Home/Guides/Sugar in Soda, Juice & Sports Drinks
A can of soda looks harmless. Pour its sugar into a bowl instead of a glass and it's a small mountain, not a splash. Regular soda, a lot of juice, and some sports and energy drinks carry enough sugar to use up a whole day's recommended limit in one serving. Here's exactly how much, in grams and in teaspoons you can picture.
How much sugar is in soda, juice and sports drinks?
Here's the reference list: common sodas, a typical juice, and popular sports and energy drinks, by their usual serving size, converted from grams into teaspoons (about 4.2 g each) so the number means something at a glance.
| Drink | Serving | Sugar | Teaspoons |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monster Energy (Original) | 473 ml can | 54 g | 12.8 tsp |
| Coca-Cola Classic | 355 ml can | 39 g | 9.3 tsp |
| Soda (typical cola) | 330 ml can | 35 g | 8.3 tsp |
| Sports drink (large bottle) | 500 ml | 30 g | 7.1 tsp |
| Red Bull Energy Drink | 250 ml can | 27 g | 6.4 tsp |
| Juice | 240 ml glass | 22 g | 5.3 tsp |
| Gatorade Thirst Quencher | 240 ml (label serving) | 14 g | 3.4 tsp |
| Water | 250 ml | 0 g | 0.0 tsp |
| Diet Coke | 355 ml can | 0 g | 0.0 tsp |
A single 12-ounce can of Coca-Cola Classic (about 39 g, over 9 teaspoons) already clears the American Heart Association's recommended added-sugar limit for a whole day, for men and women alike.
How much added sugar is actually a lot?
The American Heart Association puts a daily ceiling on added sugar, not sugar in general: about 25 g (6 teaspoons) for women and 36 g (9 teaspoons) for men. That's the whole day, from every source, not just drinks.
| Recommended daily maximum | Grams | Teaspoons |
|---|---|---|
| Women | 25 g | 6 tsp |
| Men | 36 g | 9 tsp |
Measure a can of Coca-Cola Classic or a typical 330 ml soda against that and the math is blunt: one can, and you're already close to, at, or past your day's limit, before a slice of cake or a spoon of ketchup gets anywhere near you.
Is juice sugar the same as soda sugar?
Not exactly, and the difference matters. Most of a soda's sugar is added, syrup poured in during manufacturing. Most of a juice's sugar occurs naturally: it's the fruit's own fructose, concentrated once the water and pulp are squeezed out. The American Heart Association's limit is specifically about added sugar, so by that definition, straight juice barely counts against it.
Your body doesn't read the label, though. Once that fructose is dissolved in a glass with no fiber left to slow it down, it hits your bloodstream on a curve not far from soda's added sugar. A 240 ml glass of juice runs about 22 g (5.3 teaspoons), not far under a full can of soda. Juice earns points for vitamins and potassium a soda never had. It doesn't earn a pass on sugar.
Where do sports and energy drinks fit?
Sports drinks were designed to replace electrolytes lost in sweat, not to double as dessert, and it shows on the label: Gatorade's official serving (240 ml) carries about 14 g (3.4 teaspoons), modest next to soda. But that serving is a small glass, and most people don't stop there mid-workout; a full bottle runs the number up fast.
Energy drinks don't get the same pass. A 250 ml Red Bull carries about 27 g (6.4 teaspoons), and a 473 ml Monster Energy carries roughly 54 g (12.8 teaspoons), nearly a can and a half of Coca-Cola Classic in one drink. If you're reaching for an energy drink instead of a coffee, sugar is very often the trade you're making, caffeine or not.
How to check the sugar in your own drink
None of the averages above are your can, your bottle, or your gym-bag choice. Our honest answer: look up your actual serving instead of eyeballing it against a table. That's why we built the Sugar in Drinks tool, free, no account: pick a drink, pick your serving size, and see the grams and teaspoons side by side, sourced the same way as the numbers above.
It sits next to Brim, our hydration tracker, for a reason. Brim credits every drink you log by how well it actually hydrates you (Premium for anything past water), not by sugar. Sugar and hydration aren't the same question, and conflating them is how a sports drink ends up rated "healthy" or "bad" for the wrong reason. Knowing both numbers, separately, is what actually helps you choose.
Key takeaways
A single can of regular cola (about 8 to 9 teaspoons) can use up a whole day's AHA-recommended added sugar for a woman, and come close for a man.
Energy drinks are the worst of this group; a 473 ml Monster Energy carries close to 13 teaspoons, more than any soda here.
Juice's sugar is mostly natural, not added, but your body still processes it like sugar once the fiber is gone.
Sports drinks look modest on the official label; most people drink more than that. Check your own bottle with the free Sugar in Drinks tool.
Frequently asked
How much sugar is in a can of soda?
A 355 ml can of Coca-Cola Classic carries about 39 g of sugar (9.3 teaspoons); a typical 330 ml soda runs close behind at about 35 g (8.3 teaspoons). Either one uses up most or all of a day’s AHA-recommended added-sugar limit.
Is the sugar in juice as bad as the sugar in soda?
Not by the American Heart Association’s definition, since juice’s sugar is mostly natural, not added. But once it’s in a glass with the fruit’s fiber gone, your body processes it on a similar curve; a 240 ml glass carries about 22 g (5.3 teaspoons).
How much added sugar should I have in a day?
The American Heart Association recommends a maximum of about 25 g (6 teaspoons) a day for women and 36 g (9 teaspoons) for men, from every source combined, not just drinks.
Do sports drinks and energy drinks carry the same sugar?
No. Gatorade’s official 240 ml serving carries about 14 g (3.4 teaspoons), modest by comparison. Energy drinks run much higher: a 473 ml Monster Energy carries roughly 54 g (12.8 teaspoons).
Does Brim track how much sugar I drink?
No, Brim credits drinks by hydration, not sugar (Premium for anything beyond water). For sugar specifically, use the free Sugar in Drinks tool linked in this guide.
Keep reading
Sources
- 1.USDA FoodData Central (2026)
- 2.Manufacturer nutrition labels (Coca-Cola, Red Bull, Monster Energy, Gatorade/PepsiCo) (2026)
- 3.American Heart Association, added sugar recommendations (2026)
