Diet Coke is pretty much the most popular diet soda around. It is a staple in America’s refrigerators and has been since 1982. Calorie-conscious beverage choice offers all the taste of a Coke without the added sugar, making it a popular choice for anyone looking to lower their usual calorie intake. While millions of people enjoy Diet Coke daily, there’s more to this drink than meets the eye. Before popping open your next can, here’s what you should know about this iconic beverage:
The Birth of a Beverage Icon
Creating a drink like Diet Coke is no small feat – it took almost two decades of research and development before it hit store shelves. Interestingly, although it’s the most successful, Coca-Cola’s diet beverage wasn’t the first to market. RC Cola’s Diet Rite was available in 1958, while Coca-Cola’s “Tab” came through five years later. It was clear the company wanted to perfect its formula before putting the good name of Coke on a diet product. Developments accelerated in 1980 when diet sodas became the new fad in the soft drink market. When finalizing a name, it was specifically decided that the “diet” would have a lowercase “d” to indicate that “diet” was simply describing the Coke, and not part of the brand itself.
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