How Much Sugar Is In Dr.Pepper? Dr. Pepper is one of America’s favourite soft drinks, but it has an unfortunate amount of sugar in it, even worse than Coca-Cola, which might come as a surprise to many. To answer the question about how much sugar is in Dr Pepper, we’ve researched this question and presented our results below.
HOW MUCH SUGAR IS IN DR PEPPER
A single Coke has 41 grams of sugar, and a single Pepsi has 39 grams. Other popular soft drinks like Dr Pepper, Sprite, and Mountain Dew have 36-38 grams per single serving.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture recommends that men consume no more than nine teaspoons (36 grams) per day and women should consume no more than six teaspoons (24 grams) per day.
If a person consumes just one 20-ounce bottle of Soda, they will have consumed 150 grams (almost ten teaspoons) of sugar and upwards of 240 calories.
A person drinking just one Soda per day would exceed sugar intake recommendations by 50 per cent.
This only considers one type of sugary beverage; if a person drinks more than one soft drink, they will exceed their recommended daily limits even further.
Eating a healthy diet and exercising regularly will help a person maintain a healthy weight, reducing or eliminating many health risks. Combining these habits with limiting sugary beverages will help ensure a long and healthy life.
If a person drinks a 20-ounce bottle of Soda every day, they will consume more sugar than recommended Doctor. They are also likely to gain weight and expose themselves to several health risks.
HOW MUCH SUGAR IS IN A 20 OUNCE DR PEPPER
A 20-ounce serving of Dr Pepper has 39 grams of sugar, about ten teaspoons. That’s a lot! You need to eat 13 bowls of Frosted Flakes cereal to get that much sugar.
It can be hard to avoid all sugary beverages, but it’s a good idea to limit your consumption. That’s because research shows that if you have more than one sugary drink per day, your risk for obesity goes up by 30%.
According to the Harvard School of Public Health, women should consume no more than six teaspoons of added sugar per day (about 100 calories).
If you love Soda, try switching to a diet or drinking half a soda mixed with water. For men, it’s nine teaspoons (about 150 calories). You’ll be giving your body a big blessing! You’ll be doing your body a big favour!
For more information on how much sugar you get from your favourite drinks, check out our Eat This, Not That! Book series.
Now that you know how much sugar there is in your favourite drinks, which ones do you do more harm than good?
For more tips on which foods to cut out, check out our exclusive report on The Top 20 Worst Food Additives.
Or order our #1 bestseller, Eat This, Not That!, and find out the food swaps that will save you thousands of unnecessary calories and keep your blood sugar balanced.
HOW MUCH SUGAR IS IN A 12OZ DR PEPPER
A 12oz can of Dr. Pepper contains 39g of sugar. This is more than the sugar you should consume in a day, which is 37g for women and 50g for men. The serving size of fruit juice has about 24g, and a 12oz can of cola has 43g.
A can of Dr Pepper contains 39g of sugar, which is less than a cup (8oz) of Coca-Cola, but more than 12oz cans of Pepsi (37g), Diet Coke (33g), or Sprite (35g). The serving size of fruit juice has about 24g, and a 12oz can of cola has 43g.
For comparison, a 12oz can of Pepsi contains 41g of sugar, while a 12oz can of Diet Pepsi has 0g. That’s because aspartame—the artificial sweetener in Diet Pepsi—can be 200x sweeter than table sugar.
A 12oz can of Mountain Dew contains 55g of sugar, and a 12oz can of Coca-Cola has 59g. That’s twice as much sugar as a Dr Pepper, despite having ten fewer grams of total sugar per serving!
The bottom line? A 12oz can of Mountain Dew contains 55g of sugar, while a 12oz can of Coca-Cola has 59g. Neither one has much to do with Soda and plenty to do with diabetes.
To reduce your sugary soda intake, replace these drinks with water or unsweetened iced tea.
You’ll still get the same carbonation and a refreshing feeling without all that extra sugar. Remember: healthy habits take time, so don’t beat yourself up if you have an occasional drink that might not align with your new lifestyle choices.
DR PEPPER ORIGNAL INGREDIENTS
The original recipe for Dr Pepper was created in 1885 by pharmacist Charles Alderton and included a combination of carbonated water, sugar, vanilla extract, caffeine, and other natural flavours.
The use of high fructose corn syrup became widespread with the introduction of New Coke in 1985.
The ingredients of Coca-Cola include carbonated water, high fructose corn syrup, caramel colour, phosphoric acid, natural flavours, citric acid, and caffeine.
Each 12 fl oz can contain approximately 140 calories from 30 grams of carbohydrates (26 grams of sugar).
Diet Coke ingredients contains a different combination of sweeteners. An 11.5 fl oz can have 42 grams of carbohydrates and 40 mg of caffeine per serving. A 20 fl oz bottle has around 200 grams of carbs and 240 milligrams of caffeine.
Drinking just one 20 fl oz bottle may be equivalent to eating an entire pie! In contrast, a 6-ounce glass of unsweetened grape juice or orange juice only contains 24 grams of sugar and 105 calories.
According to these numbers, drinking Soda instead of juice seems much worse if you’re trying to watch your weight.
To calculate how much sugar you consume daily, keep track of what you eat and drink over several days. In addition to juice and Soda, look for other added sugar sources.
Next time you drink a soda, look at its nutrition label. To lose weight, consume less than 40 grams of added sugar daily.
If that seems like a lot, don’t worry: it will start to appear more reasonable after you cut back on your soda consumption.
Instead of reaching for sugary drinks when you’re thirsty or craving something sweet, try water flavoured with a squeeze of lime or lemon.
| The drink was named after Doctor. Charles T. Alderton became very popular. | Dublin native John Pemberton and Atlanta native Asa Griggs Candler - had just developed |
|---|---|
| In 1885, he left his job as a pharmacist to focus on developing his drink. | A new product called Coca-Cola. |
| In 1891, Alderton partnered with two brothers-in-law. | When it came time to choose a name for the new soda pop flavour, it seemed only natural to combine dope and cola, resulting in Dr. |
DR PEPPER INGREDIENTS
Diet Dr Pepper contains the following ingredients: carbonated water, caramel colour, aspartame, potassium benzoate (to protect taste), and natural flavour.
Diet soda contains artificial sweeteners like aspartame, a combination of two amino acids (phenylalanine and aspartic acid).
Aspartame has been consumed by billions of people with no known ill effects. However, it has also been blamed for hyperactivity in some children who consume large amounts. The bottom line here?
When you consume foods and drinks with artificial sweeteners, your body doesn’t register calories. So, it may increase cravings for sweets and starches.
If you’re trying to control your weight or manage diabetes, it’s best to avoid or limit diet soda consumption (about two cans per week).
Despite its sweet taste, diet soda doesn’t contain any natural sugar or calories. You might think you’re doing your body good when you drink a can of it.
But, research shows that artificial sweeteners are linked to an increased risk for cancer and diabetes.
They may even cause metabolic syndrome—a group of symptoms that increase heart disease and stroke risk.
One 12-ounce diet soda contains 9 teaspoons of sugar, 147 calories, and 39 grams of carbohydrates. That’s more than you’d find in a typical 20-ounce bottle of regular Coca-Cola.
Summary
Most soft drinks have the same amount of sugar, about 10 grams per 12 ounces. However, some sodas have more sugar than others. For example, a can of Coca-Cola has about 15 grams of sugar, and a can of Dr Pepper has about 12 grams.
DIET DR PEPPER INGREDIENTS
The ingredients for Diet Dr Pepper are carbonated water, caramel colour, phosphoric acid, aspartame (sweetener), potassium benzoate (preservative), caffeine. The sugar content is 0 grams.
Adding some ice to Diet Dr Pepper will have more sugar (ice contains calories). A 12 fl oz can of Diet Dr Pepper contains 39 grams of carbohydrates, which includes 13.8 grams of sugar (calories from carbs).
Just because there are no sugars does not mean it does not have calories. Diet Dr Pepper contains 0 grams of sugar and 100 calories per can.
Americans consume 21.8 teaspoons of added sugar per day (97.7 grams). Drinking too much added sugar can increase your risk of obesity, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes.
The body breaks down sugar into glucose, which provides energy for all activities. When you consume too many added sugars, you overload your blood with glucose because there isn’t enough room for it inside your cells. As a result, some of that sugar gets stored as fat.
The American Heart Association recommends consuming no more than six teaspoons (25 grams) of added sugar per day for women and nine teaspoons (38 grams) per day for men.
One 12 fl oz can of Diet Dr Pepper contains 100 calories and 13.8 grams of sugar, which means it’s about one-sixth as sweet as a typical soft drink.
DR PEPPER NUTRITION FACTS
It’s important to know what you’re drinking. In one can of Dr Pepper, there are 27 grams of sugar. That’s more than the maximum amount recommended for daily intake (24 grams).
If you’re drinking one can of regular Dr Pepper daily, that adds up to 54 teaspoons of sugar each week. And that’s before any other drinks or food!
You might wonder what’s in Dr Pepper that makes it so sugary. You’re right to ask because it seems unusual for a soda to contain so much sugar.
It has been found that every can of Coca-Cola contains around 16 teaspoons of sugar, while each can of Diet Coke contains about 1/3 teaspoon of sugar. This is almost as much sugar as a stick of chewing gum or five Oreo cookies!
In a can of regular Dr Pepper, 27 grams of sugar come from fructose corn syrup (26.9 grams), high fructose corn syrup (0.1 gram) and sucrose (0.1 gram).
Fructose and sucrose are added sugars you’ll find on an ingredients list, so it makes sense that they’re present in your Soda.
You’ll also notice that one can of Dr Pepper has 40 mg of caffeine. That’s about 3/4th of a cup of coffee or half a tea.
This isn’t surprising since Soda contains large amounts of sugar, which naturally occurs in large quantities in fruit juices and teas.
Next, look at how many calories are in one can of regular Dr Pepper. You’ll find that it contains 140 calories.
WHAT FLAVOUR IS DR PEPPER ORIGINAL
Dr. Pepper Original has always been the most popular flavour of the drink. The original recipe was invented by pharmacist Charles Alderton and first served at Morrison’s Old Corner Drug Store in Waco, Texas.
However, many other flavours are available, including Diet Dr Pepper, Cherry Vanilla Dr Pepper, Grape Dr Pepper, and Caffeine Free Dr Pepper, among others!
The drink was named after Doctor. Charles T. Alderton became very popular. In 1885, he left his job as a pharmacist to focus on developing his drink. In 1891, Alderton partnered with two brothers-in-law.
Dublin native John Pemberton and Atlanta native Asa Griggs Candler - had just developed a new product called Coca-Cola.
When it came time to choose a name for the new soda pop flavour, it seemed only natural to combine dope and cola, resulting in Dr.
Pemberton and Candler agreed to a 50-50 partnership and officially launched their cola drink. In 1892, Candler created what would become known as Coca-Cola, which was first sold for 5 cents a glass.
In 1923, The Coca-Cola Company bought out Pemberton’s one-third of their company for $750 000.
DR PEPPER FLAVORS
Dr Pepper was first introduced at a drugstore in Waco, Texas, on 23 September 1885. That’s right: it’s been around for more than 130 years.
And while it hasn’t always been called Dr Pepper, it has always been delicious. Created as a medicine - a carbonated beverage with medicinal ingredients - by pharmacist Charles Alderton, the drink was later renamed Dr.
What makes a Dr Pepper taste like a Dr Pepper? That’s largely thanks to 23 different flavours, divided into four groups: spices and fruit, bases and nuts, sweets, and others.
The spices and fruit group consists of cinnamon, honey, orange, and vanilla. The base and nuts group includes caramel flavours (from burnt sugar or corn syrup), peanut, tea, chocolate, and other nut flavours.
Many sweeteners are also listed as ingredients - including corn syrup solids, dextrose, and sucralose.
As well as these ingredients, natural and artificial colours are also added to create a distinctive red colour.
These include cochineal extract, an insect-based dye from crushed female cochineal bugs; Red 40 Lake; Red 4 Lake; sunset yellow FCF and Yellow 6 Lake.
Finally, several preservatives are added to help retain flavour, extend shelf life and reduce bacterial growth. These include calcium disodium EDTA and sodium benzoate.
Summary
Dr Pepper is a carbonated soft drink which contains high amounts of sugar. Carbonated water, high fructose corn syrup, caramel colour, aspartame, phosphoric acid and natural flavourings are all used to create the drink. Twelve fluid ounces of the product contain 39 grams of sugar.
Frequently Asked Questions
Some Important Questions For Your Knowledge:
1. Is there a lot of sugar in Dr Pepper?
The simple answer to this question is yes. A can of regular Dr Pepper contains 39 grams of sugar, which equals over ten teaspoons of sugar. This same amount of sugar could be found in a Snickers bar or six servings of Ben and Jerry’s ice cream.
2. How much sugar does a 12 oz Dr Pepper have?
The sugar content of a 12 oz Coke is 39g. The sugar content of a 12 oz can of Diet Coke is 40g. The sugar content of a 12 oz can of Dr Pepper is 45g.
3. Which sodas have the most sugar?
Soda consumption is one of the primary sources of added sugar intake for children and adults. A 12-ounce can of regular Soda contains up to 40 grams of sugar (or 160 calories). The World Health Organization recommends that people reduce their daily intake to around 25 grams or 100 calories.
4. Does Dr Pepper have more sugar than Coke?
No, Coke has more sugar than Dr Pepper. A 12 oz can of Coke has 39 grams of sugar, while a 12 oz can of Diet Coke has 46 grams.
5. How much sugar is in a 20 oz bottle of Dr Pepper?
A 20 oz bottle of Dr Pepper contains 39g of sugar. A 20 oz bottle of Pepsi contains 43g of sugar, while a 20 oz bottle of Coca-Cola contains 46g. The American Heart Association recommends limiting your intake to less than 25g of added sugars per day for women and less than 37.5g for men. That’s about six teaspoons per day for women and nine teaspoons for men. If you drink one 20 oz bottle of Dr Pepper daily, that would be 16 teaspoons per day - which is more than half the recommended amount!
6. How many teaspoons of sugar are in Dr Pepper?
There are about 27.3 grams of sugar per serving size, which is about 52 milligrams of sugar. This might not seem like a lot, but one teaspoon of sugar contains about 4 grams or 16 milligrams, so you’re getting more than double the amount of sugar in one can.
7. What is the healthiest Soda?
Soda can be bad for your health, but not all sodas are created equal. But when it comes to the actual sugar content of different sodas, there is a bit of a difference. Diet soda has been shown to increase the risk of developing diabetes, heart disease and stroke, so it’s best to drink with caution. It’s also important to note that fruit juices contain natural sugars and should also be consumed in moderation.
8. What Soda has the least sugar?
If you are trying to cut down on the amount of sugar that you consume, it may be helpful to know what sodas have the least amount of sugar. Below is a list of five different soda brands with the least amount of sugar.
9. How much sugar is OK in a day?
Every day, the average American consumes about 22 teaspoons of sugar. The American Heart Association recommends that only 6-9 teaspoons of sugar should be consumed each day. So, what’s the deal with Dr Pepper? It contains about 40 grams of sugar per 12 ounces or 10% of your daily intake! That’s not even counting the other sugary drinks you may consume throughout the day.
10. What two sodas make Dr Pepper?
The two sodas that make up the original recipe of Dr. Pepper are sugar and caffeine-free cola, carbonated water and caramel colour. Pharmacist Charles Alderton created the recipe in 1885 at Morrison’s Old Corner Drug Store on the square in Waco, Texas. It was first sold as a medicine to aid with stomach issues.
Conclusion
The total sugar content of a can of Dr Pepper is 18 grams, which equates to 7 teaspoons of sugar. This sugar would provide a person with more than their daily recommended intake and significantly increase the risk of obesity and diabetes. If you’re looking for ways to reduce sugar intake, try substituting Soda with water or a lower-sugar drink like juice or coffee.