Tazo falls into same trap as Coke and Pepsi

As we reported in this month's Brand Buzz Video, there are a slew of zero calorie drinks about to flood market shelves that contain stevia. However, you must read the fine print. Coke, Pepsi, and even Tazo Tea's version of naturally sweetened beverages still contain a second sweetener: erythritol. Erythritol is a corn-based sweetener that we do not recommend. An argument is raging about whether erythritol should be considered artificial or natural. According to information on Cargill's website (the manufacturer), a chain in the corn sugar molecule is altered by a chemical process. In our minds, that makes it artificial.

Why do they put this into the stevia drinks? Many people do not like the taste of straight stevia, so they have to blend it with something to make it palatable to the masses.

On a positive note, acceptance among consumers for stevia-sweetened foods and beverages is nearing levels for existing products made with aspartame and sucralose, according to a study.

The NPD Group, Inc. finds 35 percent of U.S. consumers have already consumed or would consider eating products that contain stevia. Comparatively, 39 percent of consumers say the same for aspartame-sweetened items.

While other non-sugar sweeteners have held steady among consumers who say they would eat or drink products that contain them during the past year, stevia has been on the rise, moving from 28.5 percent acceptance in September 2009 to nearly 35 percent in June of this year, according to NPD.