Ditching Diet Coke over the aspartame? We taste 5 alternatives.

This stevia-sweetened brand was a universal dud among tasters. For starters, it’s a clear liquid, without a trace of the caramel-brown that defines the genre (remember Crystal Pepsi?), and while that might not matter if you are slugging it directly from the can, it doesn’t give you the visual cue for the flavor it’s trying to impart. Even without that prompt, it similarly lacked flavor, with several people saying they wouldn’t have pegged it as a cola without the label. “Not a cola in taste or look,” said one. “Watered-down Sprite,” declared another.

Most found it overly sweet, and some detected unpleasant notes of bubble gum or mint. “Just sweet, almost candy-like.”

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