The best kind of afternoon pick-me-up is one that involves a refreshingly crisp soda. Whether you're a fan of classic sodas like Pepsi, Coke, or Sprite, or enjoy the excitement of a spinoff flavor like Cherry Soda or Mountain Dew Code Red, the combination of sugar, flavoring, and carbonation is always a satisfying treat. Unfortunately though, regularly drinking these beverages can lead to potential health risks because of the heavy amounts of added sugar, with some of the unhealthiest sodas containing over 80 grams per bottle.
Soda should be consumed in small portions, only on occasion, and with a healthy, balanced diet, because consistently sipping on soft drinks has been linked to weight gain and increased risk of diseases like type 2 diabetes and heart disease.
The main culprit behind these health risks is the amount of sugar found inside a bottle of soda. The American Heart Association recommends keeping your daily intake of added sugar to 25 grams for women and 36 grams for men, but most sodas contain much more than that. Cans of soda start at 30 grams of sugar per 12-ounce serving with larger bottles carrying between 70-80 grams of added sugar. And without any protein, fiber, or other nutrients, these are empty sugar calories you're consuming.
Sundrop
Sugar per 20-ounce bottle: 75 grams
Starting us off with 75 grams of added sugar is a classic bottle of Sundrop. The citrus flavor may be refreshing, but cooling off with this soda will give you close to three times the recommended limit of an entire day.
Crush Watermelon
Sugar per 20-ounce bottle: 75 grams
Crush is known as the "original orange soda," but the company has now branched off into a variety of fruit flavors like grape, strawberry, peach, and watermelon. Their watermelon flavor makes our list with 75 grams of added sugar per 20-ounce bottle, so you're better off leaving this one behind.
Mountain Dew Code Red
Sugar per 20-ounce bottle: 76 grams
Code Red is Mountain Dew's famous cherry-flavored soda, but with 76 grams of sugar per bottle, this one is considered one of the unhealthiest sodas on grocery shelves. However, there are many Mountain Dew flavors with the same amount or even more sugar—including Mountain Dew original.
Mountain Dew Voltage
Sugar per 20-ounce bottle: 76 grams
A combination of "citrus raspberry and ginseng," Mountain Dew Voltage is a fan favorite. This choice may be packed with flavor, but it's packed a little full of added sugars with 76 grams per bottle.
Sunkist Peach
Sugar per 20-ounce bottle: 76 grams
Sunkist Soda sells a handful of fruit-flavored sodas, a few of which made our list of highest-sugar sodas. Their peach flavor may quench your thirst for a sweet, fruity treat, but with 76 grams of sugar per bottle, you'll be well over your recommended amount for the day before you've eaten any food.
Crush Strawberry
Sugar per 20-ounce bottle: 76 grams
Like Crush Watermelon, Crush Strawberry is a sugar-filled fruit soda that may not be worth the empty calories. Or, if you're craving a strawberry soda, treat yourself to a smaller size or split this bottle with a friend to avoid the 76 grams of added sugar in one sitting.
Fanta Mango
Sugar per 20-ounce bottle: 76 grams
The original Fanta Orange Soda still has tons of sugar (73 grams per bottle), but the Fanta Mango has even more with a whopping 76 grams per 20 ounces. A sweet mango soda may be satisfying, but consistently drinking this amount of added sugar may not be the best choice for your health.
Mountain Dew Live Wire
Sugar per 20-ounce bottle: 77 grams
Fans of orange soda and Mountain Dew rejoiced when Mountain Dew released their own version of orange soda with Live Wire. However, there's sadly not much to rejoice about when it comes to the 77 grams of sugar it carries in one 20-ounce sized bottle.
Mountain Dew
Sugar per 20-ounce bottle: 77 grams
Many of the spinoffs made our list, so it's only natural that the OG Mountain Dew would land a spot with their 77 grams of added sugar per bottle. If you're hankering for some citrus soda, grab a smaller size or split this one. And if it's caffeine you want, you're probably better off grabbing a cup of coffee.
Mello Yello
Sugar per 20-ounce bottle: 78 grams
Mello Yello is another popular citrus soda on the market, but you won't find any flavor spinoffs like most other soda brands. They have only two offerings—Mello Yello and Mello Yello Zero Sugar—with their original having almost 80 grams of sugar per bottle. If you're watching your sugar intake, you can always opt for their Zero Sugar option, but diet sodas also come with their own potential health risks due to the artificial sweeteners.
Mug Cream Soda
Sugar per 20-ounce bottle: 79 grams
Despite the name, cream sodas have zero dairy in them. Instead, they are usually made from carbonation, sweetener, and a flavor like vanilla or caramel. In the case of Mug Cream Soda, you're getting a delightfully classic flavor, but at the cost of 79 grams of added sugar. In many cases, you'd be better off just eating a bowl of ice cream.
Fanta Pineapple
Sugar per 20-ounce bottle: 80 grams
Another version of Fanta with far too many empty sugar calories for one drink, Fanta Pineapple will give you a refreshingly tropical experience but only at the cost of multiple days worth of added sugars—80 grams to be exact. It may satisfy those tastebuds, but it's one of the unhealthiest sodas you can currently find on the market.
Sunkist Fruit Punch
Sugar per 20-ounce bottle: 80 grams
A fruit punch with absolutely zero fruit, Sunkist Fruit Punch Soda has one of the highest amounts of added sugar on our list and won't do your health any favors. If you want a fruity drink, try satisfying that craving with a smoothie or 100% fruit juice made without added sugars.
Crush Peach
Sugar per 20-ounce bottle: 83 grams
Similar to Sunkist Peach but with even more sugar, Crush Peach comes in at number two on our list of unhealthiest sodas. Even splitting this bottle in half would result in way more added sugar than is recommended in one day, so you're better off skipping this one or only enjoying it every once in a while.
Crush Pineapple
Sugar per 20-ounce bottle: 85 grams
Landing the number one spot on our list, a bottle of Crush Pineapple Soda will load you up with 85 grams of sugar—an amount that should normally be spread over the course of multiple days. If it's pineapple soda you really want, split this bottle with a few friends and share the load of added sugars.
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