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Dr. Pepper Just Released This New Soda Line

The beloved beverage maker recently debuted some new options with a healthier kick.
FACT CHECKED BY Faye Brennan

In a season when new beverage releases have some of us feeling a little saturated, Dr. Pepper might have just broken away from the pack with exciting news for anyone who's got a penchant for the beloved soda but wants to sip smarter.

People reports that the beverage brand, which is owned by the Keurig Dr. Pepper corporation, quietly took to Instagram back in March to reveal the launch of the new Dr. Pepper Zero Sugar line, kicking off with Dr. Pepper Zero Sugar in the original DP flavor. It's also accompanied by two other zero-sugar variations: cherry and cream soda.

Dr. Pepper Zero
Courtesy of Dr. Pepper

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Dr. Pepper seems to be playing to their base with these three flavors that walk the line between classic and downright old-school nostalgia. (Cream soda definitely takes us back a few eras!)

While true Dr. Pepper fans might be rejoicing, the announcement has been met with some mixed vibes on social media. One pervasive question seems to be whether this means the end for Diet Dr. Pepper, which is still available at this time.

Another question some seem to be musing over is: What's the difference between Dr. Pepper Zero Sugar and Diet Dr. Pepper? There seems to be one main distinction: Science has served the flavor of the new "zeroes" to make them taste much closer to the original full-sugar version than diet sodas do.

Yes, great-tasting is great. So is zero sugar. However, the new Dr. Pepper products list all artificial ingredients. Among them are aspartame (which some experts say is worse than sugar), caramel color, and sodium phosphate—a flavor enhancer that's been linked with cardiovascular disease, kidney issues, tissue damage, and more. All this makes the new Dr. Pepper Zero Sugars a line most of us probably don't want as a treat too often.

It's so important to know the facts about soda, and we've done the research. Read up on the 108 Most Popular Sodas, Ranked By How Toxic They Are.

Krissy Gasbarre
Krissy is a senior news editor at Eat This, Not That!, managing morning and weekend news related to nutrition, wellness, restaurants and groceries (with a focus on beverages), and more. Read more about Krissy
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