To despise the rise of artificial sweeteners in soft drinks

[BrookGreen54]

AIBU to just want proper sugar back?! (lighthearted… ish)

It is nearly impossible these days to buy a soft drink that does not contain any artificial sweeteners. I am completely fine with people having diet options if that’s what they prefer (aka how it used to be) but if I personally choose to drink proper sugar then why am I having to contend with horrible aspartame etc now appearing in almost everything? What happened to giving customers some choice? It tastes disgusting and gives me + plenty of others headaches, not to mention the other adverse, longer term health effects.

Bought a bottle of good old Orangina yesterday, which silly me thought would be a safe choice - unfortunately it seems to be the newest addition to the ruined by sweetener club. It now tastes revolting and so artificial, I couldn’t even drink it. The only things that are safe nowadays are full fat Coca-Cola, proper fruit juice and certain brands of squash. Even San Pellegrino has gone to the dogs..!

YANBU. Everything tastes disgusting now, even Ribena

I spent 10 minutes yesterday trying to find sugar added squash and lemonade that wasn't in the posh category of brand spend.

M&S squash is the best in my opinion - you do have to be careful though and read the labels as their artificially sweetened and regular sugar bottles are practically identical

Urgh absolutely HATE this. I mainly drink water but if I fancy a fruity drink I do not want sugar and sweeteners 😡 they all taste vile to me, I can taste them instantly and they all (sweeteners) give me either a headache, stomach issues or both.

i think it's fair enough in sugar free / diet drinks but why do nearly all drinks now have sugar AND sweeteners even though they're not sugar free or diet. As you can tell annoys me no end.

YANBU I can’t stand any ‘diet’ drinks and all my squash in the house is NOT no added sugar. I do end up poorly with headaches/migraines if I drink those drinks. When out and about I just say I’m allergic now it’s easier than explaining my reasons

I love my Diet Coke but they have ruined my irn bru! Why can't we choose our own poison!

I hate it too! One mouthful of a drink with artificial sweeteners and I have a nasty aftertaste in my mouth all day. Bleugh.

Even what they call natural sugar is revolting I try not to drink too many softdrinks but when I do I drink normal ones

Agreed. Even a lot of the M and S soft drinks now have it when they didn’t before. It’s a revolting taste.

Tooth decay and obesity Vs sweeteners that have no real hard-line scientific evidence to prove that they cause long term health issues...

Yeah sure there are things in food that don't agree with people. But sugar free alternatives are great in my opinion.

The depressing fact is that enough people don’t notice the difference, aren’t bothered or have got used to it for manufacturers not to need or want to cater to those of us who can’t stand this stuff. Same as the recurrent threads about how shit cadburys is now. Yes, it is, but obviously enough people are buying it still.

I get a cold chill when I read stories about a sugar tax being applied to chocolate and the like. It’ll be goodbye to decent, but relatively cheap, supermarket own brand chocolate bars and the like.

Yes, St Pelligrino was what I had in restaurants, so I now just have their spakling water.

I'm pleased that everything has artificial sweetners as now I don't drink anything apart from water.

Sugar free alternatives are fab, but I want full sugar alternatives to sugar free, most almost all drinks now contact sugar AND sweeteners even if they're not sugar free.

why can't it be a choice?

Damn I liked Orangina too!

I am with you on this OP. I’d rather have sugar cane as opposed to chemicals or stevia etc…

Appletiser is safe (for now) we make our own St Clement’s.

I don’t mind the sweeteners but I agree there should be choices. However I suppose brands have done market research and people prefer cheaper products rather than more expensive with real sugar.

The majority of us shouldn’t have to pay for the minority who lack self control and don’t look after themselves. I’ve drank real sugar for my entire life, everything in moderation is my motto. I’m neither obese nor do I have bad teeth.

It's gives me the rage too as we don't have artifical sweetners - the following are safe for the moment....
Classic taste san pellegrino
Aqua libra sparkling flavoured water
Cawston press
Sainsburys did have their own brand lemonade but it seems to have disappeared
Rocks squash

Also alcohol free beer is very nice with no nasty stuff

Stevia I don’t mind as it’s a natural sweetener with no nasty taste or side effects - I just absolutely hate the artificial ones

you can easily make your own cordial with fruit and sugar, and it tastes great. Strawberry, mint, ginger etc. A little bit of a faff but easy to do and feels a bit more special. Basically you slowly heat fruit or whatever with sugar and a little water, blend, strain and pour into sterilised bottles.

100% agree with you. I can't stand anything with artificial sweetener in, I can taste it straight away and it lingers for ages.

The M&S stores near me don't stock the squash with actual sugar any more, I can only find it in Waitrose now.

We holidayed in France this summer and it was bliss! I could have any flavour of cordial with my water and Orangina was the original version - I bought as much home as we could could carry! We are going back for a long weekend in October half term and I'm planning to stock up again.

I do miss the San Pelegrino blood orange and pomegranate drinks. And J2O. If I go out for a meal now it's coke or appletiser as they are about the only options left.

Just returned home from holiday in Turkey - it was so refreshing to be able to buy soft drinks without artificial sweeteners
I had forgotten how nice they taste
in the U.K. I mainly drink water and add a few drops of lemon or lime as much better for my IBS

There are no real sugar squashes at M&S - they use stevia as a plant based sweetener to claim no artificial sweetners , it changed a while ago. Asda still do ‘sugar’ versions

This is a really good point, will think about this! OP I agree with you 100%. I don’t understand how anyone can enjoy the flavour. I think I’m more sensitive to it than many, I couldn’t drink diet drinks if you paid me.

This ! I spent bloody ages looking for it as at one point they discontinued it.

And Ribena! That's just heartbreak

The Polish syrups from world food aisle are still safe

@CoastalCalm I agree! You can get these in most big supermarkets now. The raspberry one is lovely!