Does Squirt Have Caffeine? (2026)
Squirt is one of the longest-running grapefruit-flavored sodas on the American market, and it still generates a surprisingly common question: does it contain caffeine? For anyone tracking stimulant intake, managing a health condition, or selecting a beverage for a child, the answer matters more than casual curiosity might suggest.
This article provides a direct answer, examines Squirt’s place in the broader citrus soda category, and offers a full nutritional breakdown so that readers can make an informed decision at the shelf or the drive-through.
Caffeine Content in Squirt: The Direct Answer
Squirt contains zero milligrams of caffeine per serving. That applies to the original Squirt, Diet Squirt, and Ruby Red Squirt. The formulation has never included caffeine at any point in the brand’s history.
This is consistent with a general rule in the soft drink industry: citrus-flavored sodas almost never contain caffeine. Sprite is caffeine-free, as are 7UP, Sierra Mist (now Starry), and Fresca. The convention dates back decades. Cola-style beverages inherited caffeine from the kola nut, one of their original ingredients. Citrus sodas had no such botanical link, and manufacturers saw no reason to add a stimulant to a product positioned around light, refreshing flavor.
For individuals who are pregnant, nursing, sensitive to stimulants, or simply prefer to avoid caffeine in the afternoon and evening hours, Squirt is a safe selection. There is no fine print to worry about here.
What Is Squirt?
Squirt is a carbonated soft drink with a grapefruit citrus flavor. It was created in 1938 by Herb Bishop in Phoenix, Arizona. Bishop developed the soda as a mixer that required less fruit juice and less sugar than the cocktail preparations common at the time. The name reportedly came from the observation that the carbonation caused the drink to “squirt” when the bottle was opened.
The brand changed hands several times over the following decades. It moved through various bottling and distribution companies before landing with Dr Pepper/Seven Up, Inc. Today, Squirt is owned by Keurig Dr Pepper, the conglomerate formed by the 2018 merger of Keurig Green Mountain and Dr Pepper Snapple Group. Keurig Dr Pepper manages a portfolio that includes Dr Pepper, 7UP, Sunkist, A&W, and Canada Dry, among others.
Squirt occupies a niche position. It is not a mass-market titan like Coca-Cola or Pepsi, but it maintains devoted regional followings, particularly in the American Southwest and in Mexico, where it is one of the most popular soft drinks in the country. Mexican Squirt, often made with cane sugar rather than high-fructose corn syrup, has developed its own cult following among American consumers who seek it out at specialty grocers and import shops.
The Grapefruit Soda Market
Grapefruit soda is a small but persistent segment of the carbonated beverage market. Squirt’s primary competitors include Fresca (owned by The Coca-Cola Company), Jarritos Toronja (a Mexican import), and Ting (a Jamaican grapefruit soda). Wink, once produced by Canada Dry, has largely disappeared from shelves.
Fresca is the closest mainstream competitor. It launched in 1966 as a calorie-free, sugar-free grapefruit citrus soda and has positioned itself as a diet-friendly option. Unlike Squirt, which contains sugar in its original formulation, Fresca has always been a zero-calorie product. Both are caffeine-free.
The grapefruit flavor profile appeals to consumers who find cola too heavy and lemon-lime too mild. Grapefruit offers bitterness and tartness that other citrus sodas do not provide, giving Squirt a distinctive character. That bitterness also makes it a popular mixer for cocktails, particularly the Paloma, a tequila-based drink that is enormously popular in Mexico and has gained significant traction in American bars and restaurants.
Nutritional Profile of Squirt
Below is the nutritional breakdown for a standard 12-ounce (355 mL) can of original Squirt. Values may vary slightly depending on the production facility and regional formulation.
| Nutrient | Amount (12 fl oz) |
|---|---|
| Calories | 160 |
| Total Fat | 0 g |
| Sodium | 35 mg |
| Total Carbohydrates | 42 g |
| Total Sugars | 41 g |
| Added Sugars | 41 g |
| Protein | 0 g |
| Caffeine | 0 mg |
The ingredient list for original Squirt typically reads: carbonated water, high fructose corn syrup, citric acid, concentrated grapefruit juice, sodium benzoate (preservative), natural flavors, modified food starch, glycerol ester of rosin, yellow 5, and brominated vegetable oil (in some older formulations, though many producers have phased this out).
A few points worth noting:
- Sugar content is high. At 41 grams per can, Squirt is comparable to most non-diet sodas. That exceeds the American Heart Association’s recommended daily limit of 25 grams of added sugar for women and 36 grams for men.
- It contains actual grapefruit juice. The amount is small — concentrated grapefruit juice appears after high fructose corn syrup and citric acid on the ingredient list — but it is present. This is relevant for individuals taking medications that interact with grapefruit, such as certain statins, blood pressure drugs, and anti-anxiety medications. Consult a physician if this applies.
- Diet Squirt eliminates the sugar and calories. Diet Squirt uses aspartame and acesulfame potassium as sweeteners, bringing the calorie count to zero and the sugar content to zero while maintaining the grapefruit flavor. It also remains caffeine-free.
Comparison with Other Citrus Sodas
To put Squirt in context, here is how it stacks up against other popular citrus-flavored soft drinks. All values are per 12-ounce serving.
| Beverage | Calories | Sugar (g) | Caffeine (mg) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Squirt | 160 | 41 | 0 |
| Sprite | 140 | 38 | 0 |
| 7UP | 140 | 38 | 0 |
| Fresca (Original Citrus) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Sierra Mist / Starry | 140 | 38 | 0 |
| Mountain Dew | 170 | 46 | 54 |
| Sunkist Orange | 170 | 44 | 19 |
| Mello Yello | 170 | 47 | 53 |
Several observations emerge from this comparison:
First, the caffeine-free pattern among traditional citrus sodas holds firm. Sprite, 7UP, Fresca, and Squirt all contain zero caffeine. The exceptions are Mountain Dew, Sunkist Orange, and Mello Yello — beverages that deliberately added caffeine as part of their brand identity. Mountain Dew was marketed from the start as a high-energy drink, and Sunkist Orange made the unusual decision to include caffeine despite being a fruit-flavored soda.
Second, Squirt’s calorie and sugar counts are slightly higher than Sprite and 7UP. The difference is modest — roughly 20 calories and 3 grams of sugar — but it adds up over multiple servings. Consumers who are counting calories might prefer Fresca, which delivers a similar grapefruit citrus profile with no caloric cost.
Third, all of these beverages provide essentially zero nutritional value beyond hydration and energy from sugar. There are no significant vitamins, minerals, or other beneficial compounds in any standard citrus soda. The grapefruit juice in Squirt is present in such small quantities that it does not contribute meaningful nutrition.
Ruby Red Squirt and Other Variants
Keurig Dr Pepper has released several Squirt variants over the years. The most prominent is Ruby Red Squirt, which blends grapefruit flavor with ruby red grapefruit and berry undertones. Ruby Red Squirt is also caffeine-free. Its nutritional profile is nearly identical to the original, with approximately 160 calories and 41 grams of sugar per 12-ounce can.
Diet versions of both the original and Ruby Red are available in many markets, though distribution varies by region. Squirt has always had a somewhat uneven retail footprint in the United States. It is easy to find in Texas, Arizona, New Mexico, and California, but it can be difficult to locate in the Northeast and parts of the Midwest. Online retailers and specialty soda shops help fill the gap for consumers outside Squirt’s core geography.
Final Assessment
Squirt does not contain caffeine. It never has. This is true across every variant the brand has produced, including Diet Squirt and Ruby Red Squirt.
For consumers who want a caffeine-free soda with a flavor profile that stands apart from the dominant lemon-lime and cola categories, Squirt remains a solid option. Its grapefruit character gives it a tartness and slight bitterness that many drinkers find more interesting than Sprite or 7UP. The trade-off is a somewhat higher sugar content than its lemon-lime counterparts, though Diet Squirt eliminates that concern entirely.
The one caveat worth repeating: Squirt contains a small amount of concentrated grapefruit juice. Anyone taking medications with known grapefruit interactions should verify with a healthcare provider whether even trace amounts are a concern. For everyone else, Squirt is a straightforward, caffeine-free soft drink with a distinctive flavor and an unexpectedly long history in the American beverage landscape.