# Why is fruit punch always red? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 24, 2011, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-fruit-punch-always-red/572450 "2011-02-24T14:48:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![RedSwinglineOne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a9adbd/32.png) [@RedSwinglineOne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RedSwinglineOne)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2011, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-fruit-punch-always-red/572450/21 "2011-02-24T19:12:26Z")
To me, fruit punch tastes most like cherry flavor, which is red. And, as others have said, purple is grape, green is lime, yellow is lemonade, orange is orange. Unless you think fruit punch should be blue, red is about all that is left. ---
**Author:** ![Quercus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/7ab992/32.png) [@Quercus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quercus)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2011, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-fruit-punch-always-red/572450/22 "2011-02-24T19:22:11Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > One of the kids said (I swear, these were his actual, verbatim words):“It’s the color and smell of human blood.” > [@KneadToKnow](#): > > “Now if they could just get the taste and texture right …” No, no, no, it’s the nutritional content they need to get right. What? Why are you all staring at me? ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2011, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-fruit-punch-always-red/572450/23 "2011-02-24T19:30:21Z")
> [@Quercus](#): > > No, no, no, it’s the nutritional content they need to get right. > What? Why are you all staring at me? Jeepers. Don’t you know ANYTHING? :rolleyes: It doesn’t matter HOW nutritious it is. If it tastes wrong, NOBODY will buy it. Whereas, if it has the right taste/texture, people will consume all they can get no matter how non-nutritive it is. Even vampires aren’t immune to food marketing. ;). ---
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2011, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-fruit-punch-always-red/572450/24 "2011-02-24T19:58:57Z")
Red tastes better. ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2011, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-fruit-punch-always-red/572450/25 "2011-02-24T20:14:54Z")
This only applies to bottled fruit punch. The type sold in opaque aseptic packaging like juice boxes and bags is usually clear. ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2011, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-fruit-punch-always-red/572450/26 "2011-02-24T20:44:33Z")
[QUOTE=Omar Little] PINEAPPLE, ORANGE, PASSIONFRUIT, APPLE, APRICOT, PAPAYA, GUAVA While the meat of the fruit of some them is red, I’m not sure that any of those have red juice. [/QUOTE] The natural, unadulterated juices of that mix would probably give a pale tan color. About the only distinct color out of that batch is the OJ. Not particularly appealing to anyone, and certainly not to kids. ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2011, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-fruit-punch-always-red/572450/27 "2011-02-25T01:05:36Z")
> [@Tahssa](#): > > Red tastes better. Green is better for changing your body temperature, it looks like radiator coolant/anti-freeze! CMC fnord! ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2011, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-fruit-punch-always-red/572450/28 "2011-02-25T01:16:58Z")
> [@Smeghead](#): > > There’s also purple stuff out there. Tastes like purple. This is something I’ve always wondered about. Purple Popsicles taste purple. The thread is sort of about color/taste/real life connotations. What in the world besides a weird-ass chemical combo even is purple? Eggplant Popsicles? ---
**Author:** ![Autolycus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/22d042/32.png) [@Autolycus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Autolycus)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2011, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-fruit-punch-always-red/572450/29 "2011-02-25T02:47:34Z")
It’s blood from all the victims of the Kool-Aid Man. Oh yeah! ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2011, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-fruit-punch-always-red/572450/30 "2011-02-25T02:53:30Z")
> [@Leo Bloom](#): > > What in the world besides a weird-ass chemical combo even is purple? Eggplant Popsicles? 😕 Is this a whoosh? As **RedSwinglineOne** noted, purple = grape. ---
**Author:** ![even\_sven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dfb087/32.png) [@even\_sven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/even_sven)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2011, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-fruit-punch-always-red/572450/31 "2011-02-25T03:31:02Z")
Red fruits tend to be a bit luxurious- strawberries, cherries, rasberries, cranberries…these are all premium fruits. Furthermore, red coloring tends to overpower all lighter colors. So I think a nice bright red color subtly signals- this is a rich drink with premium fruits, not some cheap-o orange drink. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2011, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-fruit-punch-always-red/572450/32 "2011-02-25T04:12:38Z")
Some [fruit punch mix](http://www.amazon.com/Bulk-Drink-Mix-Fruit-Kosher/dp/B0010BQCUU)is colored wih beet juice concentrate. ---
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2011, 7:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-fruit-punch-always-red/572450/33 "2011-02-25T07:20:29Z")
As was mentioned, red dye No. 40 is cheap-and people like red. I have a similar question: what is “Tang”? It is a sour-tasting fluid, bearing no resmeblance of orange juice. Is it true that astronauts drink it? ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2011, 11:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-fruit-punch-always-red/572450/34 "2011-02-25T11:36:11Z")
Yes, it was used in the Gemini and Apollo programs. Don’t know if it is still a NASA staple or not. ---
**Author:** ![Francis\_Vaughan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/francis_vaughan/32/3093_2.png) [@Francis\_Vaughan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Francis_Vaughan)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2011, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-fruit-punch-always-red/572450/35 "2011-02-25T13:59:23Z")
Tang was on the list of drink concentrates used, but there were others. One of the Apollo astronauts biographies (I think it was Mike Collin’s Carrying the Fire, but I’m not going to hunt the reference down right now) noted that NASA catering created a grapefruit concentrate that the majority of astronauts preferred and specified for their flight meals. However for the Apollo missions it got a lot less tasty. There was a scare about heart irregularities that was sheeted home to a possible potassium deficit, and after that they were forced to use a concentrate that contained a potassium supplement. Which tasted terrible. ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2011, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-fruit-punch-always-red/572450/36 "2011-02-25T15:51:13Z")
> [@Kimstu](#): > > 😕 Is this a whoosh? As **RedSwinglineOne** noted, purple = grape. Sorry about that. I meant the popsicles that are Arctic Ice-whitish bluish. I defy anyone to come up with a real life correlate. I like those ones. ---
**Author:** ![fiddlesticks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddlesticks/32/18129_2.png) [@fiddlesticks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fiddlesticks)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2011, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-fruit-punch-always-red/572450/37 "2011-02-25T16:17:38Z")
> [@Leo\_Bloom](#): > > Sorry about that. I meant the popsicles that are Arctic Ice-whitish bluish. I defy anyone to come up with a real life correlate. I like those ones. Sky-blue popsicles. Loved those as a kid, but I could never figure out the taste other than “blue”. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2011, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-fruit-punch-always-red/572450/38 "2011-02-25T16:40:16Z")
I noticed that in the old sitcoms and OTR shows “hula punch” whatever that is, seems to be the “punch” of choice for the younger set. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2011, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-fruit-punch-always-red/572450/39 "2011-02-25T16:58:54Z")
> [@Markxxx](#): > > I noticed that in the old sitcoms and OTR shows “hula punch” whatever that is, seems to be the “punch” of choice for the younger set. My guess would be that “hula punch” would be a generic / non-branded term for Hawaiian Punch and similar products. ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2011, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-fruit-punch-always-red/572450/40 "2011-02-25T19:23:42Z")
> [@ralph124c](#): > > I have a similar question: what is “Tang”? It is a sour-tasting fluid, bearing no resmeblance of orange juice. Is it true that astronauts drink it? Sour-tasting = check fluid = check orange colored = check Sounds like orange juice to me. 😉 Wikipedia says “tangerine”, but needs a cite. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-fruit-punch-always-red/572450.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-fruit-punch-always-red/572450.md?page=3)