Quick Answer
No, Diet Coke syrup is not available for purchase to use with SodaStream. SodaStream makes their own line of diet soda syrups that can be used to create diet sodas at home. However, they do not have an official Diet Coke syrup. The only way to make Diet Coke at home with SodaStream is to add Diet Coke concentrate or flavorings to carbonated water.
Explaining Diet Coke and SodaStream
Diet Coke is a popular no-calorie soft drink made by the Coca-Cola company. It uses aspartame as a sugar substitute to provide the sweet cola taste without sugar or calories. SodaStream is a home carbonation system that allows you to make sparkling water and soda at home. It comes with a machine that carbonates water and bottle flavors that can be added to make different sodas.
SodaStream has a line of their own diet soda flavors, but they do not have an official partnership with Coca-Cola to produce Diet Coke syrups or flavors. This means that there is no way to buy an authentic Diet Coke syrup from SodaStream. The Coca-Cola company has not authorized SodaStream or any other company to produce and sell Diet Coke syrups for home use.
SodaStream’s Diet Soda Flavor Options
While Diet Coke syrup is not available, SodaStream does make a few of their own diet soda flavors that can subsitute for Diet Coke:
- Diet Cola – This has a very similar taste profile to Diet Coke, without the aspartame
- Diet Dr. Pete – Their take on Dr. Pepper diet soda
- Diet Lemon-Lime – A diet version of Sprite or 7-Up
- Diet Orange – For a diet orange soda experience
- Diet Root Beer – To satisfy diet root beer cravings
SodaStream’s diet flavors use sucralose as the sugar substitute rather than aspartame. Many people find SodaStream’s Diet Cola to be the closest match, though it still lacks the authentic Diet Coke taste.
Making Diet Coke with SodaStream
While there’s no official Diet Coke syrup, there are a couple DIY methods people use to get as close as possible to Diet Coke with their SodaStream machine:
Adding Diet Coke Concentrate
Diet Coke concentrate can be purchased online or sometimes found in stores. Adding a splash of this concentrate to carbonated water made with a SodaStream will give a pretty good approximation of Diet Coke. The amount of concentrate added controls how strong the Diet Coke flavor is.
Using Diet Coke Flavorings
There are some 3rd party flavor extracts and syrups designed to replicate the taste of Diet Coke. Adding these Diet Coke flavorings to SodaStream carbonated water can mimic the taste fairly well. The flavor intensity depends on how much flavoring is added.
Mixing with Regular Coke Syrup
SodaStream does make a regular Coca-Cola syrup. Some people mix a small bit of this syrup with the Diet Cola syrup and carbonated water to get a taste closer to Diet Coke. Adjusting the syrup ratios allows customizing the flavor.
Purchasing Diet Coke Syrup
While there’s no official Diet Coke syrup for SodaStream, some major retailers do sell syrups marketed as Diet Coke flavoring concentrates:
Amazon
Amazon carries Diet Coke flavor concentrates from brands like Bombshell Beverages and Northwoods Soda. These contain concentrated Diet Coke flavoring to add to carbonated water.
Walmart
Walmart sells flavored syrups and concentrates online branded as Diet Coke flavors, like a product called “DC” Diet Cola Concentrate. However, these aren’t officially licensed or approved by Coca-Cola.
eBay
Many 3rd party sellers on eBay offer Diet Coke flavor concentrates for use with SodaStream and other home carbonation devices. Quality can vary greatly between sellers.
Etsy
You can find handmade syrups on Etsy advertised as Diet Coke duplicates for SodaStream. These are created by independent sellers rather than major brands.
Keep in mind that none of these third party syrups are officially approved by the Coca-Cola Company, so the flavor accuracy isn’t guaranteed. Nonetheless, customer reviews indicate many get pretty close to the real Diet Coke taste.
Why No Official Diet Coke Syrup Exists
Coca-Cola has chosen not to partner with SodaStream or any other home carbonation system to offer an official Diet Coke syrup or flavoring. There are a few likely reasons behind this decision:
Brand Control
The Coca-Cola Company is very protective of the Diet Coke brand. By not licensing an official syrup, they can control the entire consumer experience around Diet Coke rather than rely on another company to maintain product quality and taste.
Promoting Fountain Drink Sales
Diet Coke is widely available on fountain at restaurants and other venues. The company may not want to promote making Diet Coke at home as it could hurt these profitable fountain drink sales.
Partnership Issues
Forming an official partnership could be complicated due to SodaStream’s affiliation with PepsiCo. There may be conflicts around trademarks and promotion.
Focus on Bottled and Canned
Coca-Cola wants consumers buying pre-made canned and bottled Diet Coke rather than making their own. So they steer clear of products that enable home preparation.
Lack of Market for Syrups
Coca-Cola may feel there isn’t enough consumer demand for home soft drink syrups to justify developing and marketing Diet Coke syrup. Or they may not feel the market is lucrative enough.
So in summary, while Coca-Cola avoids directly supplying a Diet Coke syrup, they haven’t been able to stop third parties from formulating syrups designed to taste like Diet Coke to fill consumer demand.
Making Your Own Diet Coke Syrup
Rather than buying from third parties, some people attempt to make DIY Diet Coke syrup themselves using simple household ingredients. This allows customizing the flavor to your tastes. Here are two popular DIY Diet Coke syrup recipes:
With Aspartame
| 1 1/2 cups sugar |
| 1 1/4 cups hot water |
| 1/4 tsp citric acid |
| 1/8 tsp natural flavor (vanilla, lemon, orange, etc.) |
| 750 mg aspartame sweetener |
Dissolve the sugar in the hot water to make a simple syrup. Mix in citric acid, natural flavors, and aspartame. Shake well and store in an airtight container. Add 1-2 tbsp per 8 oz of soda water to taste.
With Sucralose
| 1 cup sucralose sweetener |
| 2 tbsp citric acid |
| 1/8 tsp natural flavors |
| 1 drop food coloring (optional) |
| 1/2 cup warm water |
Mix sucralose, citric acid and natural flavors like vanilla, lemon, or cola in warm water until dissolved. Add food coloring if desired for darker cola color. Add 1-2 tbsp per 8 oz carbonated water to taste.
Experiment with flavor combinations and sweetener amounts until you dial in the perfect custom Diet Coke taste.
Buying Premixed Diet Cola Drinks
Another option is to purchase premade diet cola drinks, then carbonate them in your SodaStream machine. Brands like Zevia, Virgil’s and Blue Sky make diet sodas sweetened with stevia and erythritol rather than aspartame. These come in cans, bottles and fountain style boxes.
To carbonate, empty the soda into SodaStream bottles, fill with carbonated water, and shake gently. This avoids the effort of making DIY syrups. The pre-made flavors won’t exactly match Diet Coke, but some come quite close with a clean, crisp flavor.
Should You Add Diet Coke Syrup to SodaStream?
While it’s understandable to want that authentic Diet Coke experience from your SodaStream, there are a few downsides to consider:
Aspartame Concerns
Diet Coke relies on aspartame for its sweetness. But there are lingering concerns around aspartame’s health effects like increased risk of cancers. Aspartame-free options may be advisable.
Tooth Decay Issues
The high acidity in colas like Diet Coke can erode tooth enamel with regular consumption. Opting for less acidic flavor options is better for dental health.
Lack of Nutrition
Diet sodas offer zero nutrition value. Going with juice or fruit flavored concentrates can provide some vitamins along with sweetness.
Environmental Impact
Some artificial sweeteners and preservatives in Diet Coke can contaminate groundwater after disposal. More natural syrup options are lower impact.
Cost Savings
Third party Diet Coke syrups usually cost more compared to SodaStream’s own flavor options. Using original flavors saves you money.
So while it may not perfectly replicate the Diet Coke experience, choosing SodaStream’s own diet flavors or experimenting with homemade recipes without aspartame may be the healthier, more sustainable route in the long run. The difference in taste is small enough that many find the alternatives fully satisfying.
Conclusion
Diet Coke syrup cannot be purchased directly from SodaStream or the Coca-Cola company for use making soda at home. This is due to branding decisions by Coca-Cola to maintain control over the Diet Coke experience rather than outsourcing to at-home carbonation systems.
However, there are ways to mimic the Diet Coke flavor by using 3rd party concentrates, extracts, pre-made soda drinks or DIY recipes. These provide a close approximation of the taste, though nothing is officially endorsed or approved by Coca-Cola.
SodaStream does produce their own line of diet sodas including Diet Cola, Diet Dr. Pete, Diet Lemon-Lime, Diet Orange and Diet Root Beer. These provide a very similar flavor profile using sucralose instead of aspartame as the sweetener. Overall, while not exactly the same as Diet Coke, SodaStream users have great alternatives for enjoying low-calorie cola and other diet sodas without going the unofficial syrup route.
