Mello Yello and Sprite are sodas with citrus flavoring. However, they are extremely different in many ways. Here you will find a comparison of these sodas to help you discover what sets them apart.
Mello Yello Vs. Sprite
Taste
Mello Yello is a caffeinated citrus soda. One of its primary flavors is orange which comes from concentrated orange juice used as an ingredient. It also has elements of lemon and lime flavoring. This soda is extremely sweet from an abundance of added sugar.
Sprite is a caffeine-free lemon-lime-flavored soda. While its sugar is noticeable, Sprite has a more crisp and refreshing flavor compared to Mello Yello. This is at least partially from its lower sugar content compared to Mello Yello.
Nutrition
Both of these sodas are bad when consumed in excess and have no key nutrients. However, the better option nutritionally is Sprite over Mello Yello. It has fewer calories, carbs, and total sugars.
| Mello Yello | Sprite | |
|---|---|---|
| Serving Size | 12 fl. oz. | 12 fl. oz. |
| Calories | 170 | 140 |
| Total Fat | 0g | 0g |
| Sodium | 50mg | 65mg |
| Total Carbohydrate | 47g | 38g |
| Total Sugars | 46g | 38g |
| Includes Added Sugars | 46g | 38g |
| Protein | 0g | 0g |
Caffeine
One of the major differences between these sodas is their caffeine levels. Mello Yello has caffeine (quite a bit of it) while Sprite is caffeine-free. The table below outlines the caffeine in each beverage:
| Serving Size | Mello Yello – Caffeine (mg) | Sprite – Caffeine (mg) |
|---|---|---|
| 12 fl. oz. | 51 mg | 0 |
| 16.9 fl. oz. | 71.83 mg | 0 |
| 20 fl. oz. | 85 | 0 |
As a reference, a Coke has 34 milligrams and a Mountain Dew has 54 milligrams of caffeine in their 12-ounce serving sizes. While the caffeine in Mello Yello is high for a soda it doesn’t compare to many higher-caffeine energy drinks. For example, Original Monster and Rockstar have 120 milligrams of caffeine in 12-0nces.
Ingredients
There are a few noteworthy differences between these sodas. Firstly, Mello Yello contains concentrated orange juice and caffeine, which are not in Sprite. Additionally, Mello Yello is made with yellow 5 to give it an unnatural yellowish-green color. You can review the full list of ingredients below:
Mello Yello – Carbonated Water, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Concentrated Orange Juice, Citric Acid, Natural Flavors, Sodium Benzoate And Calcium Disodium Edta (To Protect Taste), Potassium Citrate, Caffeine, Yellow 5, Carob Bean Gum.
Sprite – Carbonated Water, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Citric Acid, Natural Flavors, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Benzoate (To Protect Taste).
Ownership
Mello Yello was created by The Coca-Cola Company. It was introduced in 1979 to take on Mountain Dew. Coca-Cola still owns the Mello Yello brand.
Sprite was invented at a West German Coca-Cola facility in 1959. It was originally a Fanta product called Clear Lemon. The name “Sprite” was first used in 1961 when the lemon-lime soda first hit store shelves in the United States.
Poll: Mello Yello vs. Sprite
Assuming you’ve tried both, please vote for your favorite in our poll.
Sources:
melloyello.com
sprite.com
https://rockhillcoke.com/history/a-brief-history-of-sprite/
mello yello image credit – Jordan Richmond/flickr
