Nov 21 2008
Surprise Diet Cola Review, Go!
Every once in a while, I really need to drink something that’s not water. Admittedly, probably a third or so of my liquid intake is tea, but water has become my staple beverage and while it’s necessary for life, it’s not all that flavorful. I went to my local hippie grocery looking for some tasty fluid distraction when my eye fell on something that sent my heart all aflutter, a substance that I didn’t know existed: Virgil’s Diet Real Cola.
Before I knew I was diabetic, I consumed Coke with a fervor and gusto that should have made it no surprise when I found out my body was rebelling against sugar. In my teens I drank at least a 2 liter a day and as an adult I slowed down only a little. I went cold turkey after my diagnosis, the lack of cola in my life being in the top 5 downers about diabetes, somewhere above possibly having to have something amputated.
But today, I began to hope that a joy from my pre-diabetic existence might be once again a reality.
As I stared at the dark glass bottle, the world seemed to be a bit brighter, as if illuminated by the thoughts of children reflecting off the pearly white teeth of angels. I stepped forward, grabbing the bottle’s neck in mild disbelief but with no hesitation, lest it be all an illusion.
Like a kid with a new toy, I could not wait to get into my prize. I opened the bottle in the car and raised it to my lips, wishing I had something to clear my palette with before sampling what was either going to be a reunion with an old friend or a massive disappointment. I took a sip. I savored it.
This is where I should point out that you will be much happier in life if you enter into every new experience with no expectations.
The soda is solidly in the diet category, it’s xylitol and stevia backed sweetness coming in a 2g package of carbohydrates. All the ingredients are pronounceable, including kola nut and vanilla. The flavor of the soda is sweet and smooth, almost creamy. I knew halfway through the bottle that I would drink this again.
But the downer is that the cola flavor is masked by the other flavors on top of it. Xylitol is really sweet and so is the herbal supplement stevia. Combine that with a citrus note and the vanilla and you get a beverage where the cola flavor is kind of in the background, peeking around its playmates legs and then shyly backing away just when you’re sure it’s going to come out and make a formal introduction.
The end result is that if you’re a fan of vanilla Coke, you’re going to find a fair bit to love in Virgil’s Diet Real Cola. If you like just plain Coke or Pepsi, you might be less attracted to it.
But in truth, I’d still rather have this on the shelves than not, even if it isn’t the guilt free indulgence for which my little diabetic soul silently yearns.
