I invented this homemade Dr Pepper in need of a healthy alternative to Diet Dr Pepper. After checking the ingredient list of a can of Diet Dr Pepper I was wondering if there are any healthy ways to make it myself.It was surprisingly easy and simple to develop, the flavor became great and authentic by itself. Now I can have a healthy alternative whenever I want! Even better, the drink consists of a mere 3 ingredients!
Update 21st October 2013:Frontier Natural Products have changed the flavor and the color of the cherry flavor because they wanted to get rid of the possible GMO-suspect ingredients. That’s a great thing as such, but as a consequence this drink doesn’t taste exactly like Dr Pepper anymore. Well, the drink still tastes good, just not exactly like Dr Pepper.
DIY Diet Dr Pepper
1 can cold soda water
40 drops cola stevia
1 1/2 teaspoons cherry flavor
Directions
- Open the soda water can.
- If you have 12 fl. oz (355 ml) can, take a big sip. If you have 330 ml can, take a small sip.
- Add the cola stevia to the can.
- Add the cherry flavor to the can.
- Mix extremely gently with a straw or spoon. Be careful, the drink bubbles very easily.
Here it starts, only 3 ingredients!
Tips for making the drink
This is a very easy drink to make, it doesn’t even takea minute to whip up. The most important thing is to mix the ingredients gently enough, because the drink spews very easily.
Instead of preparing the drink in a can, you can naturally prepare it in a glass. Just drop the cola stevia and pour the cherry flavor into the glass and fill with soda water. Stir gently and that’s it!
My experiments with the drink
After ordering a bottle of cola steviafrom iHerb I was thinking of ways how to use it. It gave a nice flavor when added to plain soda water, but I couldn’t really think it as replacement forreal cola.
I had bought a can of Diet Dr Pepper and was horrified after reading the ingredients list. I remembered the bottle of cola stevia and was wondering if I could make my own, healthy version of Dr Pepper. Luckily I had some cherry flavor in my pantry as well. Then a can of soda water from the fridge and in a snap I had a refreshing — and healthy — imitation of Dr Pepper. Well, I had that one can of real Diet Dr Pepper for reference, which helped in comparing and adjusting my own version.
I tried different ratios of the ingredients and found soon the best ones. First I used just 1 teaspoon cherry flavor, which was pretty okay, but 1 1/2 teaspoons gave more intensive and better flavor. I also tried with 50 drops cola stevia, but that tasted too much stevia, with licorice-like aftertaste.
It was difficult to calculate nutrition information for this drink, because the manufacturers of the flavors didn’t provide much information. However, I expect this drink contains only a trace of carbs as well as othermacronutrients.
Tips for variation
Since this is meant to be an imitation of Dr Pepper, any variation makes it something else. In case you are not a fan of Dr Pepper, you can always use your favorite flavors. Here are some ideas what to use instead of cola stevia and cherry flavor:
- 40 drops vanilla steviaand 2 tablespoons organic heavy cream for Vanilla Egg Cream.This is so heavenly that it would deserve a blog post of its own!
- 40 drops toffee steviaand 2 tablespoons 100% cranberry juice (this is actually close to the Cranberry Toffee Spritzer variation of myWhite Wine Spritzer)
- 30 drops cola steviaand 1 teaspoonorange stevia crystals.
I also tried the drink with combination of cola stevia andorange flavor, but the drink wasn’t palatable, I hardly could drink it. I think it was the orange flavor which was spoiling the drink. I also tried with freshly squeezed orange juice and cola stevia, and the drink tasted okay, but somehow a bit too bland. What was really good was the combination of cola stevia and orange stevia crystals.
Real can, fake contents, actually healthier contents…
Related posts:
Sugar-Free Summer co*cktailsLow-Carb Lassi and Variations — Day VI — Raspberry Cantaloupe LassiLow-Carb Lassi and Variations — Day VII — Orange Ginger LassiSpider Blood Shot (Halloween)
FAQs
Ingredient Concern Details
- Caffeine. This additive is of moderate concern in food. ...
- Phosphoric Acid. This additive is of moderate concern in food. ...
- Sodium Phosphates. This additive is of moderate concern in food. ...
- Aspartame. ...
- SODIUM BENZOATE (A PRESERVATIVE) ...
- Natural and Artificial Flavor. ...
- Acesulphame Potassium. ...
- CARAMEL COLOR.
USDA calculates values per 100g or 100ml from values per serving. Values calculated from %DV use current daily values for an adult 2,000 calorie diet (21 CFR 101.9(c)). Ingredients: CARBONATED WATER, CARAMEL COLOR, ASPARTAME, PHOSPHORIC ACID, NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL FLAVORS, SODIUM BENZOATE (PRESERVATIVE), CAFFEINE.
Can you drink Diet Dr Pepper on low carb diet? ›
Diet Dr Pepper contains two common sugar alcohols — erythritol and sucralose. These account for five grams of carbs per 20 oz bottle, leaving zero net carbs. This makes it a suitable choice for the keto diet.
What two sodas can you mix to make Dr Pepper? ›
Pepper is a combination of cola and root beer, so dr. . Pepper is invented in 1885 by . charles pemberton and morrison's old corner drugstore in . waco, texas. .
Is the Dr Pepper recipe secret? ›
Dr. Pepper was first served in 1885, before Coca-Cola was even invented, making it the oldest soft drink in the United States. And in the 138 years since its creation, Dr Pepper's top-secret proprietary blend of 23 flavors has remained a mystery.
What does aspartame do to your body? ›
IARC classifies aspartame as “possibly carcinogenic to humans” (Group 2B), based on limited evidence it might cause cancer (specifically liver cancer) in people. IARC also notes there is limited evidence for cancer in lab animals and limited evidence related to possible mechanisms for it causing cancer.
Is diet Dr Pepper good for weight loss? ›
Becerra claimed the company misled consumers by using the word “diet” on its labels even though studies show aspartame, the artificial sweetener in Diet Dr Pepper, is likely to cause weight gain and has no weight loss benefit.
Is there a Dr Pepper with no sugar? ›
Dr Pepper Zero Sugar 4.1 out of 5 stars. Read reviews for average rating value is 4.1 of 5.
What is Dr Pepper full ingredient list? ›
INGREDIENTS CARBONATED WATER, HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP, CARAMEL COLOR, PHOSPHORIC ACID, ARTIFICIAL AND NATURAL FLAVORS, SODIUM BENZOATE (PRESERVATIVE), CAFFEINE.
What 23 ingredients are in Dr Pepper? ›
What are the 23 flavors? The 23 flavors are cola, cherry, licorice, amaretto (almond, vanilla, blackberry, apricot, blackberry, caramel, pepper, anise, sarsaparilla, ginger, molasses, lemon, plum, orange, nutmeg, cardamon, all spice, coriander juniper, birch and prickly ash.
While Diet Dr. Pepper is sweetened with aspartame, Dr. Pepper Zero Sugar is sweetened using a combination of aspartame and acesulfame potassium for a more syrupy, authentic Dr. Pepper taste.
Does Diet Dr Pepper raise blood sugar? ›
Blood sugar, insulin, and A1C. Diet soda is popular for people with diabetes. Diet soda doesn't directly impact your blood sugar or A1C levels, but people who are overweight and have a lot of blood sugar may have a sugar response to artificial sweeteners, which in turn causes a rise in blood sugar.
How many diet sodas a day is safe? ›
Drinking a reasonable amount of diet soda a day, such as a can or two, isn't likely to hurt you. The artificial sweeteners and other chemicals currently used in diet soda are safe for most people, and there's no credible evidence that these ingredients cause cancer.
What is the ingredients of Dr Pepper? ›
INGREDIENTS CARBONATED WATER, HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP, CARAMEL COLOR, PHOSPHORIC ACID, ARTIFICIAL AND NATURAL FLAVORS, SODIUM BENZOATE (PRESERVATIVE), CAFFEINE.
What is Dr Pepper a mix of? ›
Amaretto, almond, blackberry, black licorice, carrot, clove, cherry, caramel, Cola, ginger, juniper, lemon, molasses, nutmeg, orange, prune, plum, pepper, root beer, rum, raspberry, tomato, and vanilla.
Can you make Dr Pepper with co*ke and root beer? ›
Two parts co*ke, one part root beer. And it tastes like Dr. Pepper.
What is a Dr Pepper shot made of? ›
Despite the name, Dr. Pepper and its Texas-born, 23-flavor recipe is not one of the drink's ingredients. But the fiery mix of sweet amaretto liqueur, bubbly beer and overproof rum simulate the iconic soft drink remarkably well.
