What are the ingredients in cream soda?

What is cream soda made of?

A typical mainstream cream soda lists these ingredients:

• Carbonated water: the base.
• Sweetener: sugar or high fructose corn syrup in regular versions; diet versions use other sweeteners.
• Natural and artificial flavors: mostly a vanilla-like taste, often with other notes. Brands keep exact blends private.
• Caramel color: gives the golden to brown color. Some cream sodas are clear or lightly colored.
• Acid: citric acid or phosphoric acid for tartness. Check the label, since not all brands use both.
• Preservative: often sodium benzoate in bottled and canned versions.

What makes cream soda creamy?

The word cream refers to the smooth, vanilla-like flavor and the foamy head, not to dairy. Cream soda normally contains no milk or cream (check the label), but read the label if you avoid dairy or have an allergy.

Does cream soda contain alcohol or caffeine?

Mainstream cream soda is non-alcoholic. Caffeine varies: many brands are caffeine-free, some contain it. Again, the label is the only reliable answer.

How is cream soda different from regular soda?

Compared with cola or lemon-lime soda, cream soda is sweeter, vanilla-forward and has less citrus bite. It is also not the same as root beer, which is flavored with a different set of herbal and spice flavors.

Organic and craft cream soda

Smaller brands may use cane sugar, real vanilla extract or other flavorings and may be sold as organic. Their lists are usually shorter, but sugar content is still high in most regular versions.

Check the label for

• Sweetener type and total sugar per serving
• Caffeine, dairy, coconut or other allergens listed by the maker
• Artificial colors and preservatives if you want to avoid them