It’s a concept that’s been circulating around TikTok as of late — users claim that using Diet Coke as a mixer can make you drunk faster than sipping on spiked regular cola. Taylor Swift had also famously cited vodka Diet Coke her favorite drink in a 2016 interview. But does the mixer truly make Tay feel tipsier?
Turns out that the theory is indeed supported by science. Here’s why, according to a recent article by The Mirror.
Tiktok creator Loryn Powell (@lorynpowell) tested out the rumor in a video, utilizing a breathalyzer to clock her blood alcohol content (BAC). She first filmed herself drinking four glasses of Jack Daniels-spiked cola in two different sessions, comparing the diet and regular cola in side-by-side videos.
@lorynpowell How is this even possible? I tested whiskey with Diet Coke and Coke on 2 separate days to see if that theory going around is true. #dietcoke #whiskey #breathalyzer #cocktails #jackandcoke #science
After waiting for thirty minutes, Powell used the breathalyzer to gauge her level of intoxication.
When mixing the liquor with regular Coke, she recorded a 0.061 percent BAC. With the diet version, her blood alcohol content clocked at 0.086 percent. (In many states, 0.08 percent BAC is considered the legal limit for intoxication, for context.)
After waiting an additional 30 minutes she tested again, this time hitting 0.051 percent BAC for regular and 0.088 percent BAC for diet. The video covers several hours of Powell’s experiment, as she regularly recorded her BAC levels. After five hours, her BAC hit at 0.00 percent BAC for regular cola but still hit 0.058 percent for the diet.
So what does the difference boil down to?
That question was soon answered by fellow TikTok creator Dr. Karan Raj (@dr.karanr) in a Nov. 29 video. Raj revealed that the type and quantity of sugar found in these drinks accounts for the BAC differences.
@dr.karanr DIET COKE V REGULAR COKE @lorynpowell
“It has nothing to do with a diet mixer, but more to do with the fact that sugar in regular Coke makes your stomach empty more slowly into the small intestine, slowing down the absorption of alcohol into the bloodstream,” he states in the video. “It’s the same principle as why you get drunk faster on an empty stomach.”
Diet Coke or regular? Based on this information, it seems like it depends on what type of night you’re planning to have. If you’re choosing the diet version, sip responsibly!
