Pepsi — DUMP
Munch or Dump rates Pepsi by Pepsi Cola DUMP — score 20/90.
Sugar water with caramel colour and caffeine. It's liquid sugar with nothing your body actually needs.
Why this verdict
- Sugar is the #1 solid ingredient — roughly 8-10 tsp per can, all rapidly absorbed
- Liquid sugar spikes blood glucose fast with no fibre or protein to blunt it
- Caramel colour 150d is a purely cosmetic industrial additive (potential 4-MEI contaminant)
- Caffeine adds a mild dependence loop that keeps you coming back
- Zero nutritional value — empty calories, classic ultra-processed soda
Ingredients (7)
- Carbonated Water (safe) — Just water and CO2, the neutral base of the drink.
- Sugar (concerning) — Added sugar, third by weight, feeds yeast and adds sweetness with no nutritional benefit.
- Caramel colour (150d) (moderate) — Artificial-style caramel colour added purely for appearance; 150d can carry 4-MEI.
- Acidity Regulator (338 / Phosphoric Acid) (concerning) — Sharp acid that erodes tooth enamel and is linked to reduced bone mineral density.
- Caffeine (moderate) — ~41mg per can, mild stimulant. Reinforces the habit-forming pull of the drink.
- Flavour (Natural Flavouring Substances) (moderate) — Proprietary flavour blend. 'Natural' here means source-derived, but the exact composition is undisclosed and it's an engineered taste additive.
- Stabilizer (436 / Polyoxyethylene Sorbitan Tristearate) (moderate) — An emulsifier/stabilizer to keep the formula uniform — a processing-only additive with no nutritional purpose.
Healthier alternatives
- sparkling water lime
- LEMON FLAVORED SELTZER WATER, LEMON
- Zero Sugar Clearly Canadian
- San Pellegrino Sparkling Natural Mineral Water
- S. Pellegrino Water