Does Squirt Soda Have Caffeine? (Actual Amounts Examined)

Squirt Soda Secrets Revealed: Is It Truly Caffeine-Free?

So, to answer "Does Squirt have caffeine?" in short, only one flavor does.[1]

The original Squirt and Squirt Zero Sugar do not contain caffeine, whereas the Ruby Red Squirt does have small amounts of caffeine, about 39 mg per serving.

If you are looking for a caffeine-free soda, I recommend going for the regular Squirt or Squirt Zero Sugar as your mixer or drink of choice.

Alternatively, you can simply enjoy a Ruby Red Squirt in moderation and earlier in the day to avoid the negative effects that can occur when you consume caffeine late at night.

Here is a table breaking down the caffeine levels of each refreshing flavor in 12 fl oz servings.

The Inside Story Of Squirt (History, Nutrition & Ingredients)

History

Squirt soda was initially invented by Herb Bishop out in Phoenix, Arizona, back in 1938.[2]

The citrus soda was originally marketed as a mixer for cocktails, but soon, the citrus-flavor soft drink became popular in its own right.

Diet Squirt, which was released in 1987, was the first soda in the US to be flavored with aspartame.

Currently, Squirt Soda is owned by Keurig Dr. Pepper and actively competes against other sodas like Fresca.

Ingredients

So what ingredients make drinking Squirt soda so good? The ingredients in Squirt soda are:

The Squirt ingredients for the diet version are slightly different:

The ingredients for Ruby Red Squirt soft drink are:

In other words, the main difference in Squirt ingredients between the Zero Sugar and the original comes down to the sweeteners and sugar content. 

The original Squirt soda uses high fructose corn syrup to sweeten the real concentrated grapefruit juice.

The Squirt Zero Sugar version swaps that out for aspartame and acesulfame potassium. The other ingredients are the same.

As you can see, Squirt caffeine is a listed ingredient for the Squirt Ruby Red flavor, making it the only Squirt brand citrus-flavored soft drink to have caffeine.

If you are watching your sugar intake, it may be best to quench your thirst with the Zero Sugar edition of the classic beverage.

Nutrition Facts

Regardless of whether you are counting calories or keeping an eye on your caffeine intake, it is a good idea to know the nutrition of your beverage.

Knowing what you are drinking and the recommended serving size can help you make healthy choices for your diet and lifestyle.

Here are the nutritional facts for a 20 fl oz serving size of each flavor:

Squirt Zero

Squirt Grapefruit

Squirt Ruby Red

Will Squirt Soda Tip The Scales Towards Weight Gain?

If you are watching your figure, it is easy to wonder if this refreshing grapefruit flavor drink could cause you to gain weight.

Whether someone’s weight fluctuates depends on a range of factors, including diet, lifestyle, genetics, and other external or internal elements.[3]

Gaining weight is often caused by, among other things, someone eating more calories than they burn - therefore, to lose weight would mean burning more calories than you consume. The latter is known as creating a calorie deficit.[4]

Soda, like many things in life, should be enjoyed in moderation due to its high sugar content. In fact, a 12 fl oz can of Squirt has 140 calories and 38g of sugar.

However, just a single 12 fl oz serving of Squirt soda is not enough to make you gain or lose weight - a variety of lifestyle and diet habits help decide that.

If you are concerned about adding Squirt soda to your diet, try limiting your consumption or opting for the Zero Sugar version of the soft drink.

Caffeine In Squirt Soda Vs Other Popular Sodas

As Squirt is caffeine free for most of its flavors, it is actually at the very low end of the scale when compared with the rest of the soda market.

A 12 fl oz Ruby Red Squirt has significantly less caffeine than a cup of coffee and is about average compared with Squirt’s competitors.

Nonetheless, I was curious to see how Squirt's caffeine levels compared with the likes of Coca-Cola and other beverage flavors. Here is a table of what I have discovered so far.

Related Squirt Soda Questions

Does Squirt contain real grapefruit juice?

Squirt does contain real grapefruit juice - however, less than 2 percent of the ingredients are the natural flavors of concentrated grapefruit juice.

What soda is the same as Squirt?

There are a few brands of soda or sparkling water that are similar to Squirt, such as Citra or Fresca.

Is Squirt Soda vegan?

The citrus-flavored soft drink Squirt Soda is vegan and does not contain animal-derived ingredients.

Was Diet Ruby Red Squirt discontinued?

Like many other soda companies, Keurig Dr. Pepper recently changed the name of Diet Ruby Red Squirt to Zero Sugar Ruby Red Squirt. While not popular on the store shelves, it has not been discontinued. Try finding the person who stocks Squirt soda in-store or the local Keurig Dr. Pepper rep and seeing if they can order some for you.

Conclusion

Most flavors of Squirt soda are caffeine free except for Ruby Red Squirt, which contains a small amount of caffeine (39 mg) which is comparable to other caffeinated soft drinks.

Whether you are looking for a unique taste to shake up your cocktails or a way to moderate your caffeine consumption throughout the day, Squirt Soda is a delicious drink for grapefruit lovers everywhere.

References:

1. https://www.squirtsoda.com/
2. https://web.archive.org/web/20100527234232/http://www.drpeppersnapplegroup.com/brands/squirt/
3. https://www.healthline.com/health/weight-gain-unintentional#treatment
4. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/calorie-deficit#eating-fewer-calories