Sprite ingredients: what's banned overseas?

About Sprite

Sprite is a lemon-lime flavored clear carbonated soft drink produced by The Coca-Cola Company, one of the top-selling soft drinks in the US. It is sold at grocery chains, mass retailers, and restaurants nationwide. Sprite is formulated without caramel color, making it transparently clear — a notable difference from cola beverages.

Common concerns with Sprite products

Sprite contains high-fructose corn syrup as the sweetener in its standard formulation, along with citric acid and natural flavors. Unlike cola-type sodas, Sprite does not contain caramel color or 4-MEI concerns. Diet Sprite/Sprite Zero uses aspartame and/or acesulfame-K as artificial sweeteners — both of which have raised health concerns in various studies, particularly with long-term consumption. Sprite is relatively clean compared to cola sodas, with HFCS as the primary concern.