Does Sprite Zero Have Aspartame? Yes, Plus Ace-K (vs Sprite)

Yes, Sprite Zero Sugar contains aspartame: it is the sixth ingredient on the 12 fl oz can, followed by acesulfame potassium. Per can, original Sprite lists 140 calories and 38 g of sugar, all added from high fructose corn syrup, while Sprite Zero Sugar lists 0 calories and 0 g of sugar. This page sets the two labels side by side so you can compare them directly.

Key takeaways:

• Per 12 fl oz can, Sprite has 140 calories, 38 g total sugars (all added, 76% DV), 65 mg sodium and no potassium listed. Sprite Zero Sugar has 0 calories, 0 g sugar, 35 mg sodium and 110 mg potassium.
• Sprite Zero Sugar contains aspartame as the 6th listed ingredient, with acesulfame potassium as the 7th.
• The cans differ in sweetener, benzoate salt and citrate salt. Both cans list a benzoate salt 'to protect taste' in the ingredient list. Carbonated water, citric acid and natural flavors are shared.
• Only Sprite Zero Sugar carries the 'PHENYLKETONURICS: CONTAINS PHENYLALANINE' statement. FDA says people with PKU should avoid or restrict aspartame.
• FDA lists aspartame and acesulfame potassium as approved sweeteners, and its scientists do not have safety concerns about aspartame used under the approved conditions.

Sprite Zero Sugar vs Sprite at a Glance: Calories, Sugar, Sodium and Sweeteners

Both products are the Sprite lemon-lime flavor in 12 fl oz cans, and the figures below are the per can values listed on the Coca-Cola US Sprite products page.

Per 12 fl oz can	Sprite (original)	Sprite Zero Sugar
Calories	140	0
Total carbohydrates	38 g (14% DV)	0 g
Total sugars	38 g	0 g
Added sugars	38 g (76% DV)	0 g
Sodium	65 mg (3% DV)	35 mg (2% DV)
Potassium	Not listed	110 mg (2% DV)
Sweeteners	High fructose corn syrup	Aspartame, acesulfame potassium
Benzoate salt	Sodium benzoate ('to protect taste')	Potassium benzoate ('to protect taste')
Citrate	Sodium citrate	Potassium citrate
Caffeine	Panel reads '100% NATURAL FLAVORS NO CAFFEINE'	Not in ingredient list; no explicit caffeine statement on the panel
PKU phenylalanine statement	Not carried	Carried

The Open Food Facts entry for the 12 fl oz original Sprite can lists the same ingredients, 140 kcal, 38 g sugars and 65 mg sodium per serving, which matches the brand page.

Calories and Sugar: 140 vs 0 Calories and 38 g vs 0 g Sugar Per Can

One 12 fl oz can of original Sprite has 140 calories, and one 12 fl oz can of Sprite Zero Sugar has 0 calories. The original Sprite can also lists 38 g of total carbohydrates (14% DV), and all 38 g of its sugars are added sugars.

The label puts the added sugars at 76% of the Daily Value. FDA sets the added sugars Daily Value at 50 grams per day based on a 2,000 calorie diet, so 38 g is 76% of 50 g. FDA also notes that for most Americans, the main sources of added sugars are sugar-sweetened beverages, baked goods, desserts and sweets. Those Daily Values are reference points for the whole day, not limits for a single can.

Sprite Zero Sugar lists 0 g of total carbohydrates, 0 g of total sugars and 0 g of added sugars per can.

Does Sprite Zero Sugar Have Aspartame? Where It Sits on the Ingredient List

Yes, Sprite Zero Sugar contains aspartame. On the Coca-Cola ingredient list, it is the sixth item, directly before acesulfame potassium, which is the seventh.

The full list reads: carbonated water, citric acid, potassium citrate, natural flavors, potassium benzoate (to protect taste), aspartame, acesulfame potassium. Original Sprite's listed ingredients do not include aspartame or acesulfame potassium.

Coca-Cola does not state how much aspartame or acesulfame potassium is in a can, so the label alone cannot tell you the sweetener amount per serving.

Sweeteners and Preservatives: High Fructose Corn Syrup, Aspartame and Benzoate Salts

Original Sprite is sweetened with high fructose corn syrup. Sprite Zero Sugar uses aspartame and acesulfame potassium instead.

FDA lists ADIs of 50 mg/kg bw/d for aspartame and 15 mg/kg bw/d for acesulfame potassium (FDA aspartame and other sweeteners page). An ADI describes average daily intake over a lifetime, and a single can is only one part of that total.

Both cans list a benzoate salt 'to protect taste'. Original Sprite lists sodium benzoate, and Sprite Zero Sugar lists potassium benzoate. The label does not disclose further detail.

Sodium and Potassium: 65 mg vs 35 mg Sodium and Sprite Zero's 110 mg Potassium

Per 12 fl oz can, original Sprite lists 65 mg of sodium (3% DV), and Sprite Zero Sugar lists 35 mg (2% DV).

Sprite Zero Sugar also lists 110 mg of potassium (2% DV). Potassium is not listed on the original Sprite panel, so no potassium comparison can be drawn from these two labels.

The panels list these sodium and potassium values, and the ingredient lists name the salts in each can: sodium citrate and sodium benzoate in original Sprite, and potassium citrate and potassium benzoate in Sprite Zero Sugar. People who track sodium or potassium for medical reasons may want to check the panel and discuss it with a health professional.

Full Ingredient Lists Side by Side: What Is Shared and What Differs

The two lists share three ingredients: carbonated water, citric acid and natural flavors. Their remaining ingredients differ.

• Original Sprite: carbonated water, high fructose corn syrup, citric acid, natural flavors, sodium citrate, sodium benzoate (to protect taste).
• Sprite Zero Sugar: carbonated water, citric acid, potassium citrate, natural flavors, potassium benzoate (to protect taste), aspartame, acesulfame potassium.
• Sweetener: high fructose corn syrup in Sprite; aspartame and acesulfame potassium in Sprite Zero Sugar.
• Benzoate salt: sodium benzoate in Sprite; potassium benzoate in Sprite Zero Sugar.
• Citrate: sodium citrate in Sprite; potassium citrate in Sprite Zero Sugar.

The original Sprite panel reads '100% NATURAL FLAVORS NO CAFFEINE'. The specific natural flavors used in either drink are not named on either label or on the product pages cited here.

Is Aspartame in Sprite Zero Sugar Safe? What the FDA Position Covers

FDA lists aspartame as an approved sweetener. FDA states that aspartame is 'one of the most studied food additives in the human food supply' and that its scientists do not have safety concerns when aspartame is used under the approved conditions.

These are regulatory positions, not guarantees for any individual.

Who Should Check the Label: The Phenylalanine Warning for People With PKU

Only Sprite Zero Sugar carries the statement 'PHENYLKETONURICS: CONTAINS PHENYLALANINE' on the label. The original Sprite label does not carry that statement.

FDA explains that phenylketonuria (PKU) is a rare genetic disorder that affects how people metabolize phenylalanine. FDA states that people with difficulty metabolizing phenylalanine because of PKU should avoid or restrict aspartame, and that labels must include a statement to inform people with PKU that the product contains phenylalanine.

People with PKU should follow guidance from their own care team. This article cannot assess how the phenylalanine in a single can would affect an individual.

Caffeine Labeling: Sprite's Panel Text and Sprite Zero Sugar's Ingredient List

The original Sprite label reads '100% NATURAL FLAVORS NO CAFFEINE'. Caffeine does not appear in the Sprite Zero Sugar ingredient list.

The Sprite Zero Sugar can panel does not carry an explicit caffeine statement. Readers who need that specific statement on the package should check the can they are holding.

How to Read a Sprite or Sprite Zero Sugar Can Label Yourself

Use this checklist on any can you compare:

• Confirm the serving size is 12 fl oz (one can) and that the flavor is the original lemon-lime, not a variant.
• Compare calories and the total sugars line, then check the added sugars line and its % Daily Value.
• Compare sodium, and check whether potassium is listed.
• Read the ingredient list in order, and note the sweetener, preservative and citrate names.
• Look for the PKU phenylalanine statement if phenylalanine is a concern for you or someone you care for.
• Look for a caffeine statement, and check the ingredient list for caffeine.

The figures here do not cover formulas outside the US, such as cane sugar or stevia versions, or fountain and restaurant Sprite Zero figures. Coca-Cola does not state how much aspartame or acesulfame potassium a can contains, and the specific natural flavors are not named for either drink.

Related Lemon-Lime and Diet Soda Comparisons to Read Next

If you want to keep comparing lemon-lime and diet sodas, these guides use the same label-first approach. Sprite vs 7UP: Sugar, Sodium and Ingredients Compared looks at Sprite against another lemon-lime soda. Fresca vs Diet Coke: Does Fresca Have Aspartame? Labels Compared covers another sweetener question. Fanta Orange vs Sprite: Why One Has Dyes and One Doesn't compares Sprite's label with a different flavor.

You can scan the can in your hand with the Aurascan app to see each ingredient on the label explained with cited sources.