Sprite and 7Up are two of the most iconic lemon-lime soda brands. It is difficult to imagine anyone who hasn’t tasted at least one of these classic soda brands who is a fan of lemon-lime soda.
This article will explore the similarities and differences between Sprite vs 7Up. This includes a blind taste test where we judge our favorite without knowing the brand.
Be sure to vote for your favorite soda between Sprite vs 7Up at the end of this article in the poll. We encourage you not to let our opinion influence your choice. It is anonymous after all.
Blind Taste Test
Two adults and a nine-year-old participated in our blind taste test. Here are the results:
Sprite – The Sprite was said to have a much smoother taste compared to 7Up. One person said that it goes down the throat much easier with less of a bite compared to 7Up. The taste testers agreed that Sprite had a mild lemon and lime flavor that was nicely balanced. One person said that neither flavor was predominant. One adult indicated that the Sprite tasted sweeter, however, if you look at the nutrition facts (see below) the sugar content is identical for each soda.
7Up – Two of the three taste testers indicated that 7Up had a strong lime flavor, particularly right before the swallow of the beverage. The lemon flavor was said to be mild to nonexistent. One person (an adult) commented that this soda would make a good liquor drink mixer with its strong lime flavor and taste closer to a tonic/club soda than Sprite.
Who Won? Overall, two of three taste testers preferred the Sprite over the 7Up. However, an adult who selected Sprite as the winner stated that they would prefer 7Up over Sprite for mixed drink purposes.
Nutrition
You aren’t going to find any major differences in nutrition between Sprite vs 7Up. The notable difference is the 20 mg higher sodium in Sprite. We can assume that most people will not opt for 7Up over Sprite simply for this 20mg difference in sodium.
| Sprite | 7Up | |
| Serving Size | 12 fl oz (1 Can) | 12 fl oz (1 Can) |
| Calories | 140 | 140 |
| Total Fat | 0 | 0 |
| Sodium | 65mg | 45mg |
| Total Carbohydrate | 38g | 39g |
| Total Sugars | 38g | 38g |
| Protein | 0g | 0g |
| Caffeine | No Caffeine | No Caffeine |
| Source | sprite.com | 7up.com |
Ingredients
The primary ingredients of carbonated water, high fructose corn syrup, and citric acid are the same in Sprite vs 7Up. Any noticeable difference in taste is mostly in the natural flavors that are undisclosed.
Sprite – Carbonated water, high fructose corn syrup, citric acid, natural flavors, sodium citrate, sodium benzoate (to protect taste).
7Up – Filtered carbonated water, high fructose corn syrup, citric acid, potassium citrate, natural flavors, calcium disodium edta (to protect flavor)
Price
We pulled up the prices of Sprite and 7Up at various stores for 2 liters and 12oz/12 pack products. As the table below shows, prices vary from store-to-store. If you are a regular Sprite or 7Up drinker, it may be wise to shop around for the best price and stock up if you have the cash available when you find your brand cheap. Some stores offer discounts (sales) if you purchase multiple Sprite or 7Up products. Based on our data, the 7Up 2 liters were generally cheaper, whereas the Sprite 12oz/12 packs were mainly cheaper.
| Store | Sprite (2 Liter) | 7Up (2 Liter) | Sprite (12oz/12 Pack) | 7Up (12oz/12 Pack) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Walmart | $1.25 | $1.25 | $4.98 | $4.58 |
| Target | $1.79 | $1.69 | $4.99 | $4.59 |
| Kroger | $1.99 | $1.69 | $5.49 | $5.49 |
| Walgreens | $2.19 | $2.19 | $6.19 | $6.19 |
| Safeway | $1.67 | $2.35 | $4.99 | $8.43 |
| Meijer | $1.79 | $1.00 | $5.49 | $4.99 |
| Albertsons | $1.67 | $1.99 | $4.99 | $6.49 |
| HEB | $1.29 | $1.03 | $5.11 | not available |
| Big Lots | $1.90 | $1.35 | $5.15 | $4.80 |
| Food 4 Less | $1.99 | $1.69 | $5.49 | $5.49 |
| Giant Food | $2.00 | $1.00 | $5.99 | $6.59 |
| Average Prices | $1.78 | $1.56 | $5.35 | $5.76 |
Ownership
Sprite – Sprite is owned by The Coca-Cola Company. While Coca-Cola is an American company, Sprite’s roots actually come from Europe. Sprite was launched in Germany in 1959 and was marketed as Clear Lemon Fanta. Keep in mind that Fanta was invented by a German Coca Cola bottling company employee during World War II when Coke could not be produced because of the war. Sprite was not introduced in the United States until 1961 where it rapidly became a popular soda. Sprite remains one of Coca-Cola’s key brands today.
7Up – 7Up is much older than Sprite. It was launched in 1929 by its creator, Charles Leiper Grigg. It was originally called Bib-Label Lithiated Lemon-Lime Soda. The soda contained the mood stabilizer, lithium citrate, until approximately 1948 when regulations required its removal. However, the lithium ingredient was a marketing aspect of the soda before its removal and was at least partly a reason for its initial success. It was not until 1939 that the name of shortened to 7Up. No one is quite sure what “7Up” stands for since the inventor never publically disclosed his reasoning for the name. The 7Up brand is currently owned by Keurig Dr Pepper. Pepsi bottles this soda outside of the United States.
Poll – Sprite vs 7Up
Please vote in our poll whether you prefer Sprite, 7Up, or a different lemon-lime soda brand.
Sources:
sprite.com
7Up.com
snackhistory.com/7-up
rockhillcoke.com/history/a-brief-history-of-sprite/
