To avoid adding beverage calories, compare the Nutrition Facts labels for the same serving size, then replace the amount of sugary drink you actually consume with an equal amount of a lower-calorie diet or sugar-free drink. Check the whole container: its servings may not match the single serving listed on the label. The calorie difference between those portions—not a guaranteed weight-loss amount—is what the swap saves.
Compare the drinks you actually consume
Start with your usual drink and portion. This includes soda, sweetened coffee or tea, energy and sports drinks, and fruit drinks. On each package, compare calories for the same volume and check added sugars, serving size, and servings per container. If you drink an entire bottle, calculate using the number of servings in that bottle rather than assuming the label describes the whole thing. The CDC’s label-reading guidance can help you identify sugary drinks and interpret the serving information.
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As a reference point—not a value that applies to every beverage—the CDC says a 12-ounce regular soda has about 42 grams of added sugar and about 150 calories from sugar. Recipes and package sizes differ, so use the product label for your own comparison.
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Make the swap without increasing calories
- Record your normal portion. Note the drink and how much you have, including any refills or oversized cups.
- Compare equivalent amounts. Use the calories and serving sizes on both labels to work out the calories in the portions you would actually drink. Check the diet or sugar-free version rather than assuming every product has the same calorie count.
- Replace, rather than add. Have the diet drink instead of the sugary drink in the same format and portion. Adding it alongside your usual drink would not make the substitution described here.
- Watch what happens later. The swap reduces total daily calories only if the beverage calories are not offset by extra food or drinks. The American Heart Association notes that calorie intake elsewhere can affect the result; see its guidance on low-calorie sweeteners.
If a direct switch does not feel workable
Reduce the amount of sugary drink gradually, or try plain or sparkling water, water with fruit, or unsweetened coffee or tea. The AHA’s practical drink-reduction guidance suggests cutting back gradually. Water has no calories, according to the CDC.
#1 Best Overall
- 9 Flavor Zero Sugar & Diet Assortment – Enjoy a refreshing mix featuring Sprite Zero Sugar, Minute Maid Zero Sugar Lemonade, Diet Coke, Coca-Cola Zero Sugar, Coca-Cola Cherry Zero Sugar, Fanta Orange Zero Sugar, Fresca, Seagram’s Zero Sugar Ginger Ale, and Fresca Peach Citrus. Two cans of each flavor for the perfect balanced sampler.
- Zero Sugar Refreshment – Enjoy all the crisp, bold flavors you love with zero sugar and diet options, making this the perfect choice for calorie-conscious lifestyles, low carb diets, and reduced sugar needs.
- Perfect for Any Event or Gathering – Ideal beverage solution for parties, birthdays, BBQs, corporate meetings, holidays, game nights, family gatherings, and special events where variety keeps everyone happy.
- Great for Home, Office & On-the-Go – Convenient 12 oz cans fit easily in lunch boxes, coolers, refrigerators, and breakrooms. Keep your fridge stocked with flavorful choices for guests and coworkers.
- Crowd-Pleasing Flavor Variety – From classic cola and cherry cola to lemon-lime, citrus, peach, orange, lemonade, and ginger ale — there’s a refreshing option for every taste preference.
For adults who habitually drink sugary beverages and do not initially prefer water, the AHA’s 2018 advisory describes low-calorie-sweetened drinks as a possible replacement strategy—not a universally best choice. Its discussion is about substitution, not a recommendation to add diet drinks to an existing routine. Read the advisory at Low-Calorie Sweetened Beverages and Cardiometabolic Health.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What the calorie swap can—and cannot—tell you
If the diet drink has fewer calories than the same amount of the sugary drink, that difference is the beverage-calorie reduction for that substitution. It does not by itself predict a person’s change in body weight or establish that long-term weight management will improve.
Rank #2
- VARIETY PACK: Why buy one soda brand or flavor when you can sample and enjoy five of the most popular flavors around? This assorted pack includes 6 different brands and flavor of soda.
- REGULAR OR DIET SODA PACK: These soft drink packages include Coca Cola, Pepsi, Dr. Pepper, Mountain Dew, Sprite & Schweppes Ginger Ale, or Diet Coke, Pepsi, Dr. Pepper & Sprite and Fresca.
- STOCK YOUR OFFICE FRIDGE: Getting refreshments for a varied crowd is tricky. How can you satisfy everyone’s palate? With our variety pack everyone can get the soda pop they love.
- SEND A CARE PACKAGE: These are perfect packages to send to college students, kids in camp, soldiers or even to bring to a pot luck or to host a party. Give the gift of choice & variety!
- SAMPLER KIT: Whether you are in college dorm, restocking the kitchen fridge, camping, hiking or looking to please a group or crowd, this sample bundle gives you the power of choice!
The CDC says replacing sugar-sweetened beverages with drinks containing sugar alternatives may reduce calorie intake in the short term, while the effectiveness of those drinks for long-term weight management remains uncertain. Its population estimate that U.S. adults consumed an average of 145 calories from sugar-sweetened beverages per day refers to data from 2011–2014, not an estimate for an individual reader. See the CDC’s Fast Facts on Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Consumption.
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1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsWHO’s 2023 recommendation not to use non-sugar sweeteners for weight control or noncommunicable-disease risk reduction is conditional and has a defined scope; it is not a finding that every diet beverage is unsafe. WHO says the recommendation does not apply to people with pre-existing diabetes. It addresses using non-sugar sweeteners for those health goals, rather than whether a particular product has fewer calories than its sugary counterpart. Read WHO’s explanation of the recommendation for its scope.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- GINGER ALE & SPLASH OF REAL JUICE: Canada Dry Fruit Splash Cherry Ginger Ale is a crisp, refreshing ginger ale made with a splash of real juice.
- RELAXING & REFRESHING: Sip into your comfort zone with an ice-cold Canada Dry Fruit Splash Cherry Ginger Ale. It’s the perfect drink to make your escape even better.
- CARBONATED SODA: Canada Dry Fruit Splash Cherry Ginger Ale, a crisp, carbonated ginger ale that tickles your senses with flavor.
- CAFFEINE FREE: Canada Dry Fruit Splash is available in Zero Sugar and Regular, is made with a splash of real juice, is caffeine free, and has no artificial flavors.
- COCKTAIL MIXER: Mix to make delicious cocktails or simply sit back and relax with Canada Dry Fruit Splash Cherry Ginger Ale over ice all by itself.
Rank #4
- Diet Coke is the soda that makes taking a break better
- Cold and crispy with bold flavor that's never boring, Diet Coke soft drinks know how to keep things interesting
- Find some me time with a refreshing Diet Coke
- Reliable, timeless, and always ready when you want it, Diet Coke is a carbonated soft drink with 46mg of caffeine per 12 fl oz serving
- 12 pack, 12 fl oz cans of Diet Coke, a diet soda pop with no calories for all your go-to moments
Rank #3
- COMPLETE VARIETY ASSORTMENT – Includes 24 total 7.5 fl oz cans Each pack includes 24 total 7.5-fluid-ounce cans: Coca-Cola Classic x6, Cherry Coke x3, Diet Coke x3, Coke Zero Sugar x3, Fanta Orange x3, Seagram’s Ginger Ale x3, and Sprite x3.
- PERFECT FOR EVENTS & PARTIES – Ideal for birthdays, holidays, barbecues, tailgates, corporate events, graduation parties, and family gatherings.
- GREAT FOR EVERYDAY ENJOYMENT – Stock your refrigerator for daily meals, packed lunches, after-school drinks, and convenient home refreshment.
- IDEAL FOR OFFICE & BUSINESS USE – Perfect for breakrooms, waiting areas, vending resale, concession stands, and customer hospitality
- CROWD-PLEASING FLAVOR OPTIONS – Includes regular, cherry, zero-sugar, diet, citrus, and ginger ale options to accommodate different taste preferences.
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