it, it damn well better have some alchohol as well. ---
**Author:** ![RexDart](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b77776/32.png) [@RexDart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RexDart)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2002, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-diet-coke/134629/29 "2002-10-31T05:04:03Z")
BTW, a few of my friends and myself (starting with legendary drinker Mike Gill) discovered that diet coke seems to mix better with bourbon that regular coke does. You can taste the bourbon a little more distinctly without the nasty syrup flavor, and I think the unique diet flavor (which I enjoy) makes for a good drink. Plus, don’t discount the fact that a double house bourbon and coke probably has around 16 oz of cola in it, and thus 200+ calories. The bourbon may be loaded with calories, but you’re still saving 200 by going with the diet. Every little bit helps, your body treats all calories the same. ---
**Author:** ![fluiddruid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c2a13f/32.png) [@fluiddruid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fluiddruid)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2002, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-diet-coke/134629/30 "2002-10-31T05:06:55Z")
I hate regular Coke. I love Diet Coke however, and am very glad that it tastes nothing like sugary soda. I did get started on diet colas young as I’ve always been overweight, but now it’s simply how I expect soda to taste. I never, ever order regular soda except in alcoholic drinks (and, even then, I prefer diet soda), and I will usually choose to drink nothing over regular soda, even when not trying to lose weight. I just really don’t like it at all. I can see why you would hate Diet Coke if you were looking for Coke with no calories. That’s not what I’m looking for. I drink Diet Dr. Pepper now and then when Diet Coke isn’t available, but it doesn’t really excite me very much. My favorite is Diet Cherry Coke, though it is awfully inconsistent in its availability. (I can never find it in bottles or anywhere except in cases at select grocery stores, and even then only sometimes.) The new Diet Vanilla Coke is okay – if I’m looking for a sugary taste, that’s what I go for. It’s funny, as I’m not that finicky about soda, as long as it’s diet – I’ll drink diet colas, diet Sprite, diet orange soda, or pretty much anything else, but it has to be diet soda. People complain about the aftertaste of diet soda, but I find the strong syrupy aftertaste (and strong syrupy normal taste) of regular soda much worse. The only time I could tolerate regular Coke was in Germany, and Coke there is much more like a mix of Coke and Diet Coke. It is not nearly so syrupy sweet. ---
**Author:** ![brianjedi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3be4f8/32.png) [@brianjedi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brianjedi)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2002, 5:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-diet-coke/134629/31 "2002-10-31T05:11:51Z")
I hate pretty much all diet sodas, but if faced with severe thirst, I’ll choke down anything. If I had my way, I would always have cold canned Sun-Drop handy for thirst emergencies. -brianjedi ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2002, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-diet-coke/134629/32 "2002-10-31T05:15:31Z")
I gotta go with **scout** and say I’d _much_ rather eat my calories. Plus I’m insulin resistant, so even when I wasn’t watching calories regular Coke was off limits. ---
**Author:** ![Fern\_Forest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/71c47a/32.png) [@Fern\_Forest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fern_Forest)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2002, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-diet-coke/134629/33 "2002-10-31T05:26:55Z")
My sister never drank Diet Coke, she always drank Coke. I always drank Diet Coke because my Dad drank it (kinda like political party affiliation, eh?). Anyway we were at the movies waiting to go in and she decided to try my Diet Coke. After she did she found she couldn’t drink her Coke, it was just too syrupy for her. I like it for the taste. It has the exact same after taste as li hing mui, which I also enjoy. ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2002, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-diet-coke/134629/34 "2002-10-31T05:35:59Z")
I grew up drinking diet soda. My dad is diabetic, so we rarely had any sugary drinks in the house. I’ve come to find I just like the taste. Regular stuff’s waaay too sugary, though I like regular “citrus” sodas, and Vanilla Coke is honestly pretty good. I prefer Diet Pepsi over all, but I’m not exactly finicky. Blech. Sugar. If I want that, I’ll have some ice cream. ---
**Author:** ![angelicate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@angelicate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/angelicate)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2002, 6:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-diet-coke/134629/35 "2002-10-31T06:43:30Z")
When my husband and I first started dating, he’d laugh at me when we’d go to Whataburger and I’d get a sandwich with bacon and cheese, and a large Diet Coke. It has nothing to do with calories, for me, I just like the taste better than regular Coke. ---
**Author:** ![amanset](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8dc957/32.png) [@amanset](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amanset)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2002, 12:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-diet-coke/134629/36 "2002-10-31T12:06:57Z")
I’m diabetic. I like cola. For me it really is quite simple. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2002, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-diet-coke/134629/37 "2002-10-31T13:06:02Z")
I like Diet Coke. I’m actually severely addicted to Diet Mountain Dew, but in a pinch, Diet Coke will do fine. Can’t stand the regular versions of either drink. ---
**Author:** ![UrbanChic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/9dc877/32.png) [@UrbanChic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UrbanChic)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2002, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-diet-coke/134629/38 "2002-10-31T15:25:28Z")
Six months ago it could have been me posting that OP! I, too, couldn’t understand why on earth someone (outside of a diabetic) would consume Diet Coke _on purpose_. Then I got pregnant. Pregnancy does funny things to one’s taste buds. For a few months, I couldn’t stand the ‘taste’ of water. For me, this was a very big deal. I used to drink about four 16-ounce bottles of water while at work. Suddenly, I found myself thirsty but unable to stomach as much water as I used to. I couldn’t switch to regular soda lest I turn into a whale. I, uh, cultured a taste for Diet Coke. I’ve found I only like Diet Coke in a can, though. Fountain Diet Coke is just vile. Funny thing is, the other day I tried a can of regular Coke. I had to throw it away after three sips. It was _way_ too syrupy. Luckily for me, I’m able to drink water again (thank goodness). Every now and again, though, if I want to drink something carbonated and sweet, I’ll reach for a can of Diet Coke. ---
**Author:** ![blur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/dbc845/32.png) [@blur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blur)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2002, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-diet-coke/134629/39 "2002-10-31T15:36:37Z")
I like the taste of Diet Coke better, so thats what I drink. Its great when I go to eat after playing hockey and have to pig out a whole pizza, or double cheesseburger, fries and an extra burger, and drink diet coke with it. I get some strange looks then. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2002, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-diet-coke/134629/40 "2002-10-31T16:00:32Z")
Well, for me, it’s the popularity of the Coke part, not the Diet part, that’s mystifying. Call me unAmerican or just plain abnormal, but I’ve never liked the taste of cola. And I’ve never understood why that particular flavor is so much more popular than any other flavor, unless maybe it’s because Coke and Pepsi have brainwashed people with all their advertising. You go to a restaurant and your beverage choices are Coke, Diet Coke, Cherry Coke, Caffeine Free Coke, Diet Caffeine Free Coke, Vanilla Coke, Blue Coke, Coke with Spam, Coke with Lemon, Coke Coke Coke Coke Coke Baked Beans Spam and Coke, and maybe some Sprite that ran out of syrup a long time ago but nobody noticed because it’s clear so it tastes like fizzy dishwater. I don’t want cola! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-diet-coke/134629.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-diet-coke/134629.md?page=3)