{"id":605377298738,"title":"Starry Soda Review: Even Unhealthier Than Pepsi?","created_at":"2023-05-06T19:10:34-04:00","body_html":"\u003cscript type=\"application\/ld+json\"\u003e\/\/ \u003c![CDATA[\n{\n \"@context\": \"https:\/\/schema.org\",\n \"@type\": \"Article\",\n \"headline\": \"Starry Soda Review: Even Unhealthier Than Pepsi?\",\n \"keywords\": \"starry soda, starry soda review, starry soda reviews, pepsi starry soda, starry lemon lime soda, what is starry soda, starry soda pepsi, who makes starry soda, when did starry soda come out, is starry good soda, is starry soda good, what is starry soda replacing, starry lemon-lime soda, starry soda ingredients\",\n \"description\": \"Our research team analyzes the ingredients in Starry soda based on medical studies to give our take on whether the drink is healthy or unhealthy, how it compares to Pepsi, and we feature real, unsponsored customer reviews including taste tests.\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/blogs\/health\/starry-soda-review\",\n\"author\": {\n \"@type\": \"Person\",\n \"name\": \"Calloway Cook\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/pages\/calloway-cook\",\n \"sameAs\": \"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/calloway-cook\/\",\n \"jobTitle\": \"President\",\n \"knowsAbout\": \"entrepreneurship, dietary supplements, herbal supplements, eCommerce, medical research\",\n \"alumniOf\": {\n \"@type\": \"EducationalOrganization\",\n \"name\": \"S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University\"\n },\n \"memberOf\": {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Illuminate Labs\"\n }\n},\n\"editor\": {\n \"@type\": \"Person\",\n \"name\": \"DJ Mazzoni\",\n \"honorificSuffix\": [\n \"M.S.\",\n \"R.D.\",\n \"C.D.N.\",\n \"C.S.C.S.\"\n ],\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/pages\/dj-mazzoni\",\n \"sameAs\": [\n \"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/dj-mazzoni-rd-cdn-cscs-00a33038\/\",\n \"http:\/\/djmazzoni.com\/\"\n ],\n \"jobTitle\": \"Medical Reviewer\",\n \"knowsAbout\": \"exercise, drugs, pharmaceutical, health, workout, strength and conditioning, nutrition, dietetics, medicine, medical research, scientific research, scientific method, healthcare, patient care, wellness\",\n \"alumniOf\": {\n \"@type\": \"EducationalOrganization\",\n \"name\": [\n \"State University of New York College Oswego\",\n \"D’Youville College\"\n ]\n },\n \"memberOf\": {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Illuminate Labs\"\n }\n},\n\"image\": {\n\"@type\": \"ImageObject\",\n\"url\": \"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0047\/1524\/9737\/files\/Starry_Soda_Thumbnail.png?v=1683414817\",\n\"width\": \"2676\",\n\"height\": \"2676\"\n},\n\"citation\": [\n\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/20516261\/\", \n\"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/blogs\/health\/poppi-soda-review\",\n\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC6097542\/\",\n\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC3620743\/\",\n\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/21130826\/\",\n\"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/blogs\/health\/is-diet-coke-bad-for-you\",\n\"https:\/\/www.ams.usda.gov\/sites\/default\/files\/media\/Flavors%20nonsynthetic%202%20TR.pdf\"\n],\n\"mentions\": [{\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Pepsi\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Brand\",\n \"name\": \"Sierra Mist\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Thing\",\n \"name\": \"high fructose corn syrup\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Thing\",\n \"name\": \"added sugar\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Thing\",\n \"name\": \"preservative\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Brand\",\n \"name\": \"Dr. Livingood\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Brand\",\n \"name\": \"SomethingNew\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Walmart\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Target\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Amazon\"\n }\n],\n\"datePublished\": \"2023-05-06\",\n\"copyrightHolder\": {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Illuminate Labs\"\n},\n\"publisher\": {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Illuminate Labs\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/\",\n \"description\": \"Illuminate Labs is the most transparent supplement company in the U.S., and is a leading publisher of research-based health information.\",\n \"knowsAbout\": \"supplements, science, nutrition, exercise, health, medication, pharmaceutical, wellness, diet, weight loss, medical research\",\n \"publishingPrinciples\": \"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/pages\/editorial-guidelines\",\n \"memberOf\": [\n {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"U.S. Chamber of Commerce\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/www.uschamber.com\/\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Certified B Corp\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/www.bcorporation.net\/en-us\/\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Natural Products Association\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/www.npanational.org\/\"\n }\n ],\n \"logo\": {\n \"@type\": \"ImageObject\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0047\/1524\/9737\/files\/Illuminate_Labs_Favicon_48x48_7595c3cc-e27b-47b8-a4fe-edcc7ed9b29a.png?v=1666502785\", \n \"width\": 48,\n \"height\": 48\n},\n \"foundingDate\": \"2019-01-30\",\n \"sameAs\": [\n \"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/illuminatelabs\",\n \"https:\/\/twitter.com\/illuminatelabs\",\n \"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/illuminate-labs-supplements\",\n \"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCpgSJAsIPb-fZ25djtTxBEA\"\n ]\n }\n}\n\/\/ ]]\u003e\u003c\/script\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0047\/1524\/9737\/files\/Starry_Soda_Review_Article_Header_Image_Optimized.png?v=1683414417\" alt=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"dc\"\u003eS\u003c\/span\u003etarry is a lemon-lime flavored soda brand launched by Pepsi in 2023 that’s been heavily advertised and is intended to replace Sierra Mist. The brand advertises that their drink is “caffeine free” and that it “hits different.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eBut what’s actually in Starry Soda? Is it even unhealthier than Pepsi? What retailer sells it for the best price? And how do real users rate and describe its taste and effects?\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eIn this article we’ll answer all of these questions and more as we analyze the ingredients in Starry Soda based on medical studies to give our take on whether the drink is bad for you. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWe’ll compare the ingredients in Starry Soda to Pepsi, provide a cost breakdown featuring which retailer sells Starry Soda for the best price, and highlight real, unsponsored Starry Soda user reviews including taste tests.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eIngredient Analysis\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0047\/1524\/9737\/files\/Starry_Soda_Ingredients_Optimized.png?v=1683414432\" alt=\"Starry soda ingredients\" style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe ingredients in Starry Soda are shown above.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThere are no ingredients we consider to be healthy, as this product provides basically no nutritional value. There are several ingredients we consider questionable from a health perspective.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eHigh fructose corn syrup\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e is used as a sweetener, and this highly processed ingredient was shown in a \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/20516261\/\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003emedical review\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e published in the \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eJournal of the American College of Nutrition\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e \u003cb\u003eto increase the risk for obesity and other negative health outcomes even more than standard caloric sweeteners like table sugar.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eA 20 ounce (oz) Starry Soda contains 65 grams (g) of \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003eadded sugar\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e, which is over 100% of the Daily Value (DV) in one single serving.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eAs we documented in our review of \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/blogs\/health\/poppi-soda-review\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003ePoppi Soda\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e, consuming added sugar in excess is associated with increased risk of obesity, cardiovascular disease and diabetes.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eCitric acid\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e is a preservative and flavor enhancer that’s typically derived from a fungus when used in food manufacturing, according to a \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC6097542\/\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003emedical review\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e published in the \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eToxicology Reports\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e journal.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe same review documented how citric acid caused whole-body inflammatory reactions in some individuals.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eNatural flavor\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e is a better option than artificial flavor, but a 2013 \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC3620743\/\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003emedical review\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e documented toxicity concerns with some natural flavoring chemicals and their metabolites.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003ePotassium benzoate\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e is another preservative which was \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/21130826\/\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eclinically shown\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e to be clastogenic (DNA-damaging), mutagenic (potential for genetic mutation) and cytotoxic (toxic to living cells).\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eClearly Starry Soda contains a number of unhealthy additives, but how bad could one can of soda per day be? A fascinating YouTube video in the next section will explain.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eHow Much Does One Daily Soda Harm the Body?\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eA YouTube video from “Dr. Livingood” cites a large number of research on the surprising health effects of only one daily soda:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/jeqiOKNznaE\" title=\"YouTube video player\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" allowfullscreen=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eStarry Soda vs. Pepsi\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0047\/1524\/9737\/files\/Pepsi_Ingredients_Optimized_867e87ff-bf71-4577-9b9f-c165128a9f2a.png?v=1683414472\" alt=\"Pepsi ingredients\" style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe ingredients in Pepsi are shown above.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eStarry has slightly less added sugar (65 g vs. 69 g) and calories (240 vs. 250).\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eBoth drinks contain high fructose corn syrup, natural flavor and citric acid, all of which we consider to be unhealthy as outlined in the ingredient analysis section.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eThe main difference is that Pepsi is free of the second preservative potassium benzoate, but contains phosphoric acid, which was clinically shown to be associated with significantly lower blood calcium levels\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e, as we documented in our article on the \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/blogs\/health\/is-diet-coke-bad-for-you\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eharmful ingredients in Diet Coke\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e (another soda that contains this ingredient).\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eOverall, we consider Starry Soda to be slightly healthier than Pepsi due to its reduced sugar and calorie levels, but we consider both drinks to be unhealthy.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eHow do real users rate the taste and effects of Starry? We’ll review in the next section.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eReal, Unsponsored Starry Soda User Reviews\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eA YouTube creator named “SomethingNew” compared the taste of Starry to Sprite:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/vIbtqtjcI7Y\" title=\"YouTube video player\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" allowfullscreen=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eA TikTok creator and food reviewer called “munchwithdes” rates Starry on a “like it\/love it\/hate it” scale:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cblockquote class=\"tiktok-embed\" cite=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@munchwithdes\/video\/7188995215531838766\" data-video-id=\"7188995215531838766\" style=\"max-width: 325px; min-width: 325px;\"\u003e\n\u003csection\u003e\u003ca target=\"_blank\" title=\"@munchwithdes\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@munchwithdes?refer=embed\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"\u003e@munchwithdes\u003c\/a\u003e Let’s try Starry, a new lemon-lime soda from Pepsi! Adios, Sierra Mist! \u003ca title=\"starry\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/starry?refer=embed\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"\u003e#starry\u003c\/a\u003e \u003ca title=\"foodie\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/foodie?refer=embed\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"\u003e#foodie\u003c\/a\u003e \u003ca title=\"tastetest\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/tastetest?refer=embed\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"\u003e#tastetest\u003c\/a\u003e \u003ca title=\"drinkreview\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/drinkreview?refer=embed\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"\u003e#drinkreview\u003c\/a\u003e \u003ca target=\"_blank\" title=\"♬ Monkeys Spinning Monkeys - Kevin MacLeod \u0026amp; Kevin The Monkey\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/music\/Monkeys-Spinning-Monkeys-6746993352891189249?refer=embed\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"\u003e♬ Monkeys Spinning Monkeys - Kevin MacLeod \u0026amp; Kevin The Monkey\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/section\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cscript async=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/embed.js\"\u003e\u003c\/script\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eWhere to Buy Starry Soda for the Best Price\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eStarry Soda is sold at a variety of retailers, both online and in-person.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eDue to shipping costs, in-person is likely to have better prices for single orders but online may have better cost savings for bulk orders (where shipping is often free).\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eHere’s a price breakdown at the time of publishing this article for a 10-pack of 7.5 oz Starry cans:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWalmart: $10.99 (plus $15 shipping)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eTarget: $6.59 (plus $9.99 shipping)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eAmazon: \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e$5.78 (free shipping\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e depending on plan – \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca rel=\"sponsored\" href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3VFQV0D\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003elink to official Amazon listing\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWhen considering shipping charges, Starry is currently 78% cheaper on Amazon’s site than on Walmart’s site.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eOur Healthy Soda Pick\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0047\/1524\/9737\/files\/Healthy_Soda_Image_Updated.png?v=1682393294\" alt=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca rel=\"sponsored\" href=\"https:\/\/llamamamaworld.com\/collections\/all?sca_ref=3606861.BQHKyYzgp0\"\u003eLlama Mama\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eis our healthy soda pick.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe brand uses zero added sugars, and instead flavors their prebiotic sodas with nutritious whole food ingredients like\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eorganic camu camu\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eand\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eorganic clementine\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOne serving provides 5 g of dietary fiber (Diet Coke has no fiber), and the brand uses organic flavors rather than natural flavors. \u003cspan\u003eWe consider this a higher standard of safety and purity based on USDA \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ams.usda.gov\/sites\/default\/files\/media\/Flavors%20nonsynthetic%202%20TR.pdf\"\u003eguidelines\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e for flavoring ingredients.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eDietary fiber may have the opposite effect of high fructose corn syrup.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC6768815\/\"\u003emedical review\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003epublished in\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe Journal of Nutrition\u003c\/em\u003e found that moderate caloric restriction (750 calories per day below baseline) combined with dietary fiber intake (a minimum of 20 grams per day) caused an average weight loss of 16.03 pounds over 6 months.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThat’s a pace for \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003e32 pounds per year\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e of weight loss in overweight individuals simply by adding fiber to a moderately-restricted-calorie diet.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInterested consumers can check out Llama Mama prebiotic sodas\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca rel=\"sponsored\" href=\"https:\/\/llamamamaworld.com\/collections\/all?sca_ref=3606861.BQHKyYzgp0\"\u003eat this link\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eto the brand's official website.  \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003ePros and Cons of Starry Soda\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eHere are the pros and cons of Starry Soda in our opinion:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003ePros:\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eCheap\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eMay be slightly healthier than Pepsi\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWidely available \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eMost online reviewers claimed the taste was good or great\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eFree of artificial flavors\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eCons:\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eContains high fructose corn syrup\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eMore added sugar than recommended in an entire day\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eContains preservatives\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eContains flavoring chemicals\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eSoda may be generally unhealthy\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eCan’t purchase directly on brand’s website\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eConclusion\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eStarry soda is slightly healthier than Pepsi based on our ingredient analysis, but we consider the drink to be unhealthy overall.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eIt contains a large amount of added sugar, preservatives and other questionable inactive ingredients like citric acid.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eStarry has essentially no nutritional value other than the “empty” calories it provides.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eSome clinical studies suggest that drinking one can of soda daily can have surprisingly negative health effects, and we’d recommend that consumers with a penchant for soda try fruit-based sodas instead, which are typically higher in nutrients and lower in sugar.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eMost of the reviews of Starry soda that we came across online which included taste tests were favorable.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eFor consumers intent on purchasing Starry, Amazon currently has the best prices for online orders although it’s likely cheaper to buy single cans in stores.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","blog_id":49281925193,"author":"Calloway Cook","user_id":26601750601,"published_at":"2023-05-06T19:17:59-04:00","updated_at":"2023-05-06T19:18:35-04:00","summary_html":"We analyze the ingredients in Starry soda based on medical studies to give our take on whether the drink is healthy or unhealthy, how it compares to Pepsi, and we feature real, unsponsored customer reviews including taste tests.","template_suffix":"","handle":"starry-soda-review","tags":"_related:nutrition"}

Starry Soda Review: Even Unhealthier Than Pepsi?

Starry Soda Review: Even Unhealthier Than Pepsi?


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Starry is a lemon-lime flavored soda brand launched by Pepsi in 2023 that’s been heavily advertised and is intended to replace Sierra Mist. The brand advertises that their drink is “caffeine free” and that it “hits different.”

But what’s actually in Starry Soda? Is it even unhealthier than Pepsi? What retailer sells it for the best price? And how do real users rate and describe its taste and effects?

In this article we’ll answer all of these questions and more as we analyze the ingredients in Starry Soda based on medical studies to give our take on whether the drink is bad for you. 

We’ll compare the ingredients in Starry Soda to Pepsi, provide a cost breakdown featuring which retailer sells Starry Soda for the best price, and highlight real, unsponsored Starry Soda user reviews including taste tests.

Ingredient Analysis

Starry soda ingredients

The ingredients in Starry Soda are shown above.

There are no ingredients we consider to be healthy, as this product provides basically no nutritional value. There are several ingredients we consider questionable from a health perspective.

High fructose corn syrup is used as a sweetener, and this highly processed ingredient was shown in a medical review published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition to increase the risk for obesity and other negative health outcomes even more than standard caloric sweeteners like table sugar.

A 20 ounce (oz) Starry Soda contains 65 grams (g) of added sugar, which is over 100% of the Daily Value (DV) in one single serving.

As we documented in our review of Poppi Soda, consuming added sugar in excess is associated with increased risk of obesity, cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

Citric acid is a preservative and flavor enhancer that’s typically derived from a fungus when used in food manufacturing, according to a medical review published in the Toxicology Reports journal.

The same review documented how citric acid caused whole-body inflammatory reactions in some individuals.

Natural flavor is a better option than artificial flavor, but a 2013 medical review documented toxicity concerns with some natural flavoring chemicals and their metabolites.

Potassium benzoate is another preservative which was clinically shown to be clastogenic (DNA-damaging), mutagenic (potential for genetic mutation) and cytotoxic (toxic to living cells).

Clearly Starry Soda contains a number of unhealthy additives, but how bad could one can of soda per day be? A fascinating YouTube video in the next section will explain.

How Much Does One Daily Soda Harm the Body?

A YouTube video from “Dr. Livingood” cites a large number of research on the surprising health effects of only one daily soda:

Starry Soda vs. Pepsi

Pepsi ingredients

The ingredients in Pepsi are shown above.

Starry has slightly less added sugar (65 g vs. 69 g) and calories (240 vs. 250).

Both drinks contain high fructose corn syrup, natural flavor and citric acid, all of which we consider to be unhealthy as outlined in the ingredient analysis section.

The main difference is that Pepsi is free of the second preservative potassium benzoate, but contains phosphoric acid, which was clinically shown to be associated with significantly lower blood calcium levels, as we documented in our article on the harmful ingredients in Diet Coke (another soda that contains this ingredient).

Overall, we consider Starry Soda to be slightly healthier than Pepsi due to its reduced sugar and calorie levels, but we consider both drinks to be unhealthy.

How do real users rate the taste and effects of Starry? We’ll review in the next section.

Real, Unsponsored Starry Soda User Reviews

A YouTube creator named “SomethingNew” compared the taste of Starry to Sprite:

A TikTok creator and food reviewer called “munchwithdes” rates Starry on a “like it/love it/hate it” scale:

@munchwithdes Let’s try Starry, a new lemon-lime soda from Pepsi! Adios, Sierra Mist! #starry #foodie #tastetest #drinkreview ♬ Monkeys Spinning Monkeys - Kevin MacLeod & Kevin The Monkey

Where to Buy Starry Soda for the Best Price

Starry Soda is sold at a variety of retailers, both online and in-person.

Due to shipping costs, in-person is likely to have better prices for single orders but online may have better cost savings for bulk orders (where shipping is often free).

Here’s a price breakdown at the time of publishing this article for a 10-pack of 7.5 oz Starry cans:

Walmart: $10.99 (plus $15 shipping)

Target: $6.59 (plus $9.99 shipping)

Amazon: $5.78 (free shipping depending on plan – link to official Amazon listing)

When considering shipping charges, Starry is currently 78% cheaper on Amazon’s site than on Walmart’s site.

Our Healthy Soda Pick

Llama Mama is our healthy soda pick.

The brand uses zero added sugars, and instead flavors their prebiotic sodas with nutritious whole food ingredients like organic camu camu and organic clementine.

One serving provides 5 g of dietary fiber (Diet Coke has no fiber), and the brand uses organic flavors rather than natural flavors. We consider this a higher standard of safety and purity based on USDA guidelines for flavoring ingredients.

Dietary fiber may have the opposite effect of high fructose corn syrup.

A medical review published in The Journal of Nutrition found that moderate caloric restriction (750 calories per day below baseline) combined with dietary fiber intake (a minimum of 20 grams per day) caused an average weight loss of 16.03 pounds over 6 months.

That’s a pace for 32 pounds per year of weight loss in overweight individuals simply by adding fiber to a moderately-restricted-calorie diet.

Interested consumers can check out Llama Mama prebiotic sodas at this link to the brand's official website.  

Pros and Cons of Starry Soda

Here are the pros and cons of Starry Soda in our opinion:

Pros:

  • Cheap
  • May be slightly healthier than Pepsi
  • Widely available 
  • Most online reviewers claimed the taste was good or great
  • Free of artificial flavors

Cons:

  • Contains high fructose corn syrup
  • More added sugar than recommended in an entire day
  • Contains preservatives
  • Contains flavoring chemicals
  • Soda may be generally unhealthy
  • Can’t purchase directly on brand’s website
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Conclusion

Starry soda is slightly healthier than Pepsi based on our ingredient analysis, but we consider the drink to be unhealthy overall.

It contains a large amount of added sugar, preservatives and other questionable inactive ingredients like citric acid.

Starry has essentially no nutritional value other than the “empty” calories it provides.

Some clinical studies suggest that drinking one can of soda daily can have surprisingly negative health effects, and we’d recommend that consumers with a penchant for soda try fruit-based sodas instead, which are typically higher in nutrients and lower in sugar.

Most of the reviews of Starry soda that we came across online which included taste tests were favorable.

For consumers intent on purchasing Starry, Amazon currently has the best prices for online orders although it’s likely cheaper to buy single cans in stores.




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