What is grape soda and how is it made?
Grape soda is a sweetened, grape-flavored carbonated soft drink. In general it is made by mixing a syrup of sweetener, acid, flavor and color with carbonated water. USDA lists generic grape soda at about 160 calories and 42 g of carbohydrate in a 12 fl oz can.
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In this article
What is grape soda?
Grape soda is a carbonated soft drink flavored like grapes and usually colored purple. Most versions are not grape juice. Whether a product contains any juice is on the label, so check it.
How is grape soda made?
In general, soft drinks are made by blending a flavored syrup with carbonated water. We did not open a maker’s production page, so this is the usual outline rather than a specific brand’s process:
- Sweetener (sugar or high fructose corn syrup in many U.S. products) is dissolved in treated water to make a syrup.
- Acids such as citric acid, flavors and colors are added, along with preservatives in many products.
- The syrup is mixed with chilled water that has been carbonated with carbon dioxide, then filled into cans or bottles under pressure.
What is in grape soda?
Ingredients differ by brand and country. One retailer listing we saw for a U.S. grape soda included carbonated water, high fructose corn syrup, citric acid, natural flavors, preservatives and the colors Red 40 and Blue 1. A UK low-calorie grape soda listing showed 3% grape juice from concentrate, so content differs by product. Outside the U.S., products may use sugar or low-calorie sweeteners instead. Retail pages can be outdated, so read your own can.
Grape soda nutrition
USDA FoodData Central lists generic grape soda at 43 kcal and 11.2 g carbohydrate per 100 g, with no protein or fat. For a 12 fl oz can (372 g in USDA), that is about 160 kcal and 42 g carbohydrate (our calculation). Diet versions have far fewer calories; use the label.
Grape soda vs grape juice
| Per 12 fl oz (about) | Grape soda (generic) | Grape juice, unsweetened |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 160 | about 227 |
| Carbohydrate | 42 g | about 56 g |
| Fizz | Yes | No |
The juice column is our calculation from USDA’s 60 kcal and 14.8 g carbohydrate per 100 g, using 12 fl oz at 31.6 g per fl oz (about 379 g). Juice has more calories than soda per can. Juice has natural sugar and some potassium; soda has almost none. Neither is a low-sugar drink.
Can you make it at home?
Yes, by adding grape juice or syrup to plain sparkling water. It will have less sugar than most store soda if you control the amount.
People also ask
What is grape soda made of?
Carbonated water, a sweetener, acids, flavors and colors in most brands. Some contain a little grape juice; check the label.
How many calories are in a can of grape soda?
About 160 kcal for a 12 fl oz can, per USDA data for generic grape soda (our calculation). Brands and diet versions differ.
Is grape soda made from real grapes?
Usually not. Most grape sodas use flavoring rather than fruit, though some list grape juice concentrate.
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