Diet Pepsi Max
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If you’re a diet cola fan, go buy this, now. Well, wait a minute, you should read this first, and then go. Just make sure you go at some point, soon.
Diet Pepsi Max is one of Pepsi’s newest low calorie beverages. You may be asking yourself ‘What is the difference between Diet Pepsi Max, and other 438 varieties of Diet Pepsi?’ Short answer would be caffeine, and lots of it. Even more than a Mountain Dew. My use of mathematics brought me to the conclusion that there were 69 mgs of caffeine per 12 ounces. Those are ‘weak energy drink’ kind of numbers. Pepsi even went out of their way and added a touch of ginseng for another extra kick.
Another major difference; Diet Pepsi Max is a direct competitor to Coca Cola’s Coke Zero. This makes Diet Pepsi Max a much better tasting product than regular Diet Pepsi, at least in my opinion. It’s all in how you sweeten the drink. Aspartame alone just isn’t acceptable anymore; it’s can taste bitter, artificial, and leave a bad finish. It does all of the above more often than not. Sure, if you drink it long enough you can develop an immunity to these less that desirable traits, or even start to crave them (Diet Coke drinkers, I’m talking to you!), but why should you settle for an inferior tasting product? When beverage companies add in the ‘magical’ ingredient known as Ace-K, it cuts straight through that bitterness, and leaves a much (much!) more pleasant taste in your mouth.
Diet Pepsi Max truly tastes like a non-diet product. It is very worthy competition to Coke Zero, and by adding a few energy drink elements, Diet Pepsi Max doesn’t look like a ‘me too’ product. Side note, and one I wont talk about very often; the packaging looks really great. I know it’s what’s in the bottle that actually counts, but a guy can walk down the street with a 20 ounce bottle of this stuff in his hand and not look like a total sissy. Us fellas are image conscious too, and sodas are our accessories. 
Coke Zero wont be leaving my fridge anytime soon (or ever!), because it’s still a great low calorie product. It just might have to start sharing some shelf space with Diet Pepsi Max. Diet Pepsi Max should be available in your area now, in most packaging options. Okay, now you can go.
–Jeremy Hobbs
Coke Zero
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Coke Zero is one of the greatest tasting, fastest growing low calorie beverages on the market today. Considering it was released in 2005, I'm amazed at how few diet soda drinkers have yet to try it. Marketing was a part of that I believe, as Coke decided to release Sprite Zero first, which was 'zero calories, zero caffeine.' So, reasonably, a lot of people assumed that Coke Zero was some kind of rebrand of Caffeine Free Diet Coke. That couldn't be farther from the truth!
Here's the real story.The product known as 'Diet Coke' was never actually a 'diet' version of Coca Cola. By that, I mean it was based on a completely different formula, it was not Coca Cola Classic with the sugar (high fructose corn syrup) removed, and artificial sweeteners added. For a little more back story, Coke actually used the 'Diet Coke' formula, replaced aspartame with corn syrup, and released that product in the late 80's as 'New Coke.' Anyone conscious around that time remembers how well that went over.
Coke Zero, or Coca Cola Zero, is a low calorie (actually no calorie) version of the original Coca Cola Classic formula. In short, it is the true 'diet Coke.' The taste is incredibly authentic. Instead of using straight aspartame, it uses the now popular (and great tasting) blend of aspartame and acesulfame potassium (Ace-k). The Ace-k helps cut the bitter aftertaste that aspartame often produces.
Coke Zero has proven itself to be a viable product, as it is one of the only carbonated beverages to gain market share the past few years. It is popular among males, where as Diet Coke is mainly marketed towards women. It is expected to break into the top ten beverages sold by next year, a very exclusive club to be in. If you keep a close eye, you may also start seeing it pop up in your favorite restaurants soon; several fast food chains have already added it to their taps.
Bottom line, this is maybe the best tasting low calorie beverage available today, especially in terms of cola products. Coke Zero is most certainly worth trying if you have yet to do so! Available in all of Coke's packaging options.
– Jeremy Hobbs
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