Soda by Processing Level
L1
Minimally Processed
Simple sparkling water with natural flavors. Minimal ingredients.
183
3% of 6,805
L1Minimally Processed
183
3% of 6,805
Simple sparkling water with natural flavors. Minimal ingredients.
L2
Processed
Natural sodas with cane sugar and natural flavors or extracts.
1,851
27% of 6,805
L2Processed
1,851
27% of 6,805
Natural sodas with cane sugar and natural flavors or extracts.
L3
Highly Processed
HFCS, artificial flavors, preservatives, or caramel color.
2,326
34% of 6,805
L3Highly Processed
2,326
34% of 6,805
HFCS, artificial flavors, preservatives, or caramel color.
L4
Ultra-Processed
Highly processed with artificial sweeteners, colors, and many additives.
2,445
36% of 6,805
L4Ultra-Processed
2,445
36% of 6,805
Highly processed with artificial sweeteners, colors, and many additives.
Least Processed Soda Options
Top-rated soda products with minimal processing and high nutrition scores.
Ginger Ale Caffeine Free Soda, Ginger Ale
Wave Soda
4.57.0
Classic Sparkling Tonic Root Beer, Classic
Olipop
5.06.0
Banana Cream Soda, Banana Cream
Olipop
5.06.0
Lemon Lime Soda, Lemon Lime
Olipo
5.06.0
Classic Root Beer Sparkling Soda
Olipop
5.06.0
Cherry Cola Soda, Cherry Cola
Olipop
5.06.0
Crisp Apple Soda, Crisp Apple
Olipop
5.06.0
Lemon Lime Soda, Lemon Lime
Olipop
5.06.0
Original Yogurt Soda, Original
Abali
2.05.5
Drinking Vinegar Soda
4.05.0
Tart & Bubbly Soda, Drinking Vinegar
4.05.0
Evolution Fresh, Organic Lemon and Ginger Juice Drink, Spicy Lemonade
3.05.0
How to Choose Less Processed Soda
What to Look For
- Short ingredient list. Best sodas have carbonated water, natural flavors, perhaps natural sweeteners
- Low processing score. Look for sodas with processing scores under 5.0 (sparkling water typically scores 1.0-2.0)
- Natural sweeteners. If sweetened, stevia is more natural than artificial sweeteners or HFCS
- Sparkling water alternatives. Sparkling water with natural flavors or splash of juice as better options
- Cane sugar over HFCS. If choosing regular soda occasionally, cane sugar is slightly better than HFCS
Red Flags to Watch For
- High fructose corn syrup (HFCS). Highly processed sweetener linked to metabolic issues
- Artificial sweeteners. Aspartame, sucralose, acesulfame K are highly processed and controversial
- Artificial colors. Caramel color, Red 40, Yellow 5, and other synthetic dyes
- Preservatives. Sodium benzoate and other preservatives indicate higher processing
- Excessive sugar. 12 oz soda typically contains 35-40g sugar (8-10 teaspoons), exceeding daily limits
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