Here you will find a comparison of Dr Pepper versus Diet Dr Pepper which are both manufactured by Keurig Dr Pepper. We think you’ll have a solid understanding of what differentiates these two sodas after you read this article.
Dr Pepper vs. Diet Dr Pepper
Nutrition
Based on nutrition alone, Diet Dr Pepper clearly beats out Dr Pepper. It has no calories, total fat, carbs, or sugar.
| Dr Pepper | Diet Dr Pepper | |
|---|---|---|
| Serving Size | 12 fl oz | 12 fl oz |
| Calories | 150 | 0 |
| Total Fat | 0g | 0g |
| Sodium | 55mg | 60mg |
| Total Carbs | 40g | 0g |
| Sugars | 39g | 0g |
| Protein | 0g | 0g |
Ingredients
The noticeable difference between the ingredients is in how they are sweetened. Dr Pepper uses high-fructose corn syrup while Diet Dr Pepper contains the artificial sweetener, aspartame.
It is advised to limit consumption of high-fructose corn syrup which can lead to health issues like obesity, diabetes, leaky gut, inflammation, and fatty liver disease if not kept in check.
According to WebMD, aspartame as a low-calorie sweetener may not assist people in losing weight with some studies finding it may actually slow down the metabolism and potential results in weight gain. However, it has been deemed safe by many authoritative agencies including the FDA.
Dr Pepper Ingredients – carbonated water, high fructose corn syrup, caramel color, phosphoric acid, natural and artificial flavors, sodium benzoate (preservative), caffeine
Diet Dr Pepper Ingredients – carbonated water, caramel color, aspartame, phosphoric acid, natural and artificial flavors, sodium benzoate (preservative), caffeine
Caffeine
As you can see from the ingredients listed above, both sodas have added caffeine. In fact, they have the same amount of caffeine for the same serving sizes.
For comparison, a 12 fluid ounce Coke has 34mg and a 12 fluid ounce (tall) Starbucks Coffee has 260mg of caffeine. The caffeine is considered low to moderate for the serving sizes listed.
| Serving Size | Dr Pepper | Diet Dr Pepper |
|---|---|---|
| 7.5 fl oz | 26mg | 26mg |
| 12 fl oz | 41mg | 41mg |
| 16 fl oz | 55mg | 55mg |
| 16.9 fl oz | 58mg | 58mg |
| 20 fl oz | 68mg | 68mg |
Introduction Dates
Dr Pepper originated in Waco, Texas in 1885. It was originally made at Morrison’s Old Corner Drug Store and was purportedly invented by a pharmacist there named Charles Alderton.
Diet Dr Pepper – The diet version of Dr Pepper was first released in 1962 as Dietetic Dr Pepper. Yes, it was a terrible name choice and is cited as a primary reason for sales lagging when first released. The soda was eventually renamed as “Sugar Free Dr Pepper” before the parent company finally settled on Diet Dr Pepper in 1987.
Sources:
kdpproductfacts.com
drpepper.com
drpeppermuseum.com/history
diet dr pepper image credit – Photo by kiliweb per Open Food Facts
dr pepper image credit – Photo by kiliweb per Open Food Facts