Sugar and Acidity or pH of common drinks

Please note: Battery acid is listed below only for purposes of comparison, and should never be confused for any reason as a beverage.

The pH scale measures the acidity or alkalinity of a solution with pure water in the middle at neutral pH 7. The lower the pH, the stronger the acid.

Drink or Substance (12 oz. serving) Acid pH Tsp. Sugar
Water 7.0 (neutral) 0
Milk 6.7 1
Barq’s Root Beer 4 11
Minute Maid® Orange Juice 3.8 9
Propel® Fitness Water 3.4 1
Red Bull® Energy Drink 3.3 10
Sprite® 3.3 10
Mountain Dew 3.3 12
Diet Coke 3.1 0
Sierra Mist 3.1 10
Full Throttle Energy Drink 3 11
Diet Pepsi 3 0
Gatorade® 2.9 5
Sunkist® Orange Soda 2.9 13
Dr. Pepper 2.9 10
Vault™ Energy Soda 2.9 12
Mountain Dew AMP1 2.8 11
SoBe Energy Citrus 2.6 12
Minute Maid® Lemonade 2.6 10
Pepsi 2.5 11
Diet Schweppes Tonic Water 2.5 0
Coca-Cola Classic2 2.4 10
Battery Acid3 1 0

Footnotes:

1 Now called AMP Energy.

2 In some geographical areas of the U.S. and Canada known simply as “Coca-Cola.”

3 Battery Acid is NOT a drink.

Test by Dr. John Ruby, University of Alabama, Birmingham School of Dentistry, 2007

Minnesota Dental Association: Sip All Day, Get Decay.