I’m going to teach you how to make Sprite the healthy way, but I also want to give you a few alternative ingredients so you can customize your homemade sprite recipe to fit your taste! My simple recipe includes fresh fruit, mineral water, a small amount of sugar and my secret weapon, fresh mint!
Spring is in the air and I’m here. for. it. Whether it be warm patio nights or hot summer days, my favorite summer playlist, kids playing outside till dark-I LOVE the end of the cold weather season. With warmer temps comes renewed energy. I think we all feel a bit of a rush and I say we ride that wave. While we’re harnessing all this good energy, a light (vitamin C rich) sparkling drink is the perfect refreshment! My homemade Sprite recipe is easy to whip up and oh so refreshing. Plus, it won’t add to your waistline right before swimsuit season!
There are many homemade versions of the refreshing drink Sprite (or Sierra Mist) but my new recipe is a better way to quench your thirst without sacrificing your health. Soft drinks can wreck your health and are a habit worth ditching asap.
I was playing around with making my own homemade Sprite without the high fructose corn syrup and other scary ingredients. I had seen several pinterest posts on it so I thought I would give it a go and I’m so glad I did.
You all-I sucked this down in about 2 seconds flat after I took the last picture. (as a side note-I concoct things, take the pictures while they are still uneaten, unused and pretty then I try them. I’ve got lots of pictures that were a bust, lol!)
Why Make Your Own Sprite?
Making your own Sprite is a fun way to get creative, get healthy and indulge yourself all at the same time. Like all soft drinks, Sprite is not good for you and according to the American Heart Association, men should only have 36 grams of sugar and women 25 grams a day.
Guess what? One 12 ounce can of Sprite has 38 grams of sugar!
Loading up on sugar increases your risk of diabetes, heart disease, gut issues and more. Not to mention weight gain. I don’t know about you but if I’m going to eat a large amount of sugar, I would much rather chew it than drink it. I’ve have had a lot of bad habits in my life but I’ve always managed to stir clear of pop except one night a week. Drinking your sugar and calories is a quick way to pack on the pounds. It’s also a quick way to lose weight too if you can quit them!
When I make my own homemade Sprite, I adjust the sugar levels so that I don’t take in a ton of sugar but I still get that light refreshing citrus tang!
What Do They Make Sprite Out Of?
The main ingredients in Sprite are water, high-fructose corn syrup, and natural lemon and lime flavors. It also contains citric acid, sodium citrate, and sodium benzoate, which act as preservatives. One thing to remember as well is that when a product lists “natural flavors”, this can mean absolutely anything and the majority of the time couldn’t be further from natural. They just don’t have to list it because it can fall under the guise of natural.
Sprite is actually caffeine-free. However, since it contains 38 grams of sugar per 12 ounces, the blood sugar spike and jolt of energy from the sugar can imitate the feeling of a caffeine boost.
Ingredients In Homemade Sprite:
The base of this recipe will always be soda water. You can use Lacroix, Pellegrino, Perrier, Topo Chico, Mountain Valley, Canada Dry, Schweppes etc.
My daughter got a Soda Stream recently so I now use that for my carbonated water. It works great but I do not enjoy using the flavor you can buy for it. It really is best to stay natural and use fresh lemon and lime juices.
Natural Ways to Sweeten Up Your Homemade Sprite:
My healthy version is not very sweet so if you’d like to sweeten it up you might consider adding simple syrup, cranberry juice, orange juice or even pink lemonade! By adding different fruit juice you can easily adjust the drink with natural flavors to give it a different taste.
How to Make Simple Syrup:
Simple Syrup is another option. Making simple syrup is incredibly easy. It is made by boiling 1 cup of water and 1 cup of sugar over medium heat. Once the mixture starts to boil remove from heat. You can keep it in the fridge for about a month and prolong it’s shelf life further by adding 1 ounce of vodka.
The point of simply syrup is that you don’t have to worry about sugar not dissolving.
Simple syrup can be used in lemonade, mojitos, daiquiris and even iced coffee!
Homemade simple syrup can be added to my homemade Sprite recipe 1 tablespoon at a time.
Fun Garnish to Spice up Your Sprite:
- Black Berries
- Raspberries
- Blueberries
- Cranberries
- Lemon Slices
- Lime Slices
- Orange Slices
- Frozen Grapes
- Mint Leaves
This recipe is a great drink for summer-It’s so refreshing and when garnished it is so pretty! You might even want to pair it with my yummy tapenade recipe!
More Fun Healthy Recipes!
Homemade Sprite-A Healthy Alternative
Learn how to make Homemade Sprite with natural ingredients. This yummy (and easy) alternative to Sprite will not only quench your thirst, it will also boost your health!
Ingredients
- 1 TBSP. lime Juice
- 1 TBSP. lemon Juice
- 1.5 cups Sparkling Water
- 1 packet of sugar (I used Sweet Leaf but you could go for Stevia, raw honey, simply syrup or real sugar)
- Fresh Mint
- Blackberries or Raspberries
- Handful of ice
Instructions
- Add lemon and lime juice to 1.5 cups of sparkling water.
- Stir in sugar. (raw honey was my first choice but can be hard to dissolve in cold)
- Add ice.
- Garnish with mint and berries.
- Enjoy!
Notes
I prefer to juice a lime and lemon. I add all the juice from each.
If you're like me and love the mint, you might want to muddle it at the bottom to bring out more flavor.
Making your own custom Sprite is absolutely the perfect summer drink! Oh and for those nights mama needs a little help? A splash of vodka or tequila does the trick!
So easy and quick and you’ve ditched the unnatural, sugar filled Sprite! Cheers to warmer nights ahead!
xx, Jenni
P.S. Don’t skip on the fresh mint because mint doesn’t seem like it goes with your own Sprite recipe-It totally makes the drink!
PIN IT!!
How is this healthier when this is literally just Do It Yourself Sprite just as you said just garnished with a few berries? Fizzy/sparkling Water is carbonated water…. Remove the sugar in the recipe maybe?
M.- Sprite is FULL of high fructose corn syrup (GMO sugar) along with a long list of unnatural ingredients including flavoring and preservatives. Just cutting high fructose corn syrup is a huge plus. Not to mention-berries are full of antioxidants and a healthy additive anytime!
Could it work with agave nectar?? Triyng to avoid sugar ….
Ana-For sure!!
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I do this all the time when I am working! Sometimes I even bring liquid stevia with me because it blends so easily. Never thought to add the mint…super excited to try this Jenni…thanks!
Elizabeth! Hi! How are you? Yes, mint is a weird addition but it turned out to be a really good one!
These recipes are a perfect balance of taste and nourishment. They prove that healthy food can be satisfying and satisfyingly delicious.
I’m grateful for the inclusion of allergy-friendly recipes in your collection. It’s a thoughtful gesture that ensures everyone can enjoy delicious and nourishing meals.