SkyPop Protein Soda

SkyPop Protein Soda is making a simple bet: you don't have to give up soda to cut sugar and add protein, you just need a better can. Each 12 fl oz (355mL) can delivers 10g of complete whey protein, zero sugar, and only 45 calories, built around flavors that read like a candy aisle rather than a supplement shelf: Orange, Fruit Punch, Grape, Root Beer, Peaches & Cream, Ice Pop, and Strawberry Cotton Candy.

The brand didn't start out this way. SkyPop began as Don't Quit, a protein soda aimed squarely at gym-goers, before a full rebrand stripped out the "workout soda" framing and rebuilt the identity around something broader: playful can art, nostalgic flavors, and a pitch that works whether you're mid-workout or just raiding the fridge on a Tuesday. That shift lines up with where protein soda is heading as a category, while SkyPop continues expanding its retail footprint.

SkyPop Protein Soda Nutrition Facts

Per 1 can (355mL / 12 fl oz):

• Calories: 45
• Total Fat: 0g (0% DV)
• Sodium: 0mg (0% DV)
• Total Carbohydrate: 1g (0% DV)
• Total Sugars: 0g
• Added Sugars: 0g (0% DV)
• Protein: 10g (20% DV)

The can isn't a significant source of saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol, fiber, vitamin D, calcium, iron, or potassium. This is a protein-and-taste play, not a fortified multivitamin drink.

SkyPop Protein Soda Ingredients

Here's what's actually in the can, in the order it appears on the label.

• Carbonated Water

  Carbonated Water is the base of every can, providing the soda-like carbonation that separates SkyPop from a typical protein shake.

• Whey Protein Isolate - 10g Protein

  Whey Protein Isolate is the reason this can qualifies as a protein soda instead of just a soda. Whey is a fast-digesting complete protein rich in leucine, an amino acid involved in muscle protein synthesis. In a controlled dosing study on resistance-trained men, 20g and 40g servings of whey protein isolate increased muscle protein synthesis more than no protein, while 10g did not reach the same response in that protocol.^[1]

  That doesn't make 10g pointless. Whey delivers amino acids quickly,^[2] and long-term strength and lean-mass gains are driven largely by getting enough total protein across the day rather than maximizing every single serving.^[3] A 10g can is an easy way to add to that daily total without turning a soda break into a full protein shake.

• Citric Acid

  

  Citric Acid is a common beverage acidulant that adds a clean tartness and helps keep sweetness from tasting flat.^[4] In SkyPop, its role is flavor balance rather than some special functional benefit.

• Natural Flavors

  Natural Flavors carries the flavor identity of each SkyPop variety, from Root Beer to Strawberry Cotton Candy and Peaches & Cream. The exact flavor blend is proprietary and isn't broken out further on the label.^[5]

• Vegetable Juice (Color)

  Vegetable Juice (Color) supplies plant-derived coloring rather than acting as a functional ingredient. Vegetable-derived pigments are widely used to color foods and beverages.^[6]

• Malic Acid

  Malic Acid adds a sharper, lingering tartness that pairs well with citric acid in soda formulas. Its role here is straightforward: flavor balance.

• Sucralose

  Sucralose provides SkyPop's sugar-free sweetness. Regulators continue to maintain established acceptable-intake limits for sucralose,^[7] and typical consumer intake remains well below those limits.^[8]

• Mushroom Extract (Preservative)

  Mushroom Extract is included to protect product quality, not as a nootropic or adaptogen. Mushroom-derived glycolipids can inhibit spoilage yeasts and bacteria in acidic beverages, which explains the preservative role here.^[9]

Flavors Available

• Grape (12 Cans: $26.98)
• Orange (12 Cans: $26.98)
• Peaches & Cream (1 Can: $2.39)
• Root Beer (12 Cans: $26.98)
• Strawberry Cotton Candy (12 Cans: $26.98)

Who It's For

• Soda drinkers trying to cut sugar without cutting the ritual: If you miss regular soda but don't want the sugar, SkyPop is built to close that gap without asking you to drink a traditional protein shake.
• People who don't want a full protein shake with every snack: 10g is a modest, easy-to-drink dose rather than a post-workout maximizer, which makes this a fit for casual, anytime protein rather than serious training nutrition.

A Protein Soda That Remembers It's Supposed to Taste Good

SkyPop isn't trying to out-protein the sports nutrition aisle: 10g of whey, zero sugar, and 45 calories is enough to make a can feel purposeful, while the flavor lineup keeps it in soda territory rather than supplement territory. If you want a better-for-you soda swap that doesn't taste like a compromise, this is one of the more approachable options on shelves right now.

References

1. Witard, Oliver C, et al. "Myofibrillar muscle protein synthesis rates subsequent to a meal in response to increasing doses of whey protein at rest and after resistance exercise." The American journal of clinical nutrition, 2014. https://doi.org/10.3945/ajcn.112.055517
2. Pennings, Bart, et al. "Whey Protein Stimulates Postprandial Muscle Protein Accretion More Effectively Than Do Casein And Casein Hydrolysate In Older Men." The American journal of clinical nutrition, 2011. https://doi.org/10.3945/ajcn.110.008102
3. Morton, Robert W, et al. "A systematic review, meta-analysis and meta-regression of the effect of protein supplementation on resistance training-induced gains in muscle mass and strength in healthy adults." British journal of sports medicine, 2018. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2017-097608
4. Książek, Ewelina. "Citric Acid: Properties, Microbial Production, and Applications in Industries." Molecules (Basel, Switzerland), 2023. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules29010022
5. Goodman, Matthew J. "The “Natural” vs. “Natural Flavors” Conflict in Food Labeling: A Regulatory Viewpoint." Food and drug law journal, 2017. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29140655/
6. Sigurdson, Gregory T, et al. "Natural Colorants: Food Colorants from Natural Sources." Annual review of food science and technology, 2017. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-food-030216-025923
7. EFSA, Panel on Food Additives and Flavourings (FAF), et al. "Re-evaluation of sucralose (E 955) as a food additive and evaluation of a new application on extension of use of sucralose (E 955) in fine bakery wares." EFSA journal. European Food Safety Authority, 2026. https://doi.org/10.2903/j.efsa.2026.9854
8. Daher, Mira, et al. "Trends and amounts of consumption of low-calorie sweeteners: A cross-sectional study." Clinical nutrition ESPEN, 2022. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clnesp.2022.01.006
9. Galasong, Yupawadee, et al. "Natural glycolipids inhibits certain yeasts and lactic acid bacteria pertinent to the spoilage of shelf stable beverages." Food Control, 2023. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodcont.2022.109544