The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) recommends that adults have no more than 400 mg of caffeine per day. However, caffeine and artificial sweeteners may negatively affect some people, even at moderate intake levels. Overall, their ingredient contents and nutritional profiles are similar.įor most, not many harmful side effects come from drinking carbonated beverages in moderation. It also uses an additional sweetener, acesulfame potassium, that Diet Coke doesn’t.

Some say they cannot taste a difference, while others swear by either Diet Coke or Coke Zero as tasting closest to the “real deal.” SummaryĬoke Zero has less caffeine than Diet Coke. One debatable difference is the taste of these two drinks. However, both beverages are well below the recommended daily caffeine limit of 400 mg per day for adults ( 2). Coke Zero has less caffeine than Diet Coke. The other key difference is caffeine content. This means that these drinks are quite similar in terms of ingredients ( 1). Per Diet Coke’s ingredient label, its primary sweetener is aspartame, and since ingredients are listed in order by weight, it’s reasonable to assume that it contains much less acesulfame potassium. While Diet Coke uses aspartame as its sweetening agent, Coke Zero uses both aspartame and acesulfame potassium, also called “Ace K” or “acesulfame K.”Īcesulfame potassium is another calorie-free sweetener that passes through the body without raising blood sugar levels. What differs between the two is the type of sweetener they contain, as well as their caffeine content, although these two differences are still unlikely to be significant to most people. These products are essentially the same, especially in regards to their main selling point: not containing sugar. Key differences between Coke Zero and Diet Coke Like Coke Zero, Diet Coke also comes in a caffeine-free version. Regular Diet Coke uses aspartame, but you can also purchase a variety of Diet Coke that’s made with Splenda, a brand of sucralose.įlavor varieties of Diet Coke include ginger lime and feisty cherry. Like Coke Zero, Diet Coke contains the amino acid phenylalanine, so people with PKU should avoid it.Ī 12-ounce (355-mL) serving of Diet Coke provides:ĭiet Coke contains no added sugars since it uses artificial sweeteners instead. Caffeine-free Coke Zero is also available. It comes in a variety of flavors, including cherry, cherry vanilla, orange vanilla, and vanilla. It also contains the amino acid phenylalanine, so people with phenylketonuria (PKU) should avoid it.Ī 12-ounce (355-mL) serving of Coke Zero provides:Ĭoke Zero contains no added sugars since it uses artificial sweeteners instead. In this section, we’ll break down some of the key differences and similarities you may want to consider. Nutrition facts and ingredients of Coke Zero and Diet Cokeīelow are the ingredients and nutrition facts for both Coke Zero and Diet Coke.

Coke zero cherry vanilla