Sugar free drinks: the trend that revolutionized the industry

The new era has brought consciousness as to what we put into our bodies. Before, it was easy to eat and drink anything without caring too much. But now, there is a huge concern about it, which has challenged the industry to evolve. And a great part of this process has been the business of sugar free drinks. In this article, we will explore some important facts regarding this trend and some alternatives offered on the market.

What are sugar free drinks?

Known also as diet drinks, sugar free drinks are beverages in which the normal amount of sugar has been replaced with artificial or natural sweeteners. But what is the difference between these two sweeteners?

Artificial sweeteners

These are used to replace sugar in drinks while maintaining the sweetness expected in the product. One of the main goals is not to change the taste or texture of the drink while providing a healthier option. Among the components of artificial sweeteners are sucralose, aspartame, among others.

Natural sweeteners

As the name suggests, this replacement comes from natural ingredients and uses their natural sweetness. This group is divided into non-nutritive and nutritive. What is the difference? Basically, the ones considered non-nutritive don’t affect the body as regular sugar would do. In the case of the nutritive ones, they affect the body but are less dangerous in proportion.

Alternatives to sugar free drinks

There’s a huge range of options when it comes to sugar free drinks: Soda, tea, sparkling water, seltzer. Every day new alternatives appear to answer the needs of consumers. Let’s check them out.

Fruit drinks

One alternative that works perfectly to obtain natural sugar free fruit drinks is fruit puree added to freshwater. Purees such as apricot, banana, dried grape, apple, and fig can add a natural and sweet flavor to the drinks without any added sugar.

Another way to use natural sweeteners in the drinks is through super fruits. This selected group is famous for being rich in antioxidants, fiber, minerals, and vitamins. It’s a perfect way to put some sugar into your drinks without adding artificial substitutes. Apples, acai berries, pomegranates, blueberries among some others are perfect choices to sweeten up your life while providing a huge boost to your immune system.

Vitamin water

Water and vitamins in a single shot sound like a dream come true. Nowadays, there is a way to mix them. This type of beverage offers a mix of fruits, such a lemon, peach, passion fruit, vitamins, and minerals. Plus, they are completely sugar and gluten-free.

Options to replace traditional soda

Now if you want to find a replacement for soda, this option is perfect. Depending on the preferences, you can choose plain carbonated water or something with a little bit of flavor. Nowadays, you can find exotic options like peach mango, mangosteen, lychee, and so on. Now, if you want to have bubbles in the drinks, for example, when talking about sparkling water vs seltzer, various options offer this satisfying feeling without adding any extras. Just consider that in the case of sparkling water, the taste can be a little bit stronger than seltzer. This is because it’s made with natural spring water, which adds some natural minerals which can sometimes be detected in the taste. This of course will affect the final taste of the water, even when is flavored, so keep this in mind.

Teas

This is one of the broadest categories in the business of sugar free drinks. Today, the options are endless and basically, you can find one to suit everyone's taste. Herbal, floral, aromatic, with milk, with bubbles, you name it. Naturally, tea doesn’t have any sugar, however, the moment flavors are added, some artificial or natural sugar might be added too. This may be why the industry has worked so hard on healthier options for this product.

And now, talking about the industry, let’s see how it has changed and adapted to these new trends.

Preferences of consumers for sugar free drinks