diet sodas / low calorie soft drinks?

[osej]

Hi,

I've been linving in Singapore for a bit over two years now and one of the things I really miss is diet sodas. The variety available is not huge. I can find diet Coke and Pepsi and recently diet Sarsi as well as some cans of diet Dr Pepper and 7up/Sprite however I'm looking for somthing like the Fanta Free we have in Europe or the diet lemonades and fruit flavoured drinks in Australia. Does anyone know where this can be found here? Preferably in 1,5l PET bottles...
Thx,
Oscar
Ps. Just want to know where to find it. I do not care if it gives me cancer, makes me fat, causes global warming or WWIII.

[sundaymorningstaple]

Coke Zero is now available here. It's first sugar free cola that actually tastes like what it's supposed to taste like. I like it and use it. Got one at the moment as a matter of fact.

Any NTUC or for that matter any major grocery store like Sheng Siong, Cold Storage, etc should have it.

[micknlea]

It is nearly impossible to buy diet type drinks here (you would think with the high diabetic levels it would be easier, but no). Apart from the cola varieties there is very little else, certainly no fruit flavoured ones are readily available. (I miss my lemon/lime soda ones)

Some of the health food shops may have a small range. We have managed to find some there occasionally, if you try places like the one upstairs in Tanglin Mall and the like you might find some or they may be able to help you.

The diabetes people may be able to help. Not sure if they have a listing or whatever of places to buy items.


Edit: forgot to add, the quality of the non sugar soda drinks here is not the best either, the taste varies in degrees. I have thrown out bottles and cans of both Pepsi Max and Coke Light as both were totally undrinkable. Hopefully they have their act together with Coke Zero.

[sundaymorningstaple]

Coke Zero is the closest thing to tasting and feeling like a real coke that I've ever tasted. Either here or in the US or anywhere else for that matter. I think they've got it right this time. Finally.

[ksl]

It is nearly impossible to buy diet type drinks here (you would think with the high diabetic levels it would be easier, but no). Apart from the cola varieties there is very little else, certainly no fruit flavoured ones are readily available. (I miss my lemon/lime soda ones)

Some of the health food shops may have a small range. We have managed to find some there occasionally, if you try places like the one upstairs in Tanglin Mall and the like you might find some or they may be able to help you.

The diabetes people may be able to help. Not sure if they have a listing or whatever of places to buy items.


Edit: forgot to add, the quality of the non sugar soda drinks here is not the best either, the taste varies in degrees. I have thrown out bottles and cans of both Pepsi Max and Coke Light as both were totally undrinkable. Hopefully they have their act together with Coke Zero.

There are vinegar fruit drinks without sugar, and also safe for diabetics, due to the fact the vinegar breaks down the sugars...its time you all did your research on vinegar drinks and diatbetes type 2 ...My brother in law is also type 2 and drinks fruit vinegars...there is strong evidence, that the acids in fermented fruit drinks, actually reduce sugar spikes,, so it's advised to drink vinegars with your meals....

The importance is on the fructos glycemic load of the drinks, which is lower than any other beverage...you can also get fruit vinegar drinks without the fructos...I know of several traditional chinese medicine vinegars which are functional health drinks without sugar.

But one must be careful because everyone may react differently, my mate in UK tried drinking vinegar with type 2, and he said it made him quite high.....but he liked it....

Mind you he still drinks his beer every night too, so some never really learn...

[micknlea]

Coke Zero is the closest thing to tasting and feeling like a real coke that I've ever tasted. Either here or in the US or anywhere else for that matter. I think they've got it right this time. Finally.

True, Coke Zero is good, about time they got it here. However, the quality for some reason of diet drinks here is not fantastic, perhaps something happens to it in storage. It seems to be in batches as well. Fingers crossed they keep the control high on this one.

[osej]

Thanks guys! Although I do like Coke Zero and Pepsi Max there is not really a great difference in my opinion. I'd like some variety and would dream of something like Fanta Free Pinapple & Grapefruit or Solo Lemonades with no added sugar available here.
As for the uneven quality of the diet sodas it is probably due to that aspartame can't handle heat so if the cans have beens stored to hot, in direct sunlight or such, the contents will taste like c**p. As far as I know sucralose is not as sensitive so I think Zero should be better off but not sure as it seems the recepie for Diet Coke/Coke Light/Coke Zero varies from different countries (aspartame, sucralose or a mix thereof).
Since I'm not a diabetic, just a bit overweight and love sodas, I think I'll skip the vinegar though. I'm sure it has a lot of health benefits but the taste kind of puts me off.
While waiting for some proper diet sodas in Singapore I've come up with this solution: Mix 2 parts of Gerolsteiner (German sparkling mineral water with a lot of bubbles available in several Cold Storage) with 1 part juice (I like Pokka apple - apflelshorle or orange). Not really diet though, still 20 times the calories as a diet soda...

[Forks]

Pardon my ignorance but whats the point in drinking a diet Soda, most people chug one right next to some food which will replace all the calories they lost in the drink and then some. Not to mention the aspartame.

[sundaymorningstaple]

You're pardoned.

Some of us, like myself, have given up coke and all other "soda's". In my case it is a return to a healthy lifestyle and the ongoing process of losing weight. (down 18.5 kg since Jan 13th - 5.5 kg to go). I only eat fresh foods and don't eat anything that has been processed in any fashion.

I grant you I am the minority, but everybody has to start somewhere. (I used to drink a litre of coke a day!)

[Forks]

My brother was a liter a day man until he tried to kick the habit and found out diet or not it was a hard habit to kick, but congrats on losing the weight

[ksl]

I think I'll skip the vinegar though. I'm sure it has a lot of health benefits but the taste kind of puts me off.

What taste would that be? Don't be silly and say vinegar! We live in the 21st century and bio technology moves on....I agree many vinegar drinks do taste of vinegar....and that is because only one, or two manufacturers have developed, the ideal fruit drink, there is no vinegar taste, that i have noticed in the 9 flavours....

Many people like yourself make me laugh really, everyday of the week, you probably consume beverages, and even after reading the ingredients, you still wouldn't understand whats actually in the beverage. Unless you did the research to find out...

I could have taken many a wager off many like yourself, that said, exactly the same has you..... Because it's all in the mind...they have this idea that a drink made of vinegar tastes, like vinegar....

Well let me put you right...it's fermented fruit, and the amount of vinegar is probably less than 1%, when made into a ready made beverage, the fruit taste is enhanced dramatically...so you only taste fruit...not vinegar

I also believe the trend is spreading quite rapidly, because of the health benefits...they are functional drinks...and everyone is jumping on the
bandwagon. Using the wording functional now, but be careful, because many are still pulling the wool over the eyes of consumers.

Europe will regulate the industry, because of the abuse, of trying to sell health drinks, without the proof..which is a good thing.

[sundaymorningstaple]

Ice is starting to get rather thin.....

[MissLTA]

Where can I find diet Dr. Pepper in SG?

[cavalier]

Cold Storage in Holland V carries diet Dr Pepper, although the time I tried it the taste was a bit off.

[MissLTA]

Thanks cavalier!
What do you mean by the taste was a bit off?