According to basic high school chemistry, which I managed to somehow retain despite frequent non-approved nap breaks during 10th grade, a single gram of carbohydrates contains exactly four calories*.
*3.9 if you want to get all technical about it.
According to even simpler preschool math, I have also managed to remember (although in this case, I credit school-sponsored naps) one plus one equals two and four plus four equals eight. So with two grams of total carbohydrates, it’s perfectly reasonable to think the eight calories per can of the new 7 Up, and Sunkist low-calorie sodas would take on names like 7 Up Eight or Sunkist Eight. Likewise, you might think the folks at RootBeer.com would piggyback “Twelve” onto the end of the name for their new low calorie, three carbohydrate version of A&W Root Beer.
Except they didn’t, mostly on account of the FDA having this whole rounding thing going when it comes to calories, but also because saying you’re an “eight” is like wearing a pin that sports how moderately above average but not spectacular you are.
It makes sense when you think about it. I mean, when was the last time you bragged to your friends about scoring that “eight” at the bar or walked into an interview touting the fact that you earned the equivalent of a B- grade point average? Face it. An eight is like losing in the divisional round of the NFL playoffs. It’s not horrible, but nobody really cares or remembers. And 12? Don’t even get me started on 12. Hyperbole might be all well and good for cartoons, but when it comes to superlatives in my food, I can see right through that marketing fallacy.
So we’re left with rounding up on two new sodas and rounding down on one new soda to get us to the magic ten calories which give the new 7 Up Ten, Sunkist Ten, and A&W Ten sodas their names.
It’s not the first time a “Ten” soda has been released. Aside from their calorie (or lack thereof) content, the only thing the new flavors of “Ten” sodas have in common with the previously released Dr. Pepper Ten is that they’re owned by the same company. Otherwise, I would have pegged them as the last sodas to get an upgrade in flavor. Popular Coke or Pepsi products, or something otherwise legendary and iconic? I could see that. Who wouldn’t kill for a Cheerwine 10? But 7 Up, A&W, and Sunkist? This is like the cast of characters that come back for reality shows like Rachel Vs. Guy Celebrity Cooks. But considering this is the most play 7 Up has gotten since Spot Goes to Hollywood hit the Sega Saturn and the most love any flavor of orange soda has gotten since Kel Mitchell went all PG-13 on that bottle in All That, well, I guess it was time for something different.
I started with 7 Up Ten because that seemed like the soda that could be the least offensive of the three. Or as I like to say, boring. Go figure, boring is exactly how it tasted. It has your characteristic diet soda body in that it didn’t leave any syrupy sensation going down, and it lacked the “bite” or harshness which something like Sprite Zero or Diet Sierra Mist has. The carbonation meter on 7 Up is still on the wimpy side, while the taste lacks any zing or pizzazz or other onomatopoeic word you would use to describe soda. It’s terribly typical, and almost indiscernible from Diet 7 Up. I was not a fan.
Next, I moved on to Sunkist Ten because the taste of 7 Up Ten left me feeling pretty plain about my soda drinking and because I thought it would help my self-esteem to be kist by the orange sun of celestial citrus goodness. Of course, I’ve had Diet Sunkist plenty of times in my life and have found it to be about as dull and exciting as getting kist by a grey sun peeking through the fog on a cloudy day.
Sunkist Ten, for some reason completely unexplainable to me, has a much greater intensity and brighter orange flavor than Diet Sunkist, putting it closer to our image of an actual sun kisting you. The carbonation walks the line of being just enough to give you a few quiet burps but not enough to make embarrass you at the office lunch meeting, while the sharper flavor of the orange and citrus do a much better job at covering up the harsh aftertaste of aspartame. Quite frankly, it’s about damn time we got low calorie orange soda that didn’t suck, and would give me cause to consider why someone like Kel Mitchell would kist it back.
With two flavors of ten sodas down (that’s 16 calories, for those keeping track) I moved on to A&W Ten, which prides itself on having aged vanilla flavor. I’m going to have to take their word for it because I don’t think I’ve ever had aged vanilla before, unless you count the pint of nine-month expired Ben and Jerry’s I once bought at a thrift grocery store.
I thought the taste was a moderate improvement over regular Diet A&W, with the actual liquid having a bit more body and the vanilla and sassafras flavor coming across as sharper and better defined. It’s a good low calorie root beer, although it’s still not nearly as good as Barq’s Zero, which has a serious bite and no calories, but is only available through Coke Freestyle machines. I don’t think they sell those in 12-packs though, so I consider A&W Ten an acceptable substitute for the time being.
The cynic in me wants to back up the assertion that making sodas out of two of the most hated ingredients – high fructose corn syrup and aspartame – isn’t going to please anyone in the regular soda vs. diet soda debate, and if I was going off of 7 Up Ten alone, I’d probably just tell you to buy regular Diet 7 Up or 7 Up depending on your preference.
But as I lifelong diet soda drinker who occasionally dabbles in the empty sugar rush of HFCS-sweetened beverages, I can say there’s a real improvement of flavor and body in both Sunkist and A&W Ten that makes them highly preferable to their zero calorie predecessors.
(Nutrition Facts – 12 ounces – 7Up Ten – 10 calories, 0 grams of fat, 45 milligrams of sodium, 2 grams of carbs, 2 grams of sugars, and 0 grams of protein. A&W Root Beer Ten – 10 calories, 0 grams of fat, 80 milligrams of sodium, 3 grams of carbs, 2 grams of sugars, and 0 grams of protein. Sunkist Ten – 10 calories, 0 grams of fat, 130 milligrams of sodium, 2 grams of carbs, 2 grams of sugars, and 0 grams of protein.)
Item: 7 Up Ten, A&W Root Beer Ten, Sunkist Ten
Purchased Price: 25 cents each
Size: 12 ounce cans
Purchased at: Safeway
Rating: 3 out of 10 (7 Up Ten)
Rating: 7 out of 10 (A&W Ten)
Rating: 8 out of 10 (Sunkist Ten)
Pros: Low calorie. Sunkist Ten is like being kist by the sun without the risk of skin cancer. Aged Vanilla in A&W Ten actually tastes more defined and sharper than in diet version. Busting out the Sega Saturn references. School sponsored naps.
Cons: None have heavy bite and carbonation that will get you through the first half of burping the alphabet. 7 Up Ten tastes just like Diet 7 Up. Contains a whole bunch of chemicals that the internet says will give me cancer. Still have Diet Soda body, and not the body you get from abstaining from regular soda, if you know what I mean.
They sell Diet Barq’s in 12 packs here in central (Austin) Texas.
Do they sell Diet Barq’s Vanilla? I get Diet Barq’s all the time, but the Vanilla version is only available on Freestyle machines.
in Ohio they sell diet barq’s red creme…jealous.
Wow, I haven’t had a root beer in over 5 years. I’m gonna look for A&W Ten at Walmart tomorrow. That picture of it looking all fizzy and delicious is making me die a little. Have they done a Mountain Dew Ten? I weirdly find Diet Mtn. Dew to be kind of tasty, though. Only if it’s ice cold.
Wrong company.
I tried the 7Up Ten & A&W Ten. 7Up Ten tasted pretty good. A&W Ten is good, but I notice more aftertaste in it than I do in the 7Up Ten.
They don’t contain ascertaine like all diet sodas and once you get use to them they are the best for your over all health
Thanks for linking!!!
I wonder if they’re going to have another silly guy commercial to go with these like they did with Dr Pepper 10.
“Catchphrase!”
I actually think the Canada Dry 10 is the best of the lot. Chance you’ll review the last one?
Maybe.
I tried the Sunkist 10 after reading your review, very good stuff! Let me know when you find a diet grape that’s as good. lol
Oh grape would be awesome!!!! The a &w10 was really good. It seems I cant find it at wsl Mart
I can’t wait to try Sunkist 10.the diet version is good. I get good
Burps. Only drawback with diet orange is when the burp comes out
Your nose it burns so bad. Makes me wanna cry…….
Sunkist 10 was so great. We had 2 liters on sale for 40 something cents at a grocery store here. Drunk the whole thing myself.
I have read through the article a few times but am still confused … How are these “new” ones different? Sounds like they are still using Nutrapoison as the sweetener, so I can’t see how anything else they did matters. Kinda sad now, saw the ad on tv and really got excited there for a few. Haven’t been able to have Root Beer, 7UP, or etc since becoming a Diabetic. 🙁
root beer 10 on the shelves one time now can’t find this product in this county, Nicholas County, WV. the product is very good and sold out everywhere, now can’t find nee some help getting it back on the shelfs!!!!!
I don’t know about you but I’d love to take home an 8 and may even brag about it.
Hell even a three wouldn’t be too bad. They need love too.
It’s like riding a moped. Fun to be on and only embarrassing if someone you know sees you!!!!!
As a soda lover i am very happy that they could make a product with so few calories and not have the diet tast. I have tried all of the flavors and love them all, but all three walmarts in my area have stopped carring them and it makes me mad. i am having to buy them one at a time at the gas station. What can i do if anything?
Complain to the store manager. Not assistant managers or anyone else.
Tell them you want the corporate 800 number.
That will get them hopping.
Does anyone know if these sodas also have the ingredient 4-Mel that is being questioned in Coke a Cola? I am trying to find out how many other diet sodas I may be drinking that have this coloring in it that could be hazardous? Thanks Kim
I HAVE TRIED THE A&W 10 REALLY LIKE IT!!!! LIVE IN MICHIGAN CAN’T FIND IT MUCH . DID SEE KROGER HAVE IT,AND MEIJERS BUT NOT MANY GAS STATIONS AT ALL HAVE THEM.. THANKS FOR MAKING IT HAVE NOT HAD ROOT BEER IN YRS AND THIS IS A KEEPER.
All the 10’s are good. I am diabetic and I am happy to find dome alternatives
To the plain drink choices. They are much better than their counter part diet sodas.
If you are worried about sugar, you might want to stay away from these and stick with the regular diet sodas that have zero calories. The calories in these drinks come from the addition of a small amount of sugar.
Agree completely with regard to Sunkist 10. I just wish it were not so hard to find. I stumbled on it at a local SuperValu that was having a sale of sample bottles and have yet to find it anywhere else.
I really LOVE the 7-UP TEN!! Especially with Popcorn. If you are looking for a Diet Drink that isn’t Cola, I advise checking it out.
It’s certainly better than plain Diet Sprite.
If you’ve ever made Iced Tea and put in 1/2 Sugar & 1/2 Artificial Sweetener, the two together give a GREAT Taste!
That’s what is in 7-UP Ten! A Mix of Sweeteners. Just a lil’ bit of sugar makes it taste better!
Another thumbs-up for Sunkist Ten. It’s expensive here in New Hampshire ($4.99 per box of 12 cans), but I can save a ton of calories substituting it for Mountain Dew. Diet Dew is like the pee of a weary man.
I truly enjoy all the products, unfortunately I can no longer find them in my area. I was buying them at Walmart but they stopped carrying everything but Seven-up and Dr. Pepper. Where can I purchase the other products?
Just finished drinking, for the first
and last time, “A&W TEN” drink.
WORST drink I ever had in my long time
life. You kiddies must be crazy to
think this stuff is good. Now I know
why so many stores no longer stock
them. They probably got lots of folks
complaining about how nasty tasting
this aspartame type stuff is.
I’m throwing the remaining 11 cans
into the garbage. Yuk!
Love all your products. The ten family of flavors has been a god send to this diabetic. ..how about a ten flavored grape. ..
i think that you are doing an okay job at reviewing,but you still need to work on your word phrasing
I love the Sunkist 10. I am diabetic. The Sunkist 10 allows me to enjoy the taste of Sunkist but keep my blood sugar under control. What I don’t understand why I can’t find it anywhere. Is it going to be removed from the markets?
Wal mart is increasingly rolling onto the shelves.
I’m very happy about these products. I have tasted the A&W and the 7up so far and like them both. I too am a diabetic and it’s nice to finally have soft drinks without all the sugar/carbs of regular soda and the nasty after taste that most diet soft drinks have. To me neither one of these taste like diet drinks. I’m kind of looking forward to trying a childhood treat Sunkist orange float (using carb smart ice cream) Pepsi does have Pepsi Next which I like but these 10 products have less carbs and taste just as good. I found the 2 liters at Meijer….but would love to find them in single serving bottles.
We live in Ashley county in AR . Walmart use to carry your 10 calerie rootbeer but no more. Where can I fine it?
I will never waste my money on these products again! These taste worse than ANTI-FREEZE and are probably just as bad for you in heavy doses. The 7up flavor is so bad I’d drink a dirt smoothie instead if given a chose between the two.
Why did you get people liking Sunkist 10 and now we’re hooked and you quit making it.
I really enjoyd your ten product, but no store near me carries your product. Please let me where I can purchase any ten product.
I am in southern california, in L.A. County. thank you I hope to hear from someone soon.
I loved the Sunkist 10 orange flavor but can’t find it anymore. So So disappointed. I hope you bring it back. That is my one vice I truly enjoyed! Zanesville Ohio all out. Any other place that carrys it?
I love A&W 10 . I live in Torrington, Ct. I aske one of our grocery stores if they would order this product but they said it is not an item that they will order, can you tell me what stores will Carry this product. Finally find a soda I like and it is not available.