The World Health Organization on Thursday declared the artificial sweetener aspartame to be “possibly carcinogenic to humans,” adding it to the same risk category as breathing engine exhaust, working at the dry cleaners and eating certain pickled vegetables.
The WHO suggests that you would have to drink some diet soda to get into the danger zone. His new guideline for safe consumption is 40 milligrams of aspartame per kilogram of body weight, which means a 150-pound fan of diet cola could drink up to a dozen cans a day.
Still, the news may make fans of diet drinks (caffeinated or not) nervous. If you’re ready to give things up, or at least moderate your habit, here are 11 aspartame-free alternatives to look for instead.
Iced tea
It doesn’t look or taste exactly like diet cola, and it’s not even fizzy. But the tannins in the iced tea mimic some of the carefully honed complexity of Diet Coke, and the caffeine will keep you from falling asleep at your desk. Just be careful with the sugar.
kombucha
Mildly caffeinated and made from fermented black or green tea, it’s gently fizzy, judiciously sweet, and may even be good for your gut microbiome—or whatever microbiome your diet and drink habit has left you with.
Soda water
Choose any brand or flavor. It’s bubbly and available in a can, giving you that same satisfying pop when you open it.
seltzer and bitters
A staple for many pregnant women and teetotalers, it’s dynamic, somewhat sophisticated and very satisfying.
pomegranate juice and club soda
This concoction hits the same bright, tart notes as an ice-cold Diet Coke, and even better, the head is a cheery pink.
Prosecco
This is already the refreshment of sparkling wines. It is true that the WHO lists alcohol as clearly carcinogenic, perhaps even in modest amounts. And Prosecco is not low calorie. But hey, choose your poison.
Shrubbery
The bushes are a sort of locavore-hipster homebrew made from fruit-infused vinegar and bubbly water. Bonus: They come in farm-to-table flavors like rhubarb-beetroot and turmeric-cucumber.
‘Healthy Coke’
this one time TikTok sensation it is a cool drink of mineral water enriched with balsamic vinegar. It has the bubbles and mahogany hue of diet cola, and many TikTokers say it tastes the same, too. Even better, you can pour it on your salad when you run out of vinaigrette.
homemade glue
in his book “Homemade soda,” Andrew Schloss offers a recipe for “natural cola” made from fresh and dried citrus zest, cilantro, nutmeg, and Kitchen Bouquet browning sauce, adding optional gum arabic for “mouthfeel.” Caroline Russock write on the Serious Eats website that “its complexity is almost like amaro: dark and full of rich, sweet aromatics, a more grown-up version of a cola.” Carbonate with a CO2 siphon to get the fluffiest foam. For hardcore enthusiasts only.
sugary soft drinks
These may be the versions you originally fell in love with. It can be tempting to get back in touch with your ex, but given the dietary dangers of too much sugar or corn syrup, keep your hookups casual.
Water
Here’s the obvious solution: sugar free, easy to find, and free. But even water carries risks. Drinking more than a quart an hour, especially if you’re doing something strenuous, can cause a dangerous electrolyte imbalance.
Really, too much of anything can hurt you, so whatever you drink, do it in moderation.