What is the difference between ginger beer soda and ginger ale soda?
Yes, ginger ale is a soda: USDA lists it under carbonated beverages, with 34 kcal and 8.76 g carbohydrate per 100 g. Ginger beer is a similar ginger soft drink; McGill University's Office for Science and Society says ginger beer tastes more strongly of ginger, while ginger ale has a faint ginger note. Old-style ginger beer was fermented and could contain alcohol, so check the label.
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In this article
Is ginger ale a soda?
Yes. USDA FoodData Central lists it as “Beverages, carbonated, ginger ale”. Per 100 g it has 34 kcal, 8.76 g carbohydrate and no fat or protein. A 12 fl oz can or bottle weighs 366 g in USDA data, which works out to about 124 kcal and 32 g carbohydrate (our calculation).
What is the difference between ginger beer and ginger ale?
McGill University’s Office for Science and Society says both are soft drinks made by adding carbon dioxide to ginger-flavoured sugar water, and both tested acidic at about pH 3.0 to 3.5. The main difference is intensity: ginger ale has “a faint trail of ginger”, while ginger beer is much more intense.
Does ginger beer have alcohol?
McGill says ginger beer used to contain 11% alcohol because it was fermented, with yeast working together with a bacterium of the Lactobacillus genus. Modern bottles vary. We found no government rule in the pages we opened that sets an alcohol level for ginger beer, so read the label if alcohol matters to you.
How does ginger ale compare with club soda and Sprite?
| Per 100 g (USDA) | Calories | Carbohydrate |
|---|---|---|
| Ginger ale | 34 kcal | 8.76 g |
| Sprite (lemon-lime, no caffeine) | 40 kcal | 10.14 g |
| Club soda | 0 kcal | 0 g |
Club soda is plain carbonated water with no ginger flavoring in the USDA record, so it is not the same as ginger ale. Ginger ale and Sprite are separate products with different flavors.
We found no official source on how much real ginger any brand uses; the ingredient list on the pack is the only reliable answer.
Is ginger ale better than soda?
We found no official source that ranks ginger ale as better or worse than other sodas. USDA data show it is similar to regular cola in calories and lower in caffeine.
| Per 100 g (USDA) | Ginger ale | Regular cola |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 34 kcal | 42 kcal |
| Caffeine | 0 mg | 9 mg |
| Sodium | 7 mg | 3 mg |
The NHS says carbonated drinks are associated with dental erosion because of their acid, and that sugar is one of the main causes of tooth decay, so both are best limited. The NHS adult limit is 30 g of free sugars a day.
People also ask
Is ginger ale considered a soda?
Yes. USDA classes ginger ale under carbonated beverages, alongside club soda and lemon-lime soda.
Is ginger beer a soda?
Modern ginger beer is a carbonated soft drink according to McGill University, but traditional ginger beer was fermented and could be alcoholic. Check the label.
Is ginger ale the same as club soda?
No. USDA lists club soda with 0 kcal and 0 g carbohydrate per 100 g, while ginger ale has 34 kcal and 8.76 g carbohydrate.
Is ginger ale better than soda?
Ginger ale is itself a soda. USDA lists 34 kcal and 0 mg caffeine per 100 g versus 42 kcal and 9 mg for regular cola, but we found no official ranking of which is healthier.
Sources
- USDA FoodData Central: Beverages, carbonated, ginger ale (174846, via API), read 5 Nov 2026
- USDA FoodData Central: club soda (174842) and SPRITE lemon-lime (173206), via API, read 5 Nov 2026
- McGill Office for Science and Society: What is the difference between ginger ale and ginger beer?, read 5 Nov 2026
- USDA FoodData Central: Beverages, carbonated, cola, regular (FDC 174852), read 5 Nov 2026
- NHS: Are sweeteners safe?, read 5 Nov 2026
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