Tag: Tab soda

Introduced in 1963 as Coca-Cola's first diet drink, the iconic Tab cola was initially sweetened with a mix of two artificial sweeteners: cyclamate and saccharin. However, after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) banned cyclamate in 1969, the formula was changed, leaving saccharin as its primary sweetening agent. This gave Tab its distinct, and for many, acquired, taste.

In 2020, Coca-Cola discontinued Tab, a diet cola with a unique history and loyal fanbase. The answer to "How much caffeine is in a Tab?" is 45 mg per 12 fl oz.

While saccharin was once a ubiquitous sweetener in diet sodas, studies from the 1970s linking it to cancer in laboratory rats led to its decline in popularity. This shift prompted a reformulation across the industry, but do any sodas have saccharin still?

Before its discontinuation in 2020, Tab soda underwent several formula changes related to its sweeteners. The question of whether Tab contains aspartame is tied to a specific period in the soda's history and its evolving recipe.

Originally launched in 1963 by Coca-Cola, Tab was one of the first diet colas on the market, paving the way for future diet beverages. Throughout its history, the sweetener in Tab drinks was not a single, unchanging ingredient but a succession of different artificial compounds, reflecting shifts in consumer preferences and regulatory oversight.