
Ginger ale is a popular drink with a long history, and many companies produce their own versions of this beverage. Canada Dry, for instance, was founded by Canadian pharmacist and chemist John J. McLaughlin in 1890, and he created Canada Dry Pale Ginger Ale in 1904. The drink is now available in various flavours, including blackberry and cherry. Schweppes is another well-known brand that produces ginger ale, and their version contains carbonated water, high-fructose corn syrup, citric acid, and other ingredients. Other brands that make ginger ale include Seagram's, which is owned by Coca-Cola, and Zevia, which offers a zero-sugar option.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Company | Canada Dry, Schweppes, Seagram's, Zevia |
| Serving Size | 12 fl. oz. |
| Calories | Not a significant source of calories from fat, saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol, dietary fibre, vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium, and iron |
| Ingredients | Carbonated water, high fructose corn syrup, ginger extract, natural flavours, citric acid, sodium benzoate (preservative), caramel colour |
| History | Created in 1904 by Canadian pharmacist and chemist John J. McLaughlin |
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What You'll Learn

History of Canada Dry
Canada Dry is a brand of soft drinks, best known for its ginger ale. The story of Canada Dry began in Toronto, Canada, in 1890 when John J. McLaughlin, a Canadian pharmacist and chemist, opened a small carbonated water plant. After working in a soda factory in Brooklyn, New York, McLaughlin opened his own plant in Toronto, creating carbonated water.
McLaughlin spent years experimenting, developing, and testing new recipes. Finally, in 1904, he created Canada Dry Pale Ginger Ale. The drink was less sweet than other ginger ales, inspiring the "'Dry'" name and driving its success. In 1907, just three years after its creation, Canada Dry received royal recognition when it was appointed as an official supplier to the Viceregal Household of the Governor General of Canada. This endorsement helped to establish Canada Dry as a prominent brand in both Canada and America.
During the Prohibition era, the popularity of Canada Dry Ginger Ale skyrocketed. It was not only enjoyed as a refreshing drink on its own but also became a popular mixer for home-brewed alcoholic beverages. The unique flavour of Canada Dry was able to mask the harsh taste of bootleg liquor, making it a key ingredient in clandestine cocktails. This unexpected turn of events further solidified the brand's success and helped it survive the challenging times of Prohibition and the Great Depression.
In 1923, P. D. Saylor and Associates bought the business from the McLaughlin family, forming Canada Dry Ginger Ale, Inc. This marked the beginning of a new chapter for the company, as it expanded worldwide in the 1930s, introducing new mixers and building a global presence. Canada Dry continued to innovate, becoming the first major soft drink company to offer sugar-free drinks and to use cans instead of bottles in the 1950s and 1960s. Today, Canada Dry maintains its reputation for quality and innovation, regularly launching new products while staying true to its original refreshing taste.
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Ingredients and nutritional information
Diet ginger ale is a carbonated beverage, typically made of carbonated water and glucose with ginger flavours. It is a low or no-calorie drink, with artificial sweeteners instead of sugar. This is what gives it a lower calorie content than standard ginger ale.
Standard ginger ale contains 36 grams of carbohydrates, with the majority of those carbs derived from sugar. It also contains 49.7 grams of sodium. A standard can of ginger ale provides 138 calories, with no protein or fat.
Some of the ingredients in standard ginger ale include carbonated water, high fructose corn syrup, citric acid, sodium benzoate (a preservative), natural flavours, and caramel colour.
Canada Dry, for example, contains carbonated water and less than 2% of ginger extract, natural flavours, citric acid, sodium citrate, sodium benzoate (preservatives), calcium disodium EDTA, and caramel colour.
Schweppes contains carbonated water, high fructose corn syrup, citric acid, sodium benzoate (preservative), quinine, natural flavours, and caramel colour.
Diet ginger ale does not contain any calories, but studies indicate that it is unclear whether artificially sweetened beverages are a diabetes risk factor. There are also other health concerns with these sweeteners, such as changing the brain's reaction to sweetness and potential weight gain.
Canada Dry Diet Ginger Ale contains carbonated water, citric acid, sodium citrate, sodium benzoate, malic acid, aspartame (82 mg / 355 ml contains phenylalanine), natural flavour, colour, and acesulfame potassium (34 mg / 355 ml).
A serving of diet ginger ale (1 8 oz or 240g) provides 0 g of carbs, 24 g of sodium, and 0 g of cholesterol.
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Other Canada Dry products
Canada Dry is a well-known brand of soft drinks that has been around for over a century. While they are mainly known for their ginger ale, they also offer a range of other products, including:
Canada Dry Blackberry Ginger Ale
This variety of ginger ale combines the crisp ginger taste with a tangy blackberry flavour. It offers a refreshing twist on the classic Canada Dry ginger ale.
Canada Dry Club Soda
Canada Dry Club Soda is a versatile mixer that adds a splash of crisp refreshment to cocktails. It is an ideal choice for those who want to enhance their favourite drinks without adding extra calories or sweeteners.
Canada Dry Fruit Splash Cherry Ginger Ale
This ginger ale is made with a splash of real juice, providing a refreshing and fruity twist on the classic Canada Dry ginger ale. It offers a well-balanced combination of ginger and cherry flavours.
Canada Dry Pale Ginger Ale
John J. McLaughlin, the founder of Canada Dry, created this variety of ginger ale to be less sweet than other options on the market. As a result, it was labelled "dry", and the name Canada Dry was born. This variety is still popular today for its unique, less sweet taste.
Canada Dry Seltzer Water
Canada Dry also offers a range of seltzer waters, providing a simple and refreshing carbonated beverage option. These seltzer waters are a great choice for those who want a no-calorie, no-sweetener drink while still enjoying the bubbles and refreshment of carbonation.
Canada Dry has expanded its product line over the years, offering a variety of options for consumers who enjoy the crisp, refreshing taste of ginger ale and want to explore different flavours and types of beverages.
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False advertising lawsuits
Diet ginger ale is made by a variety of companies, including Canada Dry, Zevia, and Schweppes. These companies market their diet ginger ale products as having a crisp and refreshing ginger taste, with some claiming to be made with real ginger or natural flavours.
However, some of these companies have faced false advertising lawsuits regarding their ginger ale products. Keurig Dr Pepper Inc., the manufacturer of Schweppes and Canada Dry ginger ales, has faced class-action lawsuits accusing the company of falsely advertising its products as naturally flavoured. The lawsuits allege that the products contain artificial flavours, such as DL malic acid, a synthetic compound, despite being labelled as "naturally flavoured with other natural flavours" or "made with natural ginger flavour". The lawsuits claim that the omission of the presence of synthetic flavouring agents is unlawful and misleading to consumers under federal and state laws.
Canada Dry has also faced several lawsuits regarding its claims of using real ginger in its products. In one case, a Canadian man, Victor Cardoso, filed a class-action lawsuit against Canada Dry, arguing that the company's claim of using real ginger was misleading. Cardoso's lawyer argued that while Canada Dry does use actual ginger, the processing methods, such as boiling it in ethanol, destroy any potential health benefits. As a result of similar lawsuits in the United States, Canada Dry agreed to stop using the phrase "Made from Real Ginger" in its marketing and settled the lawsuit in a British Columbia court.
In another case, a woman in Buffalo, New York, filed a federal lawsuit against Keurig Dr Pepper over the "Made from Real Ginger" wording on Canada Dry products. She claimed that she was misled by the statement and believed that the presence of ginger root made it a healthier alternative to regular sodas. As a result of this lawsuit, Keurig Dr Pepper agreed to remove the wording from its packaging and provide compensation to affected customers.
These lawsuits highlight the importance of accurate and transparent labelling in the food and beverage industry. Consumers rely on product labels to make informed purchasing decisions, and false or misleading claims can have legal and financial consequences for companies. It is crucial for manufacturers to ensure that their marketing and advertising practices comply with relevant laws and regulations to avoid such lawsuits and maintain consumer trust.
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Other brands of ginger ale
Reed's Real Ginger Ale is made with real ginger and is described as having a good taste and being effective at quenching thirst. However, some customers have found it to be overpriced and have experienced issues with delivery.
Fever Tree Ginger Ale is favoured by one person, while another two people prefer the Whole Foods brand. Vernors is also mentioned by two people, one of whom drinks it almost every day, especially when they have an upset stomach.
On the other hand, Maine Root Ginger Ale is described as "absolutely disgusting" by one person.
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Frequently asked questions
Some companies that make diet ginger ale include Canada Dry, Zevia, and Seagram's.
Canada Dry Diet Ginger Ale is made with carbonated water and less than 2% of ginger extract, natural flavors, citric acid, sodium citrate, sodium benzoate (preservatives), and calcium disodium EDTA.
The serving size for Canada Dry Diet Ginger Ale is 12 fl. oz.
Schweppes makes a ginger ale, but it is not clear if they make a diet version.











































