Sprite vs. Fresca

 (2007)

G. Stolyarov II

See Mr. Stolyarov's Index of Selected Writings, Originally Published on Associated Content / Yahoo! Voices.

A sample image Note from the Author: I was commissioned to write this product review by Associated Content (which subsequently became Yahoo! Voices) in 2007. The article has enjoyed some popularity and has received over 1,600 views to date. Due to the closure of Yahoo! Voices in 2014, I render this article permanently available on this page.

~ G. Stolyarov II, July 21, 2014

I enjoy frequently drinking clear carbonated beverages, in part because of the advantage they offer in neutralizing the effects of spills. Spilling a Sprite on clothing or furniture will not leave stains, unlike most colored sodas. The refreshing lemon-lime flavor of Sprite also makes it preferable to common or mineral water in terms of taste. But the Coca-Cola Company also offers another clear soda with a different assortment of flavors: Fresca. Though less well-known than Sprite, Fresca has been around for almost as long; Sprite was introduced in the United States in 1961, and Fresca followed closely in 1963.

Sprite might have its diet versions (which are the only ones I drink), but Fresca never has any sugar in it; it is made with aspartame and concentrated grapefruit juice, leaving zero calories in every can. When purchasing Fresca, I need not worry about accidentally buying a "regular" version instead of the diet, because all Fresca is calorie-free. In 2005, the Coca-Cola Company made major improvements to the Fresca brand and introduced new flavors, among them my two favorites: Peach Citrus and Black Cherry. The original grapefruit flavor is also quite good and adds a welcome bit of variety to the kinds of tastes to be gotten from clear carbonated beverages.

Fresca seems to me to be somewhat less carbonated than Sprite, which renders it a milder drink and more suitable before and after athletic activity. Drinking a Sprite prior to running or riding a bicycle might be somewhat unsettling for the digestive system, but a Fresca will not have such discomforting effects. Both Sprite and Fresca are excellent portable drinks, precisely because they can be consumed without making a mess; one is much more likely to spill drinks in an outdoor or unfamiliar setting without the luxury of good tables or cupholders. When away from home, having a drink spilling which damages virtually nothing is always an advantage.

Unfortunately, the Fresca brand is not as widespread as Sprite; I have only been able to find it in Wal-Marts and major grocery stores. Most restaurants do not offer Fresca or Diet Sprite-though "regular" Sprite is often a choice. I would advise restaurant owners everywhere to begin offering these convenient, calorie-free beverages and thereby attract more health-minded, calorie-conscious customers who enjoy the flavor of clear carbonated beverages. If you are a restaurant owner, take this advice and start serving Fresca and Diet Sprite; I guarantee that such a decision will have a positive effect on your profits!

From an esthetic standpoint, Fresca cans are more appealing than most conventional soda cans; the creative and mathematically elaborate patterns of circles as well as the interesting color scheme render the cans visually appealing and even worthy of admiration. By comparison, the new Sprite logo, the fused lemon and lime, seems a bit primitive to me; it certainly conveys the message regarding Sprite's flavor, but the quality of the art is simply not there.

I suspect that Fresca is one of the Coca-Cola Company's "high-class" product lines, designed to appeal to customers who seek elegance as well as good taste in their carbonated beverages. It is light, pleasant, refreshing, interesting in taste, and leaves one wishing for and comfortable able to get a second helping. As a zero-calorie drink, it can be consumed in large volumes with impunity. As somewhat of a soda flavor connoisseur, I am of the opinion that Fresca is one of the best-tasting and most artfully designed brands out there. If I have to endure the misfortune of having the same soft drink preference as Lyndon Johnson (who considered Fresca his favorite drink), then so be it!


Gennady Stolyarov II (G. Stolyarov II) is an actuary, science-fiction novelist, independent philosophical essayist, poet, amateur mathematician, composer, and Editor-in-Chief of The Rational Argumentator, a magazine championing the principles of reason, rights, and progress. 

In December 2013, Mr. Stolyarov published Death is Wrong, an ambitious children’s book on life extension illustrated by his wife Wendy. Death is Wrong can be found on Amazon in paperback and Kindle formats.

Mr. Stolyarov has contributed articles to the Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies (IEET), The Wave Chronicle, Le Quebecois Libre, Brighter Brains Institute, Immortal Life, Enter Stage RightRebirth of Reason, The Liberal Institute, and the Ludwig von Mises Institute.

In an effort to assist the spread of rational ideas, Mr. Stolyarov published his articles on Associated Content (subsequently the Yahoo! Contributor Network and Yahoo! Voices) from 2007 until Yahoo! closed this venue in 2014. Mr. Stolyarov held the highest Clout Level (10) possible on the Yahoo! Contributor Network and was one of its Page View Millionaires, with over 3,175,000 views. Mr. Stolyarov’s selected writings from that era have been preserved on this page.

Mr. Stolyarov holds the professional insurance designations of Associate of the Society of Actuaries (ASA), Associate of the Casualty Actuarial Society (ACAS), Member of the American Academy of Actuaries (MAAA), Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter (CPCU), Associate in Reinsurance (ARe), Associate in Regulation and Compliance (ARC), Associate in Personal Insurance (API), Associate in Insurance Services (AIS), Accredited Insurance Examiner (AIE), and Associate in Insurance Accounting and Finance (AIAF).

Mr. Stolyarov has written a science fiction novel, Eden against the Colossus, a philosophical treatise, A Rational Cosmology,  a play, Implied Consent, and a free self-help treatise, The Best Self-Help is Free. You can watch his YouTube Videos.Mr. Stolyarov can be contacted at gennadystolyarovii@gmail.com.

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Learn about Mr. Stolyarov's novel, Eden against the Colossus, here.

Read Mr. Stolyarov's new comprehensive treatise, A Rational Cosmology, explicating such terms as the universe, matter, space, time, sound, light, life, consciousness, and volition, here.

Read Mr. Stolyarov's new four-act play, Implied Consent, a futuristic intellectual drama on the sanctity of human life, here.