Diet Soda... How can you tell?

[JD052302]

I was wondering if anyone has any tricks to make sure they are being served diet soda when they are out a restaurants? Is there anything I can buy that can test the soda before I drink? Some kind of strip or something?

Thats my biggest fear when I eat out.. That a try to be so good with what i eat and how much insulin i take, but thats one of the things i can't control. Sometimes I just cant tell anymore from the taste.

Thanks all!

[notme]

I actually always double check with the waitress when it is served. If there is even a small doubt on her face, I have her bring me another one. If you can see the drink being poured, just make sure they have it under the correct diet drink fountain.

My son and husband can always tell, so they are my litmus if I can't tell. Mistakes are made. Just happens sometimes, but rarely.

[fgummett]

I read in another thread (http://www.diabetesforums.com/forum/restaurant-eating/27120-served-full-fat-coke.html) that you can use your BG test meter... not sure if all strips will work, so best try it out beforehand :)

[Scrabblechick]

Some meters (hey guys, which ones of you have one?) will actually read a soda like blood. I always take a sip before I eat anything. Sometimes, saltier food will mask the aftertaste, but if I haven't eaten anything, I can always tell, even with the ones that are supposed to be "just like" the fully leaded kind. One sip won't do much to my BG, so if I think it's leaded, I can send it back.

Most of the time, I drink water with my meals, except Mexican. I've got to have a Coke with Mexican food.

I'm sure some of the other folks here will have better, more reliable advice for you. :)

[princesslinda]

I generally get unsweet tea when eating out...you can't mistake it for sweetened for sure!

Not long ago I got a Diet Mtn Dew that wasn't, but was reassured by the waitress that it was diet, drank it and felt horrible afterwards...with a very high reading....so now if there's any question at all, i'll have water or tea...and I have no sending it back if i'm not sure.

Someone here suggesting sticking your finger in the beverage...let it dry and if your finger is sticky, its not diet.

If you can't taste the difference, i'd just opt for water or tea to be on the safe side.

[solox316]

Someone here suggesting sticking your finger in the beverage...let it dry and if your finger is sticky, its not diet.

I have heard of this method many times before, but never tried it. It should work though.

If comparing side by side, reg cola to diet cola, one is considerably darking than the other. I just don't remember which! (A lot of help that is, I know...)

[davef]

I seem to recall a thread/post here about somebody keeping urine test strips in the car for checking (at a drive thru) if the soda was diet or not.

[UpNorth]

Accu-Chek compact can read if it's diet or not. But if i haven't brought my compact, i'll just have a small sip and will be able to tell the difference- regular coke is sickening sweet and can make my teeth feel oddly softish (best way i can describe it)...

[davef]

Found the post about using urine test strips (I believe they are cheaper)

http://www.diabetesforums.com/forum/type-1-diabetes/7831-regular-vs-diet-coke-2.html#post85109

[xMenace]

I order water.

[solox316]

I order water.

Me too, usually. Or beer. :cool:

[n1000paul]

Why aren't you asking for a diet soda in the first place? Having type one for so long now I'm so used to diet soda and tell the difference right away. I think regular soda is "thicker" tasting like syrup lol. Good example is mountain dew and diet dew. But now I gave up diet soda all together.

[art]

I can't tell the difference.
My wife can.
She sips all my soda's

Art

[becks7]

I've always been drinking diet soda and I guess can tell right away if it's regular...oh, to have a nice icy glass of regular Pepsi right now :(

[Lantus]

Not sure if this will help......

Only remember this from when i drank coke, if you look at the top, it usually has a layer of what looks like grease :eek:

However, ive never noticed this with diet coke, so dont know if its just with coke :o

[RobiJo]

I read in another thread (http://www.diabetesforums.com/forum/restaurant-eating/27120-served-full-fat-coke.html) that you can use your BG test meter... not sure if all strips will work, so best try it out beforehand :)

This will usually work. I don't do it though because I don't want that high reading in my meter affecting averages and showing up when I upload my meter data. I can tell by taste, however you can also put a small drop on your finger and see if it gets sticky. When I was young my mom would stick a ketone/sugar strip in it, but nowadays those only have the ketone area and are now useless for reading sugar. Diet also tends to be lighter in color. (though that doesn't help much in a low light situation.)

[kgm0612]

After receiving regular coke shortly after being dx'd and not really noticing the difference in taste, I no longer order diet soda and stick to water with lemon or a glass of wine!

Karen

[fgummett]

I don't bother with "diet" anything... I just look at the list of additional chemicals in there and it puts me off. Iced water with the occasional slice of lemon is all I really drink :) At home I have two glass wine carafes that I fill with filtered tap water and keep in the fridge... by having two, one is cooling while I drink from the other.

[jacobsam622]

I don't bother with "diet" anything... I just look at the list of additional chemicals in there and it puts me off. Iced water with the occasional slice of lemon is all I really drink :) At home I have two glass wine carafes that I fill with filtered tap water and keep in the fridge... by having two, one is cooling while I drink from the other.
The same chemicals can be found in your water. :D

[fgummett]

The same chemicals can be found in your water. :DMaybe... but hopefully in smaller amounts... and I do use a replaceable activated carbon filter (http://www.shopbrita.com/product_detail.asp?T1=BRI+42201) for my tap water at home :D