Sprite and Coke are both popular soft drinks but is one healthier than the other? Or are they both bad for you? In this post, we look at their ingredients and nutritional values to see whether Sprite is a better choice.
Sprite vs Coke – Ingredients
Here is how Sprite and Coke compare side by side in terms of ingredients:
| DRINK | INGREDIENTS |
| Sprite | Carbonated Water, Sugar, Citric Acid, Sweeteners (Acesulfame K, Aspartame), Acidity Regulator (Sodium Citrate), Natural Lemon and Lime Flavourings. |
| Coca Cola Classic | Carbonated water, Sugar, Caramel colour, Phosphoric Acid, Caffeine, Natural flavours |
Both drinks contain carbonated water, sugar and natural flavours. Sprite contains lemon and lime natural flavourings.
The main difference between Sprite and Coca Cola is the type and quantity of sweetening agents they use to make them sweet.
In Sprite they use sugar and artificial sweeteners while in Coke only sugar is used to make it sweet (there is a Coke Zero version as well with no added sugar but here we are only focusing on Coca Cola Classic).
The other notable difference is caffeine which is added to Coke but not to Sprite. Coke also contains a very specific caramel colour and Phosphoric Acid which gives Coca Cola its tartness.
Just by looking at their ingredients, we cannot say for sure which drink is better and for this reason we need to look at their nutritional values as well.
Sprite vs Coke – Nutritional values
Here is how Sprite and Coke compare side by side in terms of nutritional values (per 100 ml):
| DRINK | CALORIES | FAT | CARBS | of which SUGARS | PROTEIN | SALT |
| Cola Cola Classic | 42 kcal | 0g | 10.6g | 10.6g | 0g | 0g |
| Sprite | 14 kcal | 0g | 3.3g | 3.3g | 0g | 0.01g |
Looking at the nutritional information of both drinks we can quickly see that Coca Cola is much higher in calories so if you are watching your calorie intake, Sprite is a better choice.
The reason why Sprite is not very high in calories is due to the added artificial sweeteners which substitute some of the sugar to make this drink slightly healthier.
However, if you consume artificial sweeteners instead of sugar this doesn’t mean you are being any healthier. These sweeteners have their own drawbacks and can disrupt the balance of bacteria in your gut, affecting your overall health. They also come with other concerns so it’s best not to consume them in excess.
Due to their harmful effects, artificial sweeteners are best to be avoided but is then better to enjoy drinks sweetened with sugar only? Not really. Sugar overconsumption is associated with a host of health problems, including obesity, diabetes and heart disease.
So, which soft drink is better for you then: Sprite or Coke?
None of these two drinks is healthy and should not be consumed on a regular basis. But if you do have to choose, we recommend you choose Sprite since it’s much lower in calories. If you only occasionally drink it, this will not significantly affect your health.