• tal@lemmy.today
    ·
    edit-2
    5 months ago

    I'd seriously like to see some double-blind tests on how effectively people can tell the difference between artificial sweeteners and sugar.

    Like, there have been some pretty damning studies on wine with double-blind tests that have shown that while people may well have a different experience with different wines, they tend to link it with price when they know what they're drinking, and the desirability becomes pretty disconnected from price once the labels are out of the picture.

    I can tell the difference between straight stevia and sugar, because that's got a bit of a flavor. But for other sweeteners?

    I don't notice the difference between Diet Coke and regular Coke, and that's one that people tend to say that they can, much less Coke Zero.

    But, okay. Say some people legitimately can taste the difference between sugar and a specific sweetener.

    I kind of wonder how practical it'd be for those mix-at-drink-time machines to let you choose not just the drink you're using, but also the sweetener. Want aspartame, use aspartame. Want Splenda, use Splenda. Want cane sugar concentrate or corn syrup concentrate, use those.

    I mean, it's pretty common in the US to have several types of powdered sweetener for coffee, let the customer choose. I'd think that we could do it with liquid sweeteners in soda too. Hell, let people adjust how sweet they want the drink, if you've already gone that far.

    • Teknikal@lemm.ee
      ·
      5 months ago

      Are you actually saying some people don't get that horrible aftertaste because It's very obvious to me and there's no way to mistake it.

      I was close to vomiting when I noticed it in "supposedly Normal" Pepsi recently that leaves coca cola as the sole one I think think hasn't done it yet. When that's gone I guess I'm stuck with water.

      • smeg@feddit.uk
        ·
        5 months ago

        Are you actually saying some people don't get that horrible aftertaste

        I don't drink many fizzy drinks anymore but I don't recall ever getting a horrible aftertaste, maybe it's one of those things like asparagus that only affects some people

    • RobotToaster@mander.xyz
      ·
      5 months ago

      I personally find it quite easy to differentiate between different artificial sweeteners.

      I also used to be on a medication with a mild interaction with phenylalanine, which is in aspartame, so I could tell if I drank something with that.

    • PixelTron@lemm.ee
      ·
      5 months ago

      Diet Coke leaves a nasty metallic taste in my mouth, can’t stand the stuff. Coke Zero on the other hand mostly tastes ok to me, unless I’m eating chocolate & then it gets a similar nasty aftertaste to it as well. Nearly all other soft drinks are now sugar free & I’ve not found one I like anymore, some I’ve even spat out on initial sip as they taste so rank to me.

      Thankfully I’ve grown to like sparkling water the past few years, used to hate it, & often have that instead if I fancy something fizzy.

      Classic lemonade also still seems to be available with sugar, which is nice as an occasional treat…