Is Your Favorite Soda Healthy?
We all know that traditional sodas are usually packed with enough sugar to make a dentist faint, but the rise of craft sparkling waters and "prebiotic" pops has changed the game. You don't have to give up the bubbles entirely just to stay on your doctor's good side. With that in mind, here are 10 cans that are terrible and 10 that are good for you.
1. Mountain Dew
Made famous for its bright green color, Mountain Dew has one of the highest sugar contents of any soda on the market. Each bottle contains more caffeine and high fructose corn syrup than the average adult should have in a day. Drink Mountain Dew for breakfast and you’re going to crash hard.
2. Sunkist Orange Soda
Despite having the word orange in its name, there is no juice included in this soda. It’s full of artificial ingredients and just as much sugar, if not more, than traditional cola sodas. Chug two cans and you’ll be drinking pure sugar water with orange coloring.
3. Mug Root Beer
While deliciously creamy and nostalgic, Mug Root Beer is jam-packed with calories from sugar. While it might not keep you up at night thanks to a lack of caffeine, the sugar content is high and provides no real nutrients. Stick to using Mug Root Beer for the occasional ice cream float.
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4. Dr. Pepper
Dr. Pepper contains 23 flavors, and many of them are actually chemicals. It is heavily laced with phosphoric acid and caramel color, making this soda rough on your enamel and digestion. Not only will Dr. Pepper spike your blood sugar, but it will take a toll on your metabolism as well.
5. Pepsi
Pepsi actually has one of the highest sugar ratios. Pepsi contains more sugar than water, which makes for a very artificial taste. You’re going to experience drastic sugar highs if you chug this stuff down.
6. Fanta Grape
While this purple soda may be eye-catching, it gets its color from food dyes that have been proven unhealthy. With absolutely no grapes in this recipe, you are essentially just drinking flavored chemicals. Fanta Grape is one soda you should definitely avoid.
7. Cherry Coke
We all know sodas like Coke are bad for you, but Cherry Coke contains the regular sugar content of Coke plus more sugar from the cherry syrup. The chemicals used for this “fruit flavor” will also contain preservatives.
8. Sierra Mist
For many years, Sierra Mist passed itself off as a natural lemon-lime soda. While it finally removed “all natural” from its label, Sierra Mist still contains high amounts of sugar. It’s proof that a clear soda isn't necessarily healthier.
9. Barq’s Root Beer
Barq’s is different from other root beers because it contains caffeine. Combined with the typical high fructose corn syrup found in soda, you’re going to be hyper. Skip the soda with pep and grab some water instead.
10. 7UP
Known to calm the stomach, did you know that 7UP actually makes inflammation worse? 7UP contains no fruit juice and is packed with intense sweeteners to give you that familiar fizz. 7UP is mostly carbonated water with unwanted extras.
Now that we’ve talked about the unhealthiest sodas, here are 10 that are actually good for you.
1. Olipop Vintage Cola
Craving a cola? Opt for this prebiotic soda made with plant fibers and botanicals to feed your gut microbes instead of your liver. Sugar content is extremely low here, so you can enjoy the fizz factor sans gigantic sugar crash.
2. Spindrift Sparkling Water
They’re loved by many for one simple reason: they actually squeeze juice from real fruit instead of using “natural flavors” derived in a science lab. Ingredient lists are typically two or three items long, so you know exactly what you’re drinking.
3. Poppi Strawberry Lemon
Tap into the hype with these trendy cans containing apple cider vinegar, touted by many to support digestion and blood sugar. The taste is punchy and bright, with only a small fraction of the calories you’d find in a typical lemon-lime soda.
4. Waterloo Grape
Did Grandma use to feed you purple soda when you were a kid? Well, this sparkling water will give you that same nose sensation without any of the creepy dyes. Zero calories, zero sweeteners.
5. Zevia Ginger Ale
Instead of using sugar or aspartame, this brand uses stevia leaf extract to keep things sweet but calorie-free. If you have diabetes or are simply avoiding man-made chemicals like any other, Zevia is a great option. Get that spicy, gingery goodness without any sticky residue leftover.
6. LaCroix Pamplemousse
Everybody’s favorite cult sparkling water comes through with this lightly grapefruit-flavored option. At zero calories, it’ll give you the juicy mouthfeel you’re craving. Carbonation is high here, so it’ll trick your brain into thinking you’re drinking the “real” thing.
7. Culture Pop Lemon Lime
Probiotic soda, anyone? These guys take a unique approach by infusing their sparkling water with live probiotics and organic spices such as ginger or cardamom. This drink isn’t overly sweet, so you can actually taste the complexities of the ingredients.
8. Bubly Blackberry
With a very strong fruit scent and a clean finish, this is a top-tier choice for anyone who hates the aftertaste of artificial sweeteners. It’s budget-friendly and widely available, making it an easy swap for your usual afternoon cola. You can drink several of these a day.
9. Health-Ade Pop
Think kombucha combined with soda. It’s a great option to incorporate some fermented foods into your diet while blasting away hunger with tons of bubbles. Lower in sugar than your typical pops, they use real cold-pressed juice to flavor each bottle.
10. Polar Seltzer
This New England classic has been around for ages and remains one of the purest ways to enjoy a fizzy beverage. They offer dozens of seasonal flavors that keep things interesting without ever adding a single gram of sugar or sodium. You can rely on this brand for a consistent and high-quality sparkle.
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