i've read a few articles about cyclamates (the original, calorie-free sweetener used in early diet sodas), and... i'm under the impression that cyclamates tasted a lot better than saccharin, aspartame and splenda.

of course, they were banned in the US (and other countries) for causing cancer.

however, i was just wondering if anyone here ever tasted cyclamates, and did they taste better than today's sweeteners.

also... are they still being used anywhere, and was the cancer data "definitive"?

just wondered. thanks.

My Mom drank Diet Rite in the 60's but couldn't take the taste when it went all saccharin after the ban. Therefore, I must surmise that cyclamates at least tasted better than saccharin. As far as the cancer link, I think it was there, but at levels so low you would have to drink 500 bottle a day or something equally ridiculous. One soda CEO reportedly quipped consumers would die by drowning in their soda long before they got cancer from drinking it.

i just did a search on wikipedia.com and it said that when cyclamate is mixed with saccharin, that both after tastes disappear (sort of like ace-k + aspartame, maybe).

the article also said that it is still used in 55 countries (including canada).

it's possible that the sugar industry was behind the "cancer" label. after all, they've gone after splenda and other artificial sweeteners (allegedly). clearly, they've got a lot to lose.

cyclamate producers have petitioned the FDA to lift the ban, but, so far, without success.

mostly, i was curious how they tasted.

thanks treetoptom. [img]smile.gif[/img]

Diet Soda with Cyclamates were delicious and had its own taste to it. Fresca was the best of the cyclamate beverages. After the change over Fresca almost entirely disappeared. Some soft drinks in some European countries still use cyclamates. In Canada you can still buy Sugar Twin which is a powdered cyclamate.