This Is The Difference Between Dr Pepper Zero Sugar And Diet Dr Pepper

Coke and Pepsi might be the big gangs in Colatown, but somewhere in a dark, yet welcoming back alley, Dr Pepper is running a cool Jazz club for the people who're looking for something a little more... special. The good doctor's 23 flavors have been more than enough to keep the brand in the game long enough to warrant the famous "Est. 1885" on the label, and while it does have a historical competitor in the Coca-Cola Company's side hustle Mr. Pibb, Dr Pepper continues to preside over its spicy domain.

Still, even Dr Pepper isn't immune to the passage of time, and the popularity of diet sodas has expanded the brand with two different diet-themed versions: Diet Dr Pepper, and the recently-announced Dr Pepper Zero Sugar. But why would a company have two distinct diet versions of its popular drink on the market? Is there, perhaps, some profound difference between the two that you have been missing? Let's take a look at the real difference between Dr Pepper Zero Sugar and Diet Dr Pepper.

New Dr Pepper Zero Sugar adds acesulfame potassium to its bag of sweetening tricks

On April 8, 2021, Dr Pepper's official Twitter account announced the launch of their new Dr Pepper Zero Sugar line in no less than three flavors: classic Dr Pepper, Dr Pepper Cherry and Dr Pepper & Cream Soda. Students of Dr Pepperology have obviously been keen to find out precisely how Zero Sugar differs from Diet Dr Pepper. The difference, according to Hype Beast, is in the sweetening agent. While Diet Dr Pepper is sweetened with the artificial sweetener aspartame, Zero Sugar adds acesulfame potassium in the mix. Reportedly, the combo gives the drink a more alluring flavor. 

However, Eat This, Not That! notes that while the Zero Sugar variety taste may indeed be closer to the original Dr Pepper, it still contains all sorts of artificial ingredients. So, as always, it's good to keep in mind that the lack of sugar doesn't mean that you should start guzzling several cans of the stuff on a daily basis.