Food & Drinks with Zero Calories

[rgruby]

Hi,

I've noticed ads for coke Zero (I think) - Coke with zero calories, allegedly - and a NYC chef (David Burke??) saying he was coming out with a line of flavour sprays that also had zero calories.

First, do these things really have zero calories, or is it a case of having "zero" (ie less than one) calories in some very small serving size? Regardless, they would be very low in calories, even if not technically zero. Or maybe they really are zero calories. Please educate me!

Second, what do these things have in them that give flavour, but not calories? Not fats, proteins or carbs. So, what's left? And are these substances good for us? Are many (most?) diet foods and drink stuffed full of these things? I could use to lose a few pounds. Should I be imbibing more of these?

Cheers,

Geoff Ruby

[Bueno]

I just thought I'd make mention of the fact that David Burke's flavor sprays are facking horrid, acrid, and should NEVER be consumed.

I honestly have a couple gag memories associated with them. Ya know, when you think of a food that was so revolting that it actually causes a mild gag reaction in the back of your throat. Eww.

[rgruby]

I guess I'll add another question: are any of these offerings even remotely palatable?

Cheers,

Geoff Ruby

[Pam R]

I just asked this question the other day. We sell a line of dressings/dips/flavouring - Waldenfarm - that have 0 calories (most are gluten,dairy,carb,everything-free). I haven't tried them, but we brought them in because we've had a lot of requests for them - and they sell well. I guess some people like them.

Every few days somebody will ask "What exactly is in these??"

[potsticker]

to this day, diet coke and coke zero seem exactly the same to me. am i just missing something?

[johnsmith45678]

According to this page:

Diet sodas, extracts, seasonings, spices, and hot sauce contain almost zero calories.

So things (like, hmm, probably just water) could probably be flavored with some combination of extracts and/or spices and contain almost zero calories (which is good enough for marketeers to call it zero calories). I assume essential oils are about the same thing as extracts, and they can be distilled from just about anything.

Edited July 12, 2006 by johnsmith45678 (log)

[hungryCAT]

The only Walden Farms product I use on a regularly basis is the chocolate

syrup. There was a time when I used the blue cheese dressing almost

daily, then I developed a sudden dislike for it. I don't know if they changed

the recipe or what, but now I can't stand the sight of it.

As far as the chocolate syrup, I put it in smoothies and on top of frozen

yogurt. I tried the BBQ sauce once, but didn't care for it.

[Angela Alaimo]

to this day, diet coke and coke zero seem exactly the same to me.  am i just missing something?

←

I was told that no, there's no difference. The reason for both is guys are hesitant to drink something called "Diet", but they will drink the same stuff if you call it "Zero". Must be the love of the Z or something. I was told this by the same person who told me they were the same thing.

[Badiane]

to this day, diet coke and coke zero seem exactly the same to me.  am i just missing something?

←

I was told that no, there's no difference. The reason for both is guys are hesitant to drink something called "Diet", but they will drink the same stuff if you call it "Zero". Must be the love of the Z or something. I was told this by the same person who told me they were the same thing.

←

There is a huge difference. It's a completely different formula. And to we that were once addicted to the Real Thing (with sugar), the difference is incredible. Diet Coke is nasty stuff...tastes aspartame-y. Coke Zero tastes and smells like real Coke. I may be among only a handful of people on the planet to whom this makes any difference, but believe me, Coke Zero is the best thing to hit my fridge since the raw milk Epoisses I got for my birthday. I haven't had a Coke with sugar for nearly four years - and to get my hands on a Coke Zero nearly brought tears to my eyes. I had a six litre a day habit (the real thing with sugar) and trust me, I can discern every nuance.

[Pam R]

I can discern every nuance.

←

I have to agree. I can't stand diet coke. I once asked somebody if they liked diet coke the first time they drank it or if they had to train themselves to drink it (I really loath it). Coke Zero tastes nothing like it. I like it.

[MarketStEl]

I didn't realize this was going to turn into a Coke Zero lovefest, but add me to the ranks of fans. It's nothing at all like Diet Coke. I can't stand the metallic aftertaste of diet sodas sweetened with aspartame.

Coke Zero uses a blend of artificial sweeteners that somehow gets rid of the off-tastes.

[Badiane]

I didn't realize this was going to turn into a Coke Zero lovefest,

←

The best thing about it is that when you pass out with one in your hand, you don't wake up in a sticky puddle with ants crawling on your lips because it has no sugar in it!

Told you I was an addict.

Before it was brought into Canada, we used to make border runs for it - we live about 20 miles from the nearest crossing - and we seemed to get the same guard all the time and he started making fun of us. We hadn't gone for months, but a few weeks ago on the way to Seattle he spotted us in another line and came running over like we were long lost relatives. It was very funny - he calls me Coke and my husband is Mr. Zero. Homeland Security indeed...we could have been straddling a missle and he would have waived us through.

[Pam R]

Before it was brought into Canada, we used to make border runs for it - we live about 20 miles from the nearest crossing

I'll be picking up some Pepsi One in North Dakota in the near future. Much as I like Coke Zero, I prefer Pepsi. The people at Pepsi (Canada) tell me that it may be a while before we get Pepsi One here - they test new drinks more in Canada than the US before they hit the market here.