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..!

There is so much evidence out there that the gut biome gets damaged by artificial sweeteners. Yet it's being ignored to avoid sugar taxes.

The gut is our defence system against disease, so if it's not working properly,our immunity is not as good as it could be.

In a covid filled world surely we need our full immunity? Or at least the choice of full fat or diet without every fucking drink being crammed full of shite.

I even saw kombucha, a gut health product, which had artificial sweeteners in it. WTAF!!!

I tried to get a cranberry juice without sweeteners and failed. They were about ten choices. All had sweeteners. In Asda. Shocking.

I write to britvic more than once to com plain about Pepsi having secret sweeteners in it. They weren't interested. The only way these companies will change is if we stop buying their product and they are forced to rethink their strategy.

One wonders if decreased immunity is what governments secretly want as covid hasn't killed off enough of us...

Who knows what the new world order is planning....

Or maybe it's just soft drink etc companies all have shares in artificial sweetener companies and want to profit....

@NCnora M&S lemonade only has sugar in it, check though if there's more than one type, but I spent ages looking for one for Pimm's and lemonade at our wedding, and that was the best

Rocks cordial is also fab, best alternative to ribena, which has been ruined

I’ll gat a bottle of Rocks blackcurrant next time I’m in a supermarket and try it as the Ribena is crap!

Yes, I believe so!

Oh definitely. It's my occasional treat when I fancy something fizzy. Normally I try and stick to water.

I've found my people!

What I don't understand is why they can't just reduce the sugar rather than replacing it. A lower sugar version of these drinks and yoghurts might be nicer as well as healthier. Someone told me that normal Coke has nine teaspoons of sugar per can. NINE! Well, why not try a three sugar or two sugar version?

This. I find most soft drinks way too sweet, and I often dilute fizzy drinks at home. So I'm fine with them reducing the sugar - I just don't want them topping it up with disgusting sweetener, because then it's bith too sweet AND it tastes like a bin bag. (Is their core market wasps?!)

Thanks for this about the lemonade !

Absolutely this. I started a thread the other day about proper lucozade from the 70s and why has it also gone to the dogs

But in reality I dont drink sugary drinks, I never have done. I got massively fat on savoury foods.

However, when I want a drink that isnt alcohol or tea, I want something refreshing, not with artificial sweetners but not overly sugary either. Why has it got to be one thing or the other. At home if Im having squash or an expensive lemonade (so its got sugar in it), I water it down so much, it barely counts really. I dont have that option in shops, Its either full fat coke or water

Ive also taken to drinking low alcohol beer as that is a possible option ow in pubs but I also dont always want that.

When we're in Italy and Spain they dont tolerate that shit in it.

Id just like a less sweet option for a lot if things.

Baked beans for example. I want to buy them ready made as home made attempts never seem soft enough. But i have a choice of:

• very sweet/sugary
• no sugar but heavily sweetened

Can i just have... less sugar. Just halve it.

It’s almost getting to the point that ppl need to make their own cordials from scratch. That is with real fruit and sugar, cook and then bottle them in the same way ppl can make jam and jellies. Great if you have the time….

Its also qutie interesting how many people believe the drink they are drinking is the original without sweetners, this came up quite a lot in my Lucozade thread.

Waitrose do lemonade without sweetener too, it just has less sugar, but no artificial nasties.

Sainsburys have recently discontinued theirs, which was one of the main reasons I ever chose them over the other supermarkets.

Oddly, the premixed cans of Pimms don’t have sweetener in them, in case of emergency!

Have spent a fortune lately on Rocks blackcurrant cordial, it's so moreish. I remember ten years ago you could get it for £1, but now it's around £3.80 a bottle.

I can’t stand the sweeteners either. I rarely want a sweet drink but when I do, it needs to be a full sugar one, although it’s probably not much more than once or twice a month.
If my kids are having fizzy drinks (again, rarely) I encourage the full sugar over the artificially sweetened drinks. They mostly drink water though, just not if we go out or parties etc. I know some of my friends and family think that’s wrong but I believe there’s more harm in the sweeteners.

Tonic water too! The ‘light’ versions ruin a gin!

Stevia is often hidden in ‘natural flavourings’ due to a labelling loophole. Bottle Green do this and I’ve had to stop buying their products too.

Totally agree. I'd happily pay a premium so that on the occasions I do treat myself to a sugary fizzy drink, it tastes flavoursome, and NOT like fizzy metallic shit.
Irn Bru got it right by selling their original recipe 1901 cans at a slightly higher price, but I'm not fussy on Irn Bru. The day Tango bit the dust I was heartbroken.

Full fat tonic water all the way too, I agree

Bottle Green of the menu too then….

You're absoutely right that artificial sweetners are worse for the body than sugar. They prepare the body for sugar, but none comes, so you crave more, its bad for your gut health as someone has referenced above and it also sets people up to want more and more sweet food. Nothing is this sweet in nature.

I think Joan Collins once said she never saw a thin person drinking diet coke and so she always had normal coke. And if she didnt say it, I still imagine she did!!

Same!

I just want the choice, I'd pay more for full sugar as I only have it on occasion anyway. I don't even want "natural" sweetener's so annoying! Never new iron bru sold full sugar version with no sweeteners ordered some from Amazon on the back of this thread thank you, no caffeine even better, that's why full sugar coke is rarely an option for me as I limit caffeine.

I’m sending the results of this poll to soft drink manufacturers - I’ve never seen such a decisive AIBU vote!

Yesss! I also limit caffeine. Hence I loved that Tango was there for me when I gave up Coke.
My husband loves 1901 when he has a hangover.

Appletiser is still ok. There are another couple of brands in the supermarket but I've forgotten their names.
Cawston?

The problem is when out at cafes, restaurants or pubs, the choice is extremely limited.

I heard myself explaining to someone that I cant have too much sugar but equally dont want artifical sweetners, she must have been inwardly rolling her eyes. I dont bother trying to explain now!

Artificial sweeteners just need to be avoided, or their details must be on the label, so people can make their choices. I, personally choose to not consume them, however it tends to mean I drink wine in preference. I do like a nice raspberry or blackcurrant cordial in preference to wine, but they are in short and limited supply.