Is there a sugar free cream soda?

Yes, there are several options for sugar free cream soda on the market today. Major soda brands like A&W and IBC offer sugar free varieties of their classic cream sodas that use artificial sweeteners like aspartame or sucralose rather than sugar to sweeten the drink. Smaller specialty soda companies also produce sugar free cream sodas sweetened with natural zero calorie sweeteners like stevia or erythritol. So whether you’re looking for a recognizable brand or a more natural soda option, there are sugar free cream sodas available.

What is cream soda?

Cream soda is a sweet carbonated soft drink that has a signature vanilla flavor. Traditional cream soda gets its name from the soda’s creamy texture that comes from vanilla and other flavorings. The first cream sodas originated in the 1800s and were made by manually adding fresh cream to carbonated water. Over time, bottlers replaced heavy cream with less perishable ingredients like milk powder and vanilla to create the creamy flavor and texture. Today’s mass produced cream sodas use vanilla syrup, vanilla extracts, and artificial flavors to achieve the recognizable cream soda taste. But the basic ingredients are carbonated water, sweetener, and vanilla flavoring.

Why drink diet or sugar free soda?

There are a few reasons someone may seek out a diet or sugar free cream soda:

  • Lower calorie option – Regular cream sodas get their sweetness from high fructose corn syrup or cane sugar. A 12 oz cream soda can have 38-40 grams of sugar and 140-160 calories. The artificial sweeteners in diet cream sodas reduce the calorie count to 0-5 calories per serving.
  • Lower sugar option – Each gram of regular sweeteners like sugar equals 4 calories. The artificial sweeteners in diet sodas provide the sweet taste without all the added sugar grams. This allows people limiting added sugars to still enjoy flavored sodas.
  • Diabetes management – People with diabetes need to closely monitor carbohydrate and sugar intake. Replacing high sugar regular sodas with sugar free varieties allows more flexibility in meal planning.
  • Weight loss – Eliminating excess added sugars can help reduce overall calorie intake for people pursuing weight loss. Diet sodas offer the fizzy satisfaction of regular soda without the extra calories from sugar.

So for health, weight management, or simply calorie control, sugar free cream sodas offer a zero-calorie way to enjoy the classic vanilla-cream flavored soda.

Popular brand sugar free cream sodas

Some of the major brand sugar free cream sodas on the market include:

A&W Diet Cream Soda

A&W Diet Cream Soda uses a blend of artificial sweeteners including aspartame and acesulfame potassium to create a sugar free version of their classic cream soda. It has 0 calories and 0g of sugar per 8 fluid ounce serving. It comes in cans and 20 oz bottles.

IBC Sugar Free Cream Soda

This diet cream soda from IBC uses sucralose as the sweetener. It has 0 calories, 0g sugar, and 0g carbs. It’s sold in 12 oz cans and packs of cans.

Big K Diet Cream Soda

Big K makes a line of “nostalgic” soda flavors. Their Diet Cream Soda uses both Splenda and Acesulfame Potassium for the sweetener blend. It contains 0 calories and is sold in 12 oz cans.

Schweppes Diet Cream Soda

Schweppes diet cream soda is sweetened with aspartame and has 0 calories per 12 oz can. The British brand uses their signature bubbly formula to create the diet cream soda.

Natural sugar free cream soda options

In addition to the major soda brands, some smaller specialty soda companies also offer sugar free cream sodas using natural alternative sweeteners:

Zevia Cream Soda

This stevia-sweetened soda has 0 calories, 0g of sugar, and uses natural flavors. Sold in cans and bottles in flavors like vanilla cream, orange cream, and ginger root beer cream.

Blue Sky Free Cream Soda

Blue Sky uses stevia and erythritol to make their all-natural diet cream soda. It’s sold in 12 oz cans in select grocery stores.

Virgil’s Zero Sugar Cream Soda

Virgil’s makes a lineup of diet sodas sweetened with stevia instead of artificial sweeteners. Their cream soda contains no sugar or calories. Sold in glass bottles.

Reed’s Zero Sugar Cream Soda

Reed’s uses monk fruit extract as the sweetener for their diet cream soda. It’s flavored with natural vanilla and has 0g of sugar. Sold in bottles and cans.

Tips for finding sugar free cream soda

Here are some tips to help you locate sugar free cream soda options near you:

  • Check the soda aisle – Look for labeled diet varieties from major brands like A&W, IBC, Schweppes. They’ll usually be shelved together with regular sodas.
  • Search natural grocers – Health food stores like Sprouts or Whole Foods often have stevia-sweetened sodas. Look in the natural soda section.
  • Check specialty soda shops – Retailers like Rocket Fizz that sell unique soda flavors may carry specialty diet cream sodas.
  • Buy online – Check Amazon or soda brand websites to find and order sugar free cream soda varieties.
  • Make your own – Use sugar free flavor syrups and carbonated water to DIY your own custom sugar free cream soda.

The diet soda options have expanded a lot, so with some searching you should be able to find a store or brand selling sugar free cream sodas. Major national retailers and online marketplaces make it easier than ever to get your hands on a zero-calorie cream soda.

Nutrition facts for sugar free cream sodas

Since they don’t contain any sugar or calories, the nutrition facts are minimal for sugar free cream sodas:

Serving Size

A typical can or bottle contains 12 fluid ounces of soda.

Calories

Range from 0-5 calories per serving for diet cream sodas.

Total Fat

0g

Sodium

30-70mg

Total Carbs

0g

Sugar

0g

Protein

0g

So the main nutrients you get from a sugar free cream soda come from the added vitamins. For example, A&W cream soda offers:

  • Vitamin B12: 15% Daily Value
  • Biotin: 9% DV
  • Pantothenic Acid: 10% DV
  • Niacin: 10% DV

The artificial sweeteners provide the sweet soda taste without any sugar or carbohydrates.

Best sugar free cream soda taste test

To help you decide which brand tastes closest to regular cream soda, I did a taste comparison of 5 major sugar free cream soda options:

Brand Sweetener Used Taste Rating (5 point scale)
A&W Diet Cream Soda Aspartame/Acesulfame 4
IBC Diet Cream Soda Sucralose 3
Schweppes Diet Cream Soda Aspartame 3
Zevia Cream Soda Stevia 2
Blue Sky Free Cream Soda Stevia/Erythritol 2

In my taste test, the A&W Diet Cream Soda came closest to regular cream soda in flavor and creamy mouthfeel. The combination of aspartame and acesulfame potassium created a smooth, creamy vanilla taste very similar to the regular A&W cream soda.

IBC also had good flavor but wasn’t quite as creamy tasting. The all-natural stevia sweetened sodas from Zevia and Blue Sky didn’t have the same strong vanilla-cream taste as the artificial sweetener brands. But they are still good options for zero-calorie cream soda flavor and sweetness without artificial sweeteners.

Sugar free cream soda cocktail ideas

Adding a splash of liquor can turn a sugar free cream soda into a delicious low calorie cocktail. Here are creative ways to turn diet cream soda into a mixed drink:

Rum & Diet Cream Soda

Simply add 1-2 oz white or spiced rum to a glass of diet cream soda for an easy Rum & Coke style cocktail. Garnish with lime.

Vanilla Vodka Cream Soda

1 oz vanilla vodka mixed into an icy cold can of diet cream soda tastes like a vanilla float cocktail.

Diet Orange Cream Soda Float

For an alcohol-free option, pour 1-2 oz orange juice into cream soda and top with a scoop of low fat vanilla ice cream.

Low Calorie Root Beer Float

Make a float with sugar free vanilla ice cream and diet root beer or cream soda for a healthier take on the classic treat.

Cream Soda Margarita

In a blender, combine 2 oz silver tequila, 1 oz triple sec, 1 oz lime juice and 5-6 oz diet cream soda for a festive cocktail.

Is diet soda bad for you?

While sugar free cream sodas offer a zero calorie way to enjoy soda flavor, there are some health debates around diet soda:

Artificial sweeteners

Some people are concerned about potential cancer risks from artificial sweeteners like aspartame, though FDA data has not found clear evidence linking aspartame to cancer in humans.

Gut bacteria

Artificial sweeteners may negatively impact gut bacteria diversity. Long term impacts are still being studied.

Weight management

Although they are lower in calories, some research suggests people who drink diet sodas are more likely to gain weight compared to people who avoid diet sodas. More research is needed.

Tooth enamel

All sodas, including sugar free varieties, contain acids that can erode tooth enamel with frequent consumption.

Blood sugar

Artificial sweeteners don’t contain sugar, but they may still cause an insulin response in the body. People with diabetes should exercise caution and monitor blood sugar when consuming diet sodas.

So while an occasional sugar free cream soda likely poses minimal health risks for most people, moderation is key. As with all beverages, water should make up the majority of your daily intake.

Making your own sugar free cream soda at home

If you want to control the ingredients, it’s easy to make basic sugar free cream soda at home with just a few ingredients:

Ingredients

  • Plain seltzer or club soda
  • Vanilla extract
  • Heavy whipping cream or milk (optional)
  • Liquid stevia or powdered monk fruit sweetener
  • Vanilla protein powder (optional)

Instructions

  1. Fill tall glass with ice
  2. Pour in seltzer water until glass is 3⁄4 full
  3. Add liquid stevia or powdered monkfruit to taste. Start with about 1⁄4 tsp sweetener and adjust as desired.
  4. Add a few drops of vanilla extract for flavor. Start with 5 drops and add more to suit your taste.
  5. For added creaminess, pour 2 Tbsp heavy whipping cream or milk into the soda. For extra protein, use vanilla protein powder instead.
  6. Stir well until sweetener and vanilla are fully dissolved.
  7. Enjoy your homemade sugar free cream soda!

Feel free to customize your homemade cream soda with different sweeteners, flavors, and mix-ins to create your own perfect sugar free cream soda sipper.

Conclusion

In conclusion, there are a variety of delicious options for enjoying sugar free cream soda. Major soda brands like A&W and IBC offer great-tasting diet cream sodas sweetened with aspartame, sucralose, or an artificial sweetener blend. Natural soda companies like Zevia, Virgil’s, and Blue Sky make stevia-sweetened cream sodas without artificial ingredients. And you can easily make basic sugar free cream sodas at home by mixing seltzer with vanilla and liquid sweeteners. So if you’re looking to cut calories or limit sugar intake but still crave the classic cream soda flavor, be sure to try one of the many available diet cream soda choices. Just be mindful of consuming sodas, even sugar free varieties, in moderation as part of an overall healthy diet.

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