Coca-Cola Zero Sugar — DUMP
Munch or Dump rates Coca-Cola Zero Sugar by coke zero DUMP — score 17/90.
Zero sugar doesn't mean zero engineering: this is carbonated water sweetened with two artificial sweeteners, dosed with phosphoric acid, caffeine, a preservative and caramel color. It's a lab-built drink with no nutrition, just craving.
Why this verdict
- Two artificial sweeteners (sucralose + acesulfame-K) engineer sweetness with no food value
- Phosphoric acid attacks tooth enamel and is tied to lower bone density
- Caramel color 150d is the ammonia-process caramel flagged for 4-MEI
- Sodium benzoate preservative plus caffeine round out a lab-built formula
- NOVA 4 ultra-processed drink: zero nutrition, all craving
Ingredients (9)
- Carbonated Water (safe) — Basic component of most beverages, provides fizziness.
- Acidity Regulator - Phosphoric Acid (338) (concerning) — Gives the sharp cola bite but erodes tooth enamel and is linked to reduced bone density with heavy consumption.
- Acidity Regulator - Sodium Citrate (331iii) (safe) — A mild pH buffer, generally harmless.
- Sweetener - Sucralose (955) (moderate) — Artificial sweetener ~600x sweeter than sugar; no calories but keeps you hooked on intense sweetness and may disrupt gut bacteria.
- Sweetener - Acesulfame Potassium (950) (moderate) — Artificial sweetener often paired with sucralose to smooth the aftertaste; no nutritional value.
- Preservative - Sodium Benzoate (211) (moderate) — Common preservative; can form trace benzene with vitamin C, though that's not an issue here, but it flags an engineered formula.
- Caffeine (moderate) — Mild stimulant, 43mg per serving. Fine in moderation but makes the drink mildly habit-forming.
- Colour - Caramel 150d (concerning) — Ammonia-sulphite caramel color that can contain 4-methylimidazole, a compound flagged in animal studies; purely cosmetic.
- Natural Flavourings (moderate) — Undisclosed flavor compounds added to make refined spread taste buttery.