Pepsi Light in Russia will remain on aspartame, in the USA it will switch to sucralose. Sweet without calories. Is Cola Light Good for Diet Benefits of Drinking Diet Coke

Cans of Diet Pepsi with the inscription “NOW ASPARTAME FREE” appeared on the shelves in the USA, but we will not see such cans in Russia.

The Diet Pepsi formula is changing. Instead of the usual aspartame as a sweetener, now in the recipe for blends of sucralose and acesulfame. What's wrong with aspartame? Why do banks write “now aspartame free” (“now without aspartame”). And why does the recipe for Pepsi Light remain the same in Russia?

By the way, the Washington Post wrote that over the past 10 years, Pepsi Diet Coke sales have fallen by 35% and that PepsiCo attributes this to aspartame.

“Diet Coke drinkers in the US have repeatedly told us they want an aspartame-free Diet Pepsi,” Seth Kaufman, Pepsi senior vice president, was quoted. PepsiCo North America Beverages). Pepsi hopes to bring back consumers with the replacement of aspartame with sucralose.

A previous version of the Diet Pepsi recipe also contained a certain amount of the artificial sweetener acesulfate K. (Ace-K). This sweetener is also retained in the new recipe.

What is aspartame / criticism of aspartame

Aspartame is an artificial sweetener 160-200 times sweeter than sugar, a sugar substitute also known as an additive. E951. 1 gram of aspartame contains 4 kcal (as well as 1 gram of proteins or carbohydrates), however, in order to sweeten a drink, it needs negligible, so its calorie content in the drink is not taken into account.

The safety of aspartame was confirmed by the FDA in 1981, and so far the official scientific position on this sweetener remains unchanged: aspartame is safe for health. Which, however, does not prevent further research, which is discussed below.

In the body, aspartame decomposes into 2 amino acids and methanol. It was in connection with methanol that criticism of aspartame was previously associated, because methanol in large quantities is toxic to the body. However, with aspartame in drinks, the chance of getting an overdose is zero: scientists have considered a safe level. Today, the officially safe level is set at up to 50 mg per kg of body per day, which, for example, corresponds to 27 liters of Diet Coke for a 70-kg person, or about 270 tablets of an aspartame-based sweetener.

The only scientifically based critique of aspartame we could find: In an analysis published in April 2008 by the European Journal of Diet Nutrition, South African scientists assessed the potential effects on the brain of not only one of the components of aspartame, methanol, but also other elements (phenylalanine and aspartic acid). In the analysis of the impact of phenylalanine, the authors describe in detail the ability of this amino acids disrupt brain chemistry, including its ability to lower levels of key brain chemicals, such as serotonin (which can adversely affect various areas including mood, behavior, sleep and appetite). The authors also draw attention to the fact that phenylalanine has the ability to disrupt amino acid metabolism, nerve function, and hormonal balance in the body. They claim that aspartame can destroy nerve cells, and this can in turn cause Alzheimer's disease.

What is sucralose

Sucralose molecule. Sucralose is not found in nature - this element is synthesized chemically from sugar.

Sucralose is 3 times sweeter than aspartame (respectively, 600 times sweeter than sugar), known as food additive E955.

Sucralose was discovered relatively recently - in 1976, trying to create chemical compounds for insect control. According to legend, Professor Leslie Hugh's assistant, whose name was Shashikant Phadnis was asked to test one of the resulting chlorinated sugar compounds. Phandis confused the word test (check) and taste (try) and tasted the future sucralose and found the substance extremely sweet.

After decades and hundreds of toxicity tests on sucralose (which did not reveal any harmful side effects on human body systems), in 1998, sucralose was allowed in the United States. Now sucralose is made from sugar, the sweetener is marketed under the Splenda brand and is the top-selling artificial sweetener in the US market.

Of the criticisms of sucralose, only some media warned against the consumption of sucralose, which allegedly weakens the immune system and leads to the development of cancer. However, this has not been confirmed by any scientific research.

The proven safe dose of sucralose is 16 mg per kilogram of body weight (which already corresponds to the same tens of liters of diet cola per day), and the maximum allowable level without health risks is 100 times higher - 1500 mg, so much sucralose with cola is physically impossible to consume.

Pepsi in Russia is not going to change aspartame for sucralose

Zozhnik contacted the official representative office of Pepsi in Russia with a request to clarify whether the recipe for dietary Pepsi in Russia will change and whether a similar transition from aspartame to sucralose will be made.

The official answer is negative:

“Recipe for Pepsi Light in Russia remains the same. Consumers in our country love Pepsi Light carbonated drink for what it is. We believe that everyone can find a drink to their liking. PepsiCo is committed to offering a wide range of refreshing beverages that meet changing consumer demand, individual taste preferences, market needs and relevant local tastes. Pepsi uses a wide variety of approved sweeteners to create great-tasting cola, including aspartame, which is still an important sweetener in some Pepsi drinks around the world, including Pepsi Light in Russia. ”

The carbonated soft drink has remained popular since it was invented by American chemist John Pemberton in 1886, and the Coca-Cola brand name and iconic bottle design was coined a decade later. Now the company produces not only the recognizable format of the drink, but also its dietary version.

A bit of history

For more than one century, the drink has been pleasing its fans with its unchanged composition and recognizable taste. The bouquet of the drink is unique and its production is kept secret from competitors. Now they talk a lot about the dangers of cola, but not everyone knows exactly what its harm is. It is believed that "Coca-Cola Light" is completely harmless, because it does not contain empty calories.

In the early days of cola, the ingredients weren't exactly unhealthy, they were downright dangerous. After all, one of the main components was an extract from the leaves. Much later, they learned to make a drug from the same leaves. But at that time, a refreshing and invigorating drink found more and more new lovers of soda. Due to the fact that there have been cases of overdose of soft drink, the recipe has been slightly modified. An extract from another part of the plant, in which there were no narcotic substances, was added to the drink.

Composition and calories

Everyone knows that the cola recipe is a secret with seven seals. However, some data is still available. The composition of Coca-Cola Light differs from the usual one only in the absence of sugar. In addition to extracts from the leaves of the plant, the composition includes sugar or aspartame, caffeine, citric acid, vanilla, caramel. To create exactly that unique aroma and taste of soda, which is popular all over the world, a secret mix of aromatic oils was compiled. Oils of orange, lemon, cinnamon, nutmeg, coriander and neroli in certain proportions allow you to recognize the taste of Coca-Cola even with your eyes closed.

The calorie content of regular Coca-Cola is 42 kcal per 100 g. Soda contains 10.4 g of carbohydrates. Given that no one drinks cola in 100-gram glasses, more and more buyers are choosing Coca-Cola Light, which contains 0 calories. The sugar in this drink is replaced by artificial sweeteners - this is how manufacturers got rid of the high calorie content of Coca-Cola Light. Has the cola become harmless from these changes?

The negative effect of the drink on the body

How much has been said and written about the dangers of Coca-Cola. Everyone knows that carbonated drinks are very bad. And the harm from Coca-Cola Light is no less than from other carbonated drinks. But why is it bad and how few, who thinks.

There is not a single healthy carbonated drink. The reason lies not only in the content of a large amount of sugar, but also in carbon dioxide and other acids in the fizz.

"Coca-Cola Light" does not contain sugar, but there are very dangerous substitutes for it: aspartame and These substances are considered carcinogenic. Therefore, light is increasingly used by patients with diabetes and obese people. Which only exacerbates their health problems. Drinks with aspartame can provoke people to consume products with sugar, because after the use of artificial sweeteners, the body loses the ability to estimate the exact number of calories consumed.

Like Coca-Cola Light or Zero, they do not carry any nutritional value for the body: they do not contain any useful vitamins, minerals, or fiber.

The caffeine in cola can also pose certain health risks. Although the amount of caffeine in this soda is relatively small compared to a cup of coffee, some people may be very sensitive to its effects. These include pregnant women and people with certain medical conditions that cause the body to metabolize caffeine more slowly than normal.

Caffeine can cause unpleasant side effects such as restlessness, irritability, and difficulty sleeping, especially when consumed in excess.

Despite the fact that Coca-Cola is indeed a very sweet product, even without sugar, at the same time it is salty. Few people know about this fact, however, one standard serving of cola contains 40 mg of sodium. What makes this drink deadly for people with hypertension. Salt is known to have the ability to raise blood pressure.

Drinking cola with ice, which is how most drink it, does not allow food to be completely digested in the stomach, which leads to gastritis, ulcers, and also problems with the intestines.

Benefits of Drinking Diet Coke

Based on the foregoing, it can be understood that Coca-Cola, even light, is a completely unsafe product. Nevertheless, the use of it in small quantities, sometimes even useful to some groups of people.

By the way, diabetics are deprived of the joy of eating sweet foods. Therefore, they may well indulge themselves occasionally with a glass of Coca-Cola Light, which will not raise the level of insulin in the blood.

Now a healthy lifestyle is widely promoted, where the main place is occupied by proper nutrition and clean water. When eating a large amount of vegetables and fruits, which contain a lot of fiber, a bezoar stone can form in the stomach. Cola can dissolve it. The high acidity of a carbonated drink acts like stomach acid and can relieve severe stomach pain, dissolve a stone, and allow food to be digested. But in this case, it should be used under the supervision of a doctor.

Coca-Cola Light (or Zero) can help you focus. A little cola will allow caffeine to quickly enter the bloodstream and feel more cheerful.

What processes does cola cause?

A couple of minutes after drinking cola, the sugar contained in a glass of drink deals a deadly blow to the body. The only reason why a huge amount of sugar does not cause vomiting is phosphoric acid, which interferes with the action of sugar. Then there is a sharp increase in insulin in the blood. The liver converts excess sugar into fat.

A little later, caffeine is absorbed. Blood pressure rises, preventing drowsiness. The body begins to produce the hormone dopamine. Orthophosphoric acid binds minerals in the blood and removes them from the body in the urine. The diuretic effect of the drink begins. The entire amount of water contained in Coca-Cola is removed. And there is a craving.

"Coca-Cola Light" and diet

Those who have been on a diet know how difficult it can be to fight the feeling of eating something sweet. Some have good willpower and can resist themselves. Others allow themselves to relax a little.

According to the reviews of those who are losing weight, Coca-Cola Light helps a lot on a diet. Like and sweet ate, but without calories. Some nutritionists even recommend drinking Diet Coke occasionally to prevent a relapse.

Try it on yourself or not, it's everyone's business. But you should consider the harm from cola.

How to use on the farm?

There are applications for cola, for which it does not matter whether it is useful or harmful.

There are many tips on the net on how to use the drink on the farm.

For example, you can clean tiles or pipes from rust. And you can remove the scale in the kettle by boiling it with cola.

You can even wash with cola. If you soak a greasy stain on clothes in Coca-Cola, the fat will quickly dissolve.

Coca-Cola can be used both internally and at home. Before use, it is better to weigh the pros and cons. And then drink a glass of clean water.

In 2013, the film "Dallas Buyers Club" directed by Jean-Marc Vallee was released. The film tells the true story of Texas electrician Ron Woodroof, who was diagnosed with AIDS in 1985. To play a terminally ill man, actor Matthew McConaughey had to lose 23 kilograms. He told reporters that he managed to achieve such a result with the help of a special diet.

For several months, the actor ate only egg whites, chicken, and Diet Coke. Also, Cola Light is allowed to be drunk by those on the popular Pierre Dukan diet, which involves an almost complete rejection of carbohydrates and sugar. People who miss sweets drink Diet Coke by the liter. Internet forums are full of stories that "Cola Zero" in conditions of severe food restriction is the only outlet.

"When you want to lose weight, Cola Light is my only salvation.) There is at least some taste in it.) So they came up with a sugar substitute, why not come up with a salt substitute? :)" - writes user FlyWithMe.

"I drink when I really want sweets, and feasts," adds fantazia.

Nutritionists interviewed by Life agreed that this product is not suitable for dietary nutrition and that diet soda is generally unhealthy.

unsweetened sugar

Let's take a closer look at the composition of this drink - it contains the sweeteners aspartame and potassium acesulfate, as well as phosphoric acid (gives a sour taste), sodium citrate (to regulate acidity) and phenylalanine (flavor additive).

Among these substances, of course, there are no prohibited additives, but as for sweeteners, the issue remains controversial, as the researchers on this topic are divided into two camps: supporters of sweeteners and their opponents, says nutritionist, nutrition specialist Tatyana Korzunova.

However, some argue that the components listed on the bottle are far from all that Cola Light hides in itself.

Photo: © RIA Novosti / Grigory Sysoev

Former head of Rospotrebnadzor, assistant to the Prime Minister Gennady Onishchenko: ">

Ex-head of Rospotrebnadzor, assistant to the Prime Minister Gennady Onishchenko:

Of the officially confirmed components, the most questions from nutritionists are the synthetic sweetener aspartame. The rest are considered relatively harmless. A number of studies by European and American scientists prove that if the daily dose does not exceed 40–50 mg per kilogram of body weight, aspartame is not harmful. A person weighing 70 kg can drink up to 25 liters of Cola Light per day and include it in her diet.

Other researchers argue that not only aspartame causes harm to the body, but also other components of Diet Coke.

Sweet deceit

The main disadvantage of sweeteners (including aspartame) is that they are non-caloric, ”said nutritionist, founder of the beauty and health clinic Svetlana Titova to Life.

The pancreas does not respond quite physiologically to artificial sugar - the sugar level does not rise, but insulin is still released. This leads to the fact that blood sugar decreases and appetite increases sharply, - said the "star" nutritionist Margarita Koroleva. - Receiving a signal about the intake of sweets, the body is waiting for fuel - calories. If there is no energy, the "deceived" brain gives a signal of hunger, many times stronger than the original one. As a result, after Cola Light with a sweetener, a person begins to eat more than usual, she noted.

This is why drinking diet soda while on a diet is fraught with relapses. I drank "Cola Light" - I felt a strong hunger and ate cakes and dumplings. Also, one of the reasons for increased appetite can be the very bubbles for which Coca-Cola is so loved.

Carbon dioxide irritates the gastric mucosa, gastric juice is secreted, as a result of these processes, a serious appetite can break out in a person, says nutritionist, nutritionist Tatyana Korzunova.

Nutritionist Tatyana Yuryeva: ">

Nutritionist Tatyana Yuryeva:

For a long time I wanted to write an article about Coca Cola Zero and Pepsi Light, but my hands never got around to it. And finally, I got to this topic.

Those who watched my food diary on drying noticed that no, no, and a bottle of Cola Zero slipped in my diet. Yes, in fact, this is one of my favorite dry cravings quenchers. And I drink it boldly, without fear of spoiling the shape. The same applies to Pepsi Light, they are almost identical in composition.

Well, let's deal with the composition.

First of all, about the place of these drinks in the diet of those who lose weight. Because the product has 0 kcal, 0 carbohydrates, proteins and fats, then you can safely drink it without fear of ruining your figure. For those who doubt the true zero of all macronutrients (I was one of them), I checked the body's reaction to taking 0.5 liters of cola using a glucometer (a device that measures blood sugar levels). There was no reaction; I conclude that in terms of calories, Cola Zero is equal to water. In addition, both drinks contain caffeine, and it is one of the most famous components of almost all fat burners. So to some extent, Cola and Pepsi are fat burning stimulants.

Let's see the composition and evaluate the harmfulness of the drinks in question in general for health.

Ingredients of Cola Zero: purified carbonated water, natural caramel color, acidity regulators (phosphoric acid and sodium citrate), sweeteners (aspartame and acesulfame potassium), natural flavors, caffeine.

The composition of Pepsi Light is about the same, but the manufacturer decided to indicate them as food additives E: water, sweeteners (E950 - acesulfame potassium, E951 - aspartame, E955 - sucralose), dye (E150a - caramel sugar color), acidity regulators (E330 - citric acid, E331 - sodium citrate, E338 - phosphoric acid), preservative (E211 - sodium benzoate), caffeine, Pepsi natural flavors.

As you can see, there is one fundamental difference between them - in Pepsi there is a preservative sodium benzoate, but in Cola there are no preservatives.

In order:

Water and caramel, I think no one raises questions.

Orthophosphoric acid. This is one of the components for which Cola and Pepsi are scolded. They say it is the strongest acid that dissolves almost everything. In fact, this acid is rather weak and is found in drinks in very small quantities so that the product does not ferment. I measured the acidity of Cola Zero with a litmus test and got something around pH = 6 (it is difficult to determine with a piece of paper more precisely). Let me remind you that the acidity, for example, of natural apple juice pH = 3-4, and our stomach pH = 1.5-2. The phosphoric acid in Cola can be a bit harmful to our teeth, so it's best to drink clean water. By the way, phosphoric acid is also found in natural products, for example, in tomatoes. Numerous myths that blades, bolts, meat and other objects dissolve in cola have not been confirmed in practice (I checked most of the myths)

Sodium citrate is, on the contrary, a substance that changes the pH to an alkaline environment. Again, it is used to stabilize the pH within the required limits. Sodium citrate is used by athletes as a standalone endurance supplement. In the human body, it is used in the buffering system of the blood to again stabilize the pH of the internal environment. In other words, our body needs it.

Sweeteners I analyzed in detail . If you do not drink 50 liters of cola a day, they are absolutely safe. Separately, it is worth noting aspartame. Firstly, when heated above 80 degrees, it decomposes into toxic compounds. But I do not think that someone will boil cola, usually on the contrary they drink it chilled. Secondly, aspartame is nothing more than two amino acids - L-Aspartyl and -L-phenylalanine, which means that for people suffering from a disease such as phenylketonuria (non-absorption of phenylalanine), it is strictly contraindicated.

This is where we finished the analysis of the composition of Cola Zero, and in Pepsi Light there is also sodium benzoate (E211) as a preservative. This is not a very good supplement, but at the same time it is found in natural products, such as apples, raisins and cranberries, cinnamon, cloves and mustard. According to a document (CICAD26, 2000) by the World Health Organization, numerous studies on the effects of sodium benzoate on mammals, including a study of its effects on humans and a long-term study of effects on rats, showed the relative safety of sodium benzoate, however, allergies (dermatitis) and minor side effects occur. such as exacerbation of symptoms in asthma and urticaria. However, it is recognized that a possible hepatotoxic activity cannot be ruled out due to insufficient research.

That's all. Thus, if you do not drink liters every day, then these drinks are absolutely harmless and dietary.