Sorry to break it to you, but fruit sodas as just as bad as any other type of soda. There isn’t any actual fruit in these drinks!
Need more proof? Well, allow us to expose the worst of the worst. That’s right, we’ve ranked popular fruit-flavored sodas from bad to the ultimate offender so you know which to stay far away from.
Blue Sky Black Cherry
Courtesy of brand
Nutrition (12 fl oz can): 110 calories, 0 mg sodium, 27 g carbs (26 g sugar)
This cherry flavored soda is actually the least offensive of the other fruit-flavored options on this list, but with 26 grams of sugar, it’s still not something you want to be drinking often. If ever!
Orangina
Courtesy of Orangina
Nutrition (11.2 fl oz can): 130 calories, 15 mg sodium, 32 g carbs (32 g sugar)
Ingredients: Carbonated Water, Orange Juice Concentrate, Sugar Lemon Juice Concentrate, Orange Pulp, Mandarin Pulp, Mandarin Juice Concentrate, Grapefruit Juice Concentrate, Orange Peel Extract, Natural Orange Flavors
Yes, there is some orange and mandarin pulp in here, and it’s great to see the absence of HCFS. But with 32 grams of sugar—28 of which are added sugars—it’s still not a drink we would recommend you have every day.
Virgil’s Handcrafted Black Cherry
Courtesy of brand
Nutrition (12 fl oz bottle): 150 calories, 5 mg sodium, 42 g carbs (42 g sugar)
What makes Virgil’s stand out is the minimal list of ingredients. Although the black cherry flavor is packing 42 grams of sugar, you won’t find a long list of questionable ingredients here.
When it comes to the orange flavor, Virgil’s describes this pop as “only the finest Spanish oranges make a sweet enough juice with just the right citrus zest to flavor this creamy, bold classic.”
Schweppes Raspberry Ginger Ale
Courtesy of brand
Nutrition (12 fl oz can): 140 calories, 60 mg sodium, 38 g carbs (38 g sugar)
Ingredients: Carbonated Water, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Citric Acid, Sodium Benzoate (preservative), Natural Flavors, Red 40
Looking at the ingredients, it’s clear that there isn’t any actual raspberry in this soda.
7Up Cherry
Courtesy of brand
Nutrition (12 fl oz can): 140 calories, 40 mg sodium, 39 g carbs (38 g sugar)
Ingredients: Filtered Carbonated Water, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Citric Acid, Potassium Benzoate (preservative), Natural Flavors, Red 40
Here, you see Red 40 listed, which is a potentially harmful dye that gives this soda its color. There’s no actual cherry in sight!
Fanta Green Apple
Courtesy of brand
Nutrition (12 fl oz can): 140 calories, 35 mg sodium, 38 g carbs (38 g sugar)
Ingredients: Carbonated Water, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Natural Flavors, Malic Acid, Citric Acid Potassium Sorbate And Sodium Benzoate (To Protect Taste), Yellow 5, Acacia Gum, Blue 1
38 grams of sugar? A cup of actual green apple slices comes in at only 11 grams of all-natural sugar.
Crush Grapefruit
Courtesy of brand
Nutrition (12 fl oz can): 160 calories, 60 mg sodium, 42 g carbs (41 g sugar)
This grapefruit-flavored soda is making more sugar than you get if you ate four Original Glazed Krispy Kreme donuts. Big yikes.
Dr Pepper Cherry
Courtesy of brand
Nutrition (12 fl oz can): 160 calories, 60 mg sodium, 43 g carbs (41 g sugar)
Ingredients: Carbonated Water, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Contains Less Than 2%: Caramel Color, Natural and Artificial Flavors, Sodium Benzoate (Preservative), Citric Acid, Phosphoric Acid, Caffeine, Malic Acid, Sodium Phosphate, Red 40
If you though adding cherry flavor to Dr Pepper would make this soda, that is a myth we’re going to bust right now. And there is one ingredient in here, malic acid, that raises cause for concern. See, according to A Consumer’s Dictionary of Food Additives, it’s used as a way to compensate for the lack of fruit in artificially sweetened fruit.
Wild Cherry Pepsi
Courtesy of brand
Nutrition (12 fl oz can): 160 calories, 30 mg sodium, 42 g carbs, 42 g sugar
Orange may be the original Crush soda flavor, but there is nothing redeeming about this drink.
Stewart’s Wishniak Black Cherry
Courtesy of brand
Nutrition (12 fl oz can): 180 calories, 70 mg sodium, 44 g carbs, 43 g sugar
Ingredients: Carbonated Water, Cane Sugar, Citric Acid, Natural and Artificial Flavor, Sodium Benzoate, Caramel Color, Red 40, Blue 1
With more sugar than seven Chewy Chips Ahoy cookies, Stewart’s Black Cherry contains the additive caramel coloring and has 43 grams of sugar. No thanks!
Fanta Strawberry
Courtesy of brand
12 fl oz can: 160 calories, 45 mg sodium, 45 g carbs (44 g sugar)
Carbonated Water, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Natural Flavors, Citric Acid, Sodium Benzoate (to protect taste), Red 40
Fanta makes the bold claim that its sodas contain 100% natural, so we’re just going to assume there is a smidge of actual strawberry in those “natural flavors.” Among all those other additives, that is.
Fanta Orange
Courtesy of brand
Nutrition (12 fl oz can): 160 calories, 55 mg sodium, 44 g carbs, 44 g sugar
Ingredients: Carbonated Water, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Citric Acid, Sodium Benzoate (To Protect Taste), Natural Flavors, Modified Food Starch, Sodium Polyphosphates, Glycerol Ester Of Rosin, Yellow 6, Red 40
In Fanta’s orange flavor, you see there is Glycerol Ester Of Rosin listed as an ingredient. Yes, it’s hard to pronounce and it’s also a wood resin. It’s an ingredient added to fruit sodas to help the fruit-flavored oils mix better with the water. That just sounds gross!
Fanta Grape
Courtesy of brand
Nutrition (12 fl oz can): 170 calories, 40 mg sodium, 44 g carbs, 44 g sugar
Ingredients: Carbonated Water, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Natural Flavors, Tartaric Acid, Potassium Sorbate and Sodium Benzoate (To Protect Taste), Citric Acid, Red 40, Blue 1
One can of Fanta’s grape soda knocks you back a solid 44 grams of sugar. Why not just have real grapes?!
Crush Watermelon
Courtesy of brand
Nutrition (12 fl oz can): 170 calories, 65 mg sodium, 45 g carbs (45 g sugar)
Ingredients: Carbonated Water, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Citric Acid, Sodium Benzoate (Preservative), Natural And Artificial Flavors, Red 40
If you thought sipping on a watermelon soda might be the better option, sorry to disappoint. If you’re wanting a fruit flavor to your drink, adding some watermelon to your glass of water.
Dr. Brown’s Black Cherry
Courtesy of brand
Nutrition (12 fl oz can): 180 calories, 25 mg sodium, 45 g carbs, 45 g sugar
Ingredients: Carbonated Water, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Cherry And Other Natural Flavors, Citric Acid, Caramel Color, Sodium Benzoate (Preservative), and Artificial Color (Red 40)
Dr. Brown’s Black Cherry isn’t a drink that any doctor would tell you to have, that’s for sure!
Crush Strawberry
Courtesy of brand
Nutrition (12 fl oz can): 170 calories, 70 mg sodium, 46 g carbs (45 g sugar)
Ingredients: Carbonated Water, Water, Citric Acid, Sodium Benzoate (preservative), Acacia Gum, Caramel Color Red 40, Natural and Artificial Flavors
This strawberry soda is “artificially flavored,” so again, no sign of strawberry listed.
Sun Drop Cherry Lemon Citrus
Courtesy of brand
Nutrition (12 fl oz can): 170 calories, 55 mg sodium, 46 g carbs (45 g sugar)
Ingredients: Carbonated Water, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Contains Less Than 2%: Citric Acid, Orange Juice Concentrate, Sodium Benzoate (Preservative), Caffeine, Natural and Artificial Flavors, Caramel Color, Acacia Gum, Red 40, Yellow 5, Ester Gum, Brominated Vegetable Oil
Sun Drop’s cherry lemon flavor has HFCS, caramel color, Red 40, and Yellow 5. The list of ingredients is long, to say the least.
Jarritos Mandarin Soda
Jarritos
Nutrition (12.5 fl oz bottle): 181 calories, 45 g carbs (45 g sugar)
And orange ‘n drink won’t take like, well, actual oranges and cream either. You’re better off eating the classic Creamsicle ice cream bar if you’re craving this flavor combination, as it has 100 calories and 12 grams of sugar.6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e
Crush Cherry
Courtesy of brand
Nutrition (12 fl oz can): 170 calories, 70 mg sodium, 46 g carbs (46 g sugar)
Ingredients: Carbonated Water, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Natural And Artificial Flavors, Citric Acid, Sodium Benzoate (Preservative), Caramel Color, Red 40, Acacia Gum, Blue 1
Crush’s cherry variety has caramel color listed as an ingredient. It is a very common additive, but it’s also a potential carcinogen.
Fanta Berry
Courtesy of brand
Nutrition (12 fl oz can): 150 calories, 65 mg sodium, 41 g carbs (40 g sugar)
Ingredients: Carbonated Water, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Natural Flavors, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, Malic Acid, Potassium Sorbate and Sodium Benzoate (To Protect Taste), Blue 1
The look of the blueberries on this can might seem appealing. It’s important to keep in mind that the color of this drink comes from Blue 1, not any actual berries.
Fanta Mango
Nutrition (12 fl oz can): 180 calories, 40 mg sodium, 49 g carbs (48 g sugar)
Fanta’s pineapple soda has a long list of ingredients with different types of sugar, but no pineapple blatantly listed.
Sunkist Fruit Punch
Courtesy of brand
Nutrition (12 fl oz can): 180 calories, 60 mg sodium, 49 g carbs (48 g sugar)
Ingredients: Carbonated Water, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Citric Acid, Sodium Benzoate (Preservative), Natural And Artificial Flavors, Ester Gum, Red 40
Fruit punch is always a risky drink choice, as sugar tends to be high. It shouldn’t come as a surprise that a fruit punch soda like this one from Sunkist is just as sugary.
Stewart’s Cherries ‘n Cream Soda
Zety Akhzar/Shutterstock
Nutrition (12 fl oz bottle): 190 calories, 70 mg sodium, 46 g carbs (46 g sugar)
Ingredients: Carbonated Water, Cane Sugar, Natural and Artificial Flavors, Citric Acid, Sodium Benzoate (Preservative), Red 40, Blue 1
This Stewart’s soda contains 46 grams of sugar. So yes, it’s best to think twice before taking a sip. Instead, why not eat strawberries with some whipped cream on top?
Crush Peach
Courtesy of brand
Nutrition (12 fl oz can): 190 calories, 65 mg sodium, 50 g carbs (49 g sugar)
Ingredients: Carbonated Water, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Citric Acid, Sodium Benzoate (Preservative), Acacia Gum, Natural And Artificial Flavors, Ester Gum, Red 40, Yellow 5
If you ate 12 chocolate glazed munchkins from Dunkin’, you would still consume less sugar than one can of Crush Peach soda. Let that sink in!
Sunkist Pineapple
Courtesy of brand
Nutrition (12 fl oz can): 190 calories, 60 mg sodium, 51 g carbs (51 g sugar)
If you thought the yellow color of this soda comes from an actual pineapple, we want to clear that up. It’s thanks to additives Yellow #5 and Yellow #6.
Crush Pineapple
Courtesy of brand
Nutrition (12 fl oz can): 190 calories, 65 mg sodium, 52 g carbs (51 g sugar)
And the title of the worst fruit-flavored soda goes to Crush’s pineapple. With 190 calories and 51 grams of sugar in just one can, it’s easy to see this soda is a landfill of sugar. Plus, the pineapple flavor contains soybean oil—an ingredient that has been linked to weight gain. Just stay away!
Eat This, Not That!
Inspired by The New York Times best-selling book series, Eat This, Not That! is a brand that's comprised of an award-winning team of journalists and board-certified experts, doctors, nutritionists, chefs, personal trainers, and dietitians who work together to bring you accurate, timely, informative, and actionable content on food, nutrition, dieting, weight loss, health, wellness, and more. Read more about Eat This
