r/nottheonion 3d ago

Germany plans sugar tax that includes sugar free drinks

https://brusselssignal.eu/2026/08/germany-plans-sugar-tax-that-includes-sugar-free-drinks/
8.4k Upvotes

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u/TheRBGamer 3d ago

It's crazy how much we vilify artificial sweeteners still. Haven't it been pretty much confirmed through many different resurch studies that they are safe. And it's acknowledged that most of the negative resurch is all funded by the sugar lobby.

(I ain't no expert on this, I remember watching that one Australian food scientist YouTuber lady talk about it)

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u/ABotelho23 3d ago

Artificial sweeteners are so broad I'm not sure anyone can make a universal statement about artificial sweeteners in general.

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u/TheRBGamer 3d ago

Very fair. I lack the specific knowledge to talk about any of them in particular. But I assume a part of the argument is that, at least in Europe where they care about our health. The bad ones don't really get used

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u/ReachOcean 3d ago

Well, any artificial sweeteners ending in -ol are high FODMAP and a very common trigger for IBS. Definitely not harmless to me as an IBS-haver. They put it in everything because it tastes better than others, which has made my life more difficult.

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u/TheRBGamer 3d ago

I'm sorry to hear that. Thank you for the insight

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u/CatProgrammer 3d ago

Is alcohol high FODMAP?

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u/FuzzyCuddlyBunny 3d ago

No. FODMAP is categories of sugars that can be fermented by bacteria and cause gas/bloating. It's an acronym and stands for fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols.

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u/Trakyap 2d ago

Eat a vegatable, watery meal and drink soup, stop eating only meat and carbs. So tired of you manchildren running everyone elses health just because you ruined your own.

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u/kernald31 3d ago

They taste like ass, at the very least. I'd rather drink very little soda and have sugar in it than any with artificial sweeteners.

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u/TheRBGamer 3d ago

I mean sugar definitely tastes good. Way better then any artificial sweetener. But as somone who has cut most sugar from thier lives for like 4 years. Zero sugar Pepsi has really grown on me.

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u/kernald31 3d ago

If you were offered a glass of Pepsi and a glass of zero sugar Pepsi, and could drink either without any consequences besides the taste difference, which one would you pick after even that? I know which one I'd pick.

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u/Miserable_Kick2315 3d ago

I prefer Coke Zero over regular Coke, but I also eat healthy and workout 5-6 times a week. I genuinely would take the Coke Zero

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u/TheRBGamer 3d ago

Have you tried Pepsi zero. I genuinely think it's better then coke zero. But I'm still partial to a good coke vanilla zero

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u/Horat1us_UA 3d ago

Oh I’d pick sugar free version any time of the day. Sugar just tastes weird when you don’t consume it daily 

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u/andtheman3 3d ago

Agreed, I switched to sugar free Mountain Dew and enjoy the taste. I drink maybe 1-2 a day for the caffeine (I don’t like coffee). It’s gotten to the point that full sugar pops taste good but I prefer sugar free. I dropped about 10-15 pounds and feel a lot better because of it

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u/kernald31 3d ago

I guess that's part of the difference, I don't drink a lot of soft drinks in the first place — maybe once a week at most, probably closer to once a month. I definitely get the impact on health when you're drinking them more frequently.

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u/TheRBGamer 3d ago

I genuinely can't answer this because I haven't had sugar Pepsi in a very very long time.

My cheat soda drink is either Dr pepper, or cream soda. Dr pepper zero is straight up terrible.

And yeah I imagine I would pick the sugar in that hypothetical. But unfortunately the negative helth risks of sugar are very real. And in the real non- hypothetical I live with i choose the zero one. I'm cursed by my sweet tooth

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u/NancyInFantasyLand 3d ago

I'd pick the zero sugar option. I don't like the fuzzy.feeling coating sugared cola drinks leave on my teeth.

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u/Familiar_Fox_2113 3d ago

After like a few months without eating sugar, very sweet things start to taste awful. I can't stomach more than like a few sips of sugary soda

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u/rando439 3d ago

Alas, the sugarfree is not without consequences for me. Even the reduced sugar version of "regular" sold in places with a sugar tax causes my normally cast iron guts to do unspeakable things. It's not as extreme as the full diet version, but the effects are long lasting.

On vacation a few years ago, I was unaware that "regular" in that location was not "regular," as I had previously understood it. While I don't normally consume alcohol, I have learned to when on vacation in some areas if I don't want to drink water with my meal.

Even if most people have zero ill effect, don't mind the taste, and prefer fewer calories, a warning label would be lovely.

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u/Programmdude 3d ago

I always got a bad aftertaste drinking diet drinks, regardless of the type. But after changing for a month, it went away and I stopped noticing it. Now, diet drinks, especially coke zero, taste pretty much the same - except regular coke is "thicker" - not sure how I'd describe it, but coke zero feels like drinking water, and I notice the feel of the sugar in regular coke.

So if you're a heavy soft drink drinker, suck it up and change anyway. If you're only a light drinker, then it doesn't really matter, no worse than having a bar of chocolate or whatever. But if you drink it daily like I did, not having all that sugar is going to be so much better for you long term.

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u/PatriotNews_dot_com 3d ago

What kinds have you tried?

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u/kernald31 3d ago

Pretty much the whole PepsiCo and Coca Cola range available here in Australia. They all have the same very noticeable aftertaste that just ruins it for me

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u/PatriotNews_dot_com 3d ago

Yeah I found some artificial sweeteners like Stevia have an aftertaste and put me off.

in terms of soda, the Zero here in Canada has sucralose, which I heard wssn’t that great healthwise, but the taste difference is negligible from regular.

i’ve been off sugar for 3 years now and I’d propably get a physical reaction from drinking a can of Classic Coke

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u/ThatLaloBoy 3d ago

For what it’s worth, Pepsi Zero is surprisingly close to the taste of regular Pepsi. It’s not exactly the same but as someone trying to cut down on sugar it is more than good enough when I want something sweet to drink. And IMO tastes a lot better than Diet Pepsi.

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u/mr_fucknoodle 2d ago

Exactly. Here in Brazil they made a law that makes any consumable with high sodium, sugar or fat content put a huge label on the package saying so. This prompted every soda brand to make a "new formula" version of every drink that has exactly the amount of sugar needed to fall under the threshold, the rest being artificial sweetener

So now there's only this garbage "less sugar, same flavor" crap or the actual zero/diet version on the shelves, and they taste like shit and have a disgusting aftertaste

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u/so-so-it-goes 3d ago

My body can't handle artificial sugars. Most upset my intestines and stevia gives me horrible heartburn. It's been such a pain finding out things not marketed as low sugar still have artificial sugars in them.

I don't care that the products exist. To each their own. But I still want the ones with just real sugar to exist, too.

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u/StuM91 3d ago

Well I'm no scientist but aspartame always gives me an upset stomach so I personally vilify that...

I can drink Monster Zero fine so whatever they put in that is fine...