Unlike Pepsi and Coke, Sprite does not have caffeine. Therefore, if you are a fan of this refreshing lemon-lime soda drink and seeking to control your caffeine intake, you would be happy to hear that Sprite is truly caffeine-free. However, there are plenty of soft drinks, coffee drinks, and workout supplements that contain caffeine. Caffeine is a famous stimulant that gives instant energy to people and for this reason, more than 75% the US citizen intakes some amount of caffeine.
Even though the Coca-Cola company does not put caffeine in Sprite, they provide high levels of sugar in this drink to lift your energy levels. A 375 ml can of Sprite gives 140 calories that come from carbs and 38 gm of added sugar. So, don’t be happy about Sprite for being caffeine-free as an excess intake of Sprite can increase your blood sugar levels and result in weight gain and other health issues including diabetes.
Caffeine & Sprite:
To compete with the caffeine-free drink, 7-Up, the Coca-Cola company introduced Sprite as a caffeine-free soft drink. However, over the years, the lemon-lime soda, Sprite has become the favorite stimulant of America.
The major ingredients of Sprite are natural lemon, water, lime flavors, and high-fructose corn syrup. The other ingredients that act as preservatives are citric acid, sodium benzoate, and sodium citrate. Even though there is no caffeine in Sprite, the added sugar of this drink can lift your energy levels in a very similar way that caffeine does. When you drink it, this will result in an increase in blood sugar, and you may feel a blow of energy and subsequently experience anxiety. Therefore, over-drinking of Sprite will bring similar harm to your health as caffeine, such as feeling nervous, anxious, etc.
Limit Drinking Sprite:
According to the American Heart Association, the limits of sugar consumption for men and women are 36 gm and 25 gm accordingly. Therefore, if you drink a 375 ml can of Sprite with 38 gm of added sugar, you clearly exceed the desired sugar limit, and this can increase the risk of diabetes, weight gain, and heart diseases. If you want to have a healthy life, you should avoid or control drinking Sprite.
Is It Safe to Drink Sprite Zero Sugar?
To eliminate added sugar Coca-Cola has also introduced caffeine-free, Sprite Zero Sugar. This drink contains artificial sweeteners as opposed to added sugar. Even though some people thought that this drink is a healthier choice to control sugar intake, studies show that the long-term effect of artificial sweeteners is harmful and can create health issues, such as weight gain, diabetes, and cancer.
Find Healthier Substitutions: The best way to restrict your sugar intake and get the enjoyment of Sprite is to find out the healthier substitutes for it. For example, you can drink fresh lemon-lime juice combined with cube soda. You can also drink naturally flavored sparkling water, such as La Croix to avoid added sugar. Above all, if avoiding caffeine is not your priority, it is always better to take tea or coffee as an energy booster.
