Which Soda is the Worst for You?

September 7, 2016

By

Dan Myers
From a sugar standpoint, these sodas pack a wallop

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Drinking a soda is just like eating spoonfuls of pure sugar.

If anyone ever tries to convince you that soda is actually good for you, don’t
believe them. Not only does it have no nutritional value, it’s also absolutely
loaded with sugar. We can save the debate on caffeine and the reputed ill
effects of consuming too much artificially sweetened diet sodas for another
day; for now let’s just take a look at the five sodas that contain the most sugar
per 12-ounce can. As a reference point, keep in mind that one standard packet
of sugar, one teaspoon’s worth, contains only 4 gramsof sugar. Here goes
nothing:
#5 Pepsi
One can of Pepsi contains 150 calories and 41 grams of sugar. Pepsi actually
contains more sugar than Coke, which clocks in at 39 grams of sugar.
#4 Wild Cherry Pepsi
This Pepsi offshoot contains 160 calories and 42 grams of sugar.

#3 Orange Fanta
Orange soda generally contains a lot more sugar than regular cola; Orange
Fanta contains 160 calories and 44 grams of sugar per can.

#2 Mountain Dew
If you really want to “do the Dew,” you’ll need to consume 170 calories and
46 grams of sugar, about 3.8 tablespoons’ worth.

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#1 Mello Yello
Mello Yello is similar to Mountain Dew, especially in its insanely high sugar
count. In fact, it contains more sugar than just about every other soda on the
market: 47 grams, along with 170 calories.
What soda has the most
caffeine?
Surge, our citrus-flavored soda, has the most caffeine of our sodas. It has
69mg of caffeine in a 16-oz can.

While it has the most caffeine, it has less than coffee, which has 140mg or
more in a 12-oz cup.

In case you’re wondering, while not considered a soda, energy drinks also
have caffeine. Be sure to check how much caffeine there is. It’s listed on our
products next to the Nutrition Facts label. For instance, the amount of caffeine
in Monster Energy (original) has 160mg per 16-oz can.

Ever wonder about the caffeine in Coke or the caffeine in Diet

Coke?
Caffeiene is one of the ingredients that helps give Coca-Cola its unique great
taste.

People are often surprised when they learn that the amount of caffeine
in Coke or Diet Coke is much less than in the same-sized coffee.

12-oz Coca-Cola 34mg of caffeine

12-oz Diet Coke 46mg

12-oz coffee 140mg or more

How much caffeine is too much?

The U.S. FDA says healthy adults can have up to 400mg of caffeine a day
without having adverse health effects.

That would be like having eight 12-oz cans of Diet Coke, four to five cups of
coffee (1 cup = 8oz) or 20 squares of dark chocolate (1 square = 1oz).
Limits may be less for children and pregnant women.

Check out this video to learn how much caffeine is too much.

What is caffeine anyway?

Caffeine is a mild stimulant and can affect people differently depending on
how much they’ve consumed and how often they consume it. Caffeine is used
in our products, like Coca-Cola, to give it a slight bitter taste.

It is found in many beverages and foods, such as coffee, tea, colas and
chocolate.
The 10 Most Caffeinated Diet Drinks

Did you know that diet sodas have more caffeine than regular
soda?

Diet Coke has 46.5mg caffeine compared to regular Coke that has
34.5mg. That’s a thirty per-cent increase!

Here are the 10 most caffeinated diet soft drinks – and they are nowhere
near the levels of caffeine in Starbucks drinks.

Diet Pepsi Max

Per 12oz can : 69mg caffeine

A can of regular Pepsi-cola contains 38mg caffeine.

Diet Sundrop

Per 12oz can: 69mg caffeine

Sun Drop is a brand of citrus soda drink from Cadbury-Schweppes. The

level of caffeine in the Diet version came as a complete surprise – but
then – even the regular version has 63mg in a 12oz can. Note: regular
can displayed.

Diet Mountain Dew

Per 12oz can: 55mg caffeine

Mountain Dew is one of the most popular citrus soft drinks. Both diet and
regular have the same amount of caffeine. In countries outside the USA
– Mountain Dew has either reduced amounts of caffeine (or no caffeine
at all).
Pepsi ONE

Per 12oz can: 54mg caffeine

Pepsi ONE is a very similar formulation to Diet Coke with Splenda –

although Pepsi ONE contains significantly more caffeine.

Diet Cheerwine

Per 12oz can: 48.1mg caffeine

Diet RC Cola

Per 12oz can: 47.3mg caffeine

Royal Crown (RC) colas have been around for a long time and are
currently owned by Cadbury Schweppes. As in the case of Diet Coke –
here the diet version has more caffeine than the regular RC Cola. 2

TaB

Per 12oz can: 46.5mg caffeine

TaB (from Coca-cola) is one of the oldest diet or sugar-free soft drinks
around. It has more caffeine than Diet Coke
Diet Coke

Per 12oz can: 46.5mg caffeine

Diet Coke has significantly more caffeine in it than regular coke

(34.5mg).

Diet Sunkist Orange Soda

Per 12oz can: 41.5mg caffeine

Contains slightly more than the regular version of Sunkist. Who would
have thought that Orange Soda was caffeinated?
Diet Dr Pepper

Per 12oz can: 41mg caffeine

Contains the same amount as regular Dr Pepper.

How Much Caffeine in Instant Coffee?

According the USDA – 1 rounded teaspoon of instant coffee powder

contains 57mg of caffeine. (source).

What about Diet Coke Plus?

The vitamin-filled Diet Coke Plus contains the same amount of caffeine
as Diet Coke.

Diet Pepsi?
Didn’t even make it to this list. Diet Pepsi has 36mg caffeine in a 12oz
can.
Sources: The CaffeineInformer caffeine database and caffeine in citrus
soda, along with PepsiCo, Coca-cola, Sundrop.