Diet Drink Review

Diet Grapico

Overview
Over the millenia, humans have tried to capture and convert the grape into many human-consumable flavors. From alcoholic wine to non-alcoholic grape juice and every flavor in between, grapes are often considered the duct tape of drinks. There’s nothing this slimy little fruit can’t do. 

Diet Grapico
Buffalo Rock Company acquired the worldwide rights to Grapico in 1981. This wonderfully refreshing carbonated grape drink is sold in 12-ounce cans and can be purchased directly from Buffalo Rock Company or at the Piggly Wiggly in Port St. Joe, Florida. In 2007, after reading online comments about Diet Grapico, I set out in my truck and drove six hours from Tucker to Port St. Joe to not only go to the beach, but to acquire and taste the Holy Grail of Southern grape drinks: Diet Grapico. I was not disappointed.

Read the following “letter to the manufacturer” from Tina who lives in Dothan, Alabama:

“I just want to take the time out to say that you guys did a wonderful job when you made DIET GRAPICO!!! I have a weakness for grape soda and after I had my weight loss surgery, I could no longer tolerate regular grape soda. I was in Wal-Mart Supercenter last night and apparently, I’m not the only one that enjoys Grapico because there was only one left!:) Once again, thanks for the wonderful product. it tastes very good.”

Tina, you took the words right out of my frothy, purple mouth. No, I have not had weight loss surgery but I sure echo your sentiment. Diet Grapico tastes like the real thing, and it deserves prominent shelf space in your refrigerator. There’s nothing like the buzz of a Fresca Peach Citrus Sparkling Flavored Soda shotgunned right before enjoying the fizzy brilliance of what I now call “Purple Drank.”

Recommendation:
Buy this, drink this: It is outstandingly refreshing and thirst-quenching. Diet Grapico is the king of consumable anti-freezes.

Nutrition Facts:
Calories: 0
Total Fat: 0g
Total Carb: 1g
Sugars: 0g
Protein: 0g 

Ingredients: 
Carbonated water, citric acid, potassium benzoate (as a preservative), aspertame, artificial flavor, acesulfame-k, malic acid, gum arabic, red 40, blue 1.

Fresca Peach Citrus Sparkling Flavored Soda

Overview
I love peaches. I love them so much that I married a Georgia Peach, and I choose to live in Georgia, the Peach State. But little did I know that my love of peaches would transcend my marriage and my state to a canned beverage.

Fresca Peach Citrus Sparkling Flavored Soda
One day as I was strolling through my neighborhood Kroger, a glint of light shone upon a smartly-packaged 12-pack of Fresca. I thought to myself “Fresca? isn’t that the drink that Historian Doris Kearns Goodwin wrote about? Didn’t she write that Fresca was the favorite drink of U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson, who had a button installed on the desk in the White House’s Oval Office which would summon his military aide to bring the drink?” I’ve got to get one.

Of course I hurriedly purchased it, but only after opening and tasting one of the 12 cans of Peach Citrus Fresca at home did I realize that come hell or high water, I have to have one in my fridge waiting on me at all times. Don’t come to my house and drink the last Fresca or you won’t be coming back to my house.

Made by The Coca-Cola Company, this drink is marketed to people with sophisticated tastes. I think the marketing message is mis-targeted: It instead should be marketed to people with taste buds.

Recommendation:
Buy this, the flavor is excellent and refreshing.

Nutrition Facts:
Calories: 0
Total Fat: 0g
Sodium: 35mg
Total Carb: 0g
Sugars: 0g
Protein: 0g 

Ingredients:
Carbonated water, citric acid, concentrated grapefruit juice, potassium citrate, potassium benzoate and EDTA (to protect taste), aspartame, acesulfame potassium, acacia, natural flavors, glycerol ester of wood rosin, brominated vegetable oil, carob bean gum

IGA Diet Cola

Overview
Nothing quenches your thirst after a hard day of yardwork like a cola drink. Originally invented by the druggist John Pemberton, and popularized by Coca-Cola, the sweet, carbonated drink infused with caramel coloring and caffeine usually produces a rise in dopamine after consumption.

IGA Diet Cola
While a metallic taste can be experienced by licking aluminum, IGA has somehow found a way to package and distribute metal flavor as a liquid.

The IGA Diet Cola—though made with Cola-like ingredients—actually reduces dopamine during injestion and makes me wonder why IGA hasn’t been sued to prevent canning this concoction.

Recommendation:
I would avoid this Cola.

Nutrition Facts:
Calories: 0
Total Fat: 0g
Sodium: 25mg
Total Carb: 0g
Sugars: 0g
Protein: 0g

Ingredients:
Carbonated water, caramel color, phosphoric acid, sucralose, acesulfame potassium, sodium benzoate, citric acid, caffene (sic), natural flavor.