When it comes to the ’’lightweight’’ sodas in the world, Sprite and 7up have been duking it out for market superiority for years. Both of these clear, citrus-flavored beverages have been around for a long time and have developed loyal followings.
Since this review is in response to a request for a comparison between the two beverages, I’ll list off what the two drinks have in common first. Both of these are clear, light beverages designed to quench the old thirst and be low on syrup. They are both flavored with small amounts of lemon and lime and have no caffeine. Since I have a four-year-old son who just loves soda, the idea of keeping as much caffeine out of that active child’s system as possible is appealing to me.
So, there are the similarities. What, then, are the differences? Truly, there’s not just a whole lot. Sprite was made in response to 7up and tastes like it. The main difference is that Sprite is just a little sweeter and heavier. 7up has a cleaner ’’finish’’ to it and the lower sugar content makes it more effective at quenching thirst. While both are straight-ahead, uncomplicated soft drinks, 7up is the simpler and most satisfying of the two.
That all translates into one thing -- both are fine on a hot day when one has worked up a thirst, but 7up is just a little bit better at quenching that thirst. Sprite does almost as good a job, but will appeal more to folks with a sweet tooth than 7up will.
That’s not to say that 7up is sour, because that’s not the case at all. It’s a light, tasty beverage, to be sure, and doesn’t go overboard on sugar or anything else. Sprite is just a little sweeter and tastes like it has more flavored syrup in it. The major ingredient in both of these, of course, is lots of carbonated water, but Sprite tastes like more syrup is mixed in than is used in 7up.
Now, one thing that impacts the availability of these beverages has to do with the distribution of them. Sprite is more common because it is a brand of Coca-Cola Bottling Co. in Charlotte, North Carolina (or, in my neck of the woods (i.e. Arkansas), that’s pronounced ’’Shah-lut, Nawth Keh-line-uh). Coca-Cola swings a big stick and is the largest non-alcoholic beverage company in the world. That being the case, it has Sprite everywhere in the U.S. and also ships the stuff internationally.
7up is a product of Dr. Pepper/Seven Up Inc. in Plano, Texas. That company is owned by Cadbury Schweppes plc in London. Now, Cadbury Schweppes is a large enough company, but doesn’t have nearly as much market share as Coca-Cola. So, finding 7up can be a bit more difficult.
In the end, I prefer Sprite. It’s sweeter and a bit heavier, and the carbonation really emphasizes the citrus notes in the drink. While 7up is perfectly fine, I prefer to cool down and relax after physical activity with a refreshing Sprite.