Have you ever asked yourself what the differences are between the different types of cola? First of all, we have to take a look at the sugar-containing variants.

54g of sugar in this tiny bottle

In this small bottle there are already 54g of sugar. You think that's not much? Just look at the pile of sugar cubes.

This variety has the highest sugar content

This version contains even more sugar. This is the version with the highest sugar content. You should not drink too much of it.

You don't see these bottles often

This bottle you do not see so often: the green version of coke, in it are "only" 36g of sugar per bottle. So in this small bottle, of course! In this country, however, you see this variant rather rarely.

Considered by many to be the healthier option

Okay, let's first compare the sugar content. This bottle of cola contains 0g of sugar. You probably expected that.

Also in this version there is no sugar

This low-calorie version also contains 0g of sugar, and now you're probably wondering what the difference is between these two varieties. Let's take a look at the details.

Do they taste the same?

You and I could argue about whether Diet Coke and Coke Zero taste the same. At first glance (or sip?), you can't really tell the two extremely popular drinks apart. In a blind tasting, most testers fail and taste no difference.

But according to Coca-Cola, there really is a difference between Diet Coke and Coke Zero. There is a statement on their website about this, but it doesn't tell you everything you need to know. At least not for everyone!

Wenn es einer wissen muss, dann der Hersteller selbst

In a statement on its website, the brand pits the two fizzy drinks against each other, saying, "Both beverages are sugar-free and calorie-free. Coca-Cola Zero Sugar looks and tastes more like Coca-Cola Classic, while Coke-Light has a different blend of flavors that gives it a lighter taste."

Can you taste the difference?

But the taste is not the only difference...

The key difference between Diet Coke and Coke Zero is a single chemical. Despite the same nutritional values, there is no other difference. Now the big question is, of course, what is the difference between the two types? So far, the differences seem to be smaller than expected.

Let's look at the ingredients list: Coke light

Carbonated water, caramel color, aspartame, phosphoric acid, potassium benzoate, natural flavors, citric acid, caffeine.

The ingredient list of a can of Diet Coke

Now we're looking at: Coke Zero sugar

The ingredients list of a can of Coke-Zero

Diet Coke is missing two ingredients that the other two sugar-free options have: Potassium Citrate and Acesulfame Potassium. Acesulfame potassium is a zero-calorie sugar substitute and potassium citrate is a common additive in beverages.

Do these ingredients differ nutritionally? Not in the slightest.

Although both drinks contain caffeine, the amount varies:

Regular coke 9.7 mg/100ml

Diet Coke 12.8 mg/100ml

Cola Zero 9.6mg/100ml

As you can see, the amount of caffeine in Coke Zero is almost identical to that of Regular, while the levels in Diet Coke are higher. The fact that both Coke Zero and Regular Coke contain almost the same amount of caffeine must be the reason for the almost indistinguishable taste.