Today’s culprit is… Jello’s Chocolate Pudding! Oh wait, no, “pudding snacks”, whatever in the label-regulation-dodging fuck that means.
Posting here because this has quickly become a very common shrinkflation tactic where the manufacturer substitutes fructose/sucrose in their main product with the cheaper aspartame and stevia and calls it “healthy”. There is no sucrose-only version of this product anymore.
However, these shrinkflated products taste bitter, unsweetened and are completely unappetizing to me. So I end up having to look at labels very carefully (usually some thin text at the bottom of the label) to make sure they didn’t sneak in some artificial sweetener.
The strangest part is I haven’t seen or heard of anyone complaining about it, are we in the minority of people for who artificial sweeteners are bitter, like Cilantro that tastes like soap? Both me and my partner find it bitter and unappetizing in any product, but only I have the “cilantro gene”.
I did find these articles on the topic:
https://www.phillymag.com/be-well-philly/2013/08/22/study-fake-sweeteners-taste-disgusting-people/ (the source link is dead, here’s a wayback machine link: https://web.archive.org/web/20130826013630/http://www.futurity.org/top-stories/why-fake-sweeteners-can-taste-funky/)
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120531102334.htm
I’ve used the Stevia-based baking mix (it’s mostly Erithitol) and it’s very bitter if I taste some straight. But when using it in chocolate chip cookies or coffee it’s fine. I’ve also tried the Zevia pop (don’t start a political argument) and it tastes bitter there too.
Otherwise aspartame has a strong diet flavor to me.
Yeah stevia is bitter, or rather especially the aftertaste. I feel it only makes sense if what you are sweetening is bitter, like coffee/tea.
Straight erythritol isnt bitter, but it’s not as sweet as sugar and has quite a cooling effect. But I actually use straight erythritol as a near-zero calorie sprinkle on toast and oatmeal.