Sprite Nutrition Facts
Sprite Nutrition Facts: The Basics of the Beverage
Sprite: the lemon-lime, non-caffeinated soft drink made by cola that was introduced to the U.S. in 1961.1 It is a cool and refreshing drink on a hot day, but is this soda just another ’empty calorie’ drink? By taking a look at the Sprite nutrition facts, one can start to understand if this soda can be enjoyed in one’s diet as well as other unique ways by which to enjoy this beverage.
First, the facts of the drink. Sprite contains 148 calories in one 12 ounce can along with 37 grams of carbohydrates, 33 grams of sugar, 11.5 gram of glucose and 19 grams of fructose. If one uses the daily values, a can of sprite has 4 percent of calories, 23 percent sugar, and 1 percent of salt.2 So, those are the ‘bare facts.’ However, what do these really mean?
There are some great benefits to this drink. It has no fat, so worries of clogged arteries or bad cholesterol are not in the picture. Furthermore, it barely reaches one percent of a person’s daily need for salt. Therefore, this drink will not cause high blood pressure. Finally, it is not caffinated. It can be enjoyed at anytime without repercussion on one’s sleep (and a good night’s sleep does play an important role in weight loss and maintenance).
On the other side, in the world of glycemic index or those who have issues with blood sugar, Sprite is not the best choice of drinks. The large amounts of sugar will cause a huge spike in blood sugar and then a quick drop. Whether a person has blood sugar problems or not, a quick spike in blood sugar is not easy on the metabolism or the body. The key of any diet or any balanced eating is to maintain a fairly even (meaning no huge increase or decrease in blood sugar so that if measured, the blood sugar levels would look like rolling hills on the chart and not mountains). However, one does not need to give up on Sprite all together. To enjoy this beverage every now and then is perfectly fine; it becomes a problem when it is consumed multiple times in a day.
Sprite As More Than a Beverage
Besides a cool, refreshing beverage, Sprite is actually used in many recipes. Surprisingly, it makes great marinades, and since it is a fat-free beverage, it makes a better substitute for a marinade than creams, oils, or butter.
For example, if one wants a chicken marinade, the following recipe makes a nice Asian marinade: 2 cups of Sprite, 1 cup of soy sauce, ¼ cup of oil, ½ teaspoon of garlic powder, and ½ teaspoon of horseradish. Marinate the chicken in this mixture for at least an hour to allow it to infuse the chicken with its flavor. The other plus of using Sprite, especially in a marinade such as this, is that it has very little salt and does not increase the sodium levels, which are already in the soy sauce.
If the calories and the processed sugar intake has one incredibly concerned, a person is easily able to make his own version of Sprite. By mixing together 6 lemons (juiced), 6 limes (juiced), ½ liter of soda water, and ½ cup of sugar, one can create a homemade version of Sprite. Although the sugar content is fairly high, there is no extra sugar content from the fructose syrup. This also allows for a healthier and more natural alternative to Sprite. To make it low-calorie, an artificial sweetner can be used as a substitute for the sugar.
The term ’empty calories’ (meaning that a food has no nutritional value yet has caloric density) could be applied to Sprite’s nutritional facts. It does not contain any nutrients, vitamins, or proteins. However, Sprite can still be enjoyed regardless of a diet. It is a matter of being mindful and drinking Sprite in moderation. Using it in recipes, such as in a marinade or even Sprite cake (yes, it can be used in cake batter), is another way to spice up (or Sprite up) a meal.
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1 https://www.cs.pitt.edu/~mehmud/cs134-2084/projects/Team7/sprite.html
2 https://www.dietbites.com/Foods-Nutrition-Index/lemon-lime-soda.html
