Cola vs sports drink: which is healthier?

They are about equally nutrient-dense: cola scores 1/100 and sports drink 1/100, so pick by your goal. Both can be part of a healthy diet; the table below shows where each one is stronger. Source: USDA FoodData Central.

Cola

1/100Low nutrient density

42 kcal per 100 g. 1 can (355 ml): 368 g

Sports drink

1/100Low nutrient density

32 kcal per 100 g. 1 bottle (20 oz / 590 ml): 600 g

Which to pick for your goal

Fewer caloriesSports drink42 vs 32 kcal per 100 g
More proteinAbout even0 vs 0 g per 100 g
More fiberAbout even0 vs 0 g per 100 g
Less sugarSports drink9.9 vs 6.1 g per 100 g
More potassiumSports drink5 vs 18 mg per 100 g
Less saturated fatAbout even0 vs <0.1 g per 100 g

Nutrition side by side

Per 100 g and per typical portion. Bold marks the better value for each row.
Nutrient	Cola, 100 g	Sports drink, 100 g	Cola, 368 g	Sports drink, 600 g
Calories	42 kcal	32 kcal	155 kcal	192 kcal
Protein	0 g	0 g	0 g	0 g
Carbohydrates	10 g	7.8 g	38 g	47 g
Sugars	9.9 g	6.1 g	37 g	37 g
Fiber	0 g	0 g	0 g	0 g
Fat	0.3 g	<0.1 g	0.9 g	0.3 g
Saturated fat	0 g	<0.1 g	0 g	<0.1 g
Vitamin C	0 mg	0 mg	0 mg	0 mg
Vitamin A	0 µg	0 µg	0 µg	0 µg
Potassium	5 mg	18 mg	18 mg	108 mg
Iron	<0.1 mg	<0.1 mg	<0.1 mg	0.5 mg
Calcium	1 mg	1 mg	3.7 mg	6 mg
Magnesium	0 mg	0 mg	0 mg	0 mg
Sodium	3 mg	42 mg	11 mg	252 mg

Last updated November 12, 2026. Scores use the HowHealthyIs Score method.

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