I’ve recently discovered that some “sugar free” drinks that I thought were sugar free are not necessarily that. Crystal Light, Wylers Light and Sugar Free Hawaiian Punch are marketed as being sugar free beverages.
Unfortunately when taking a closer look at the label you’ll notice “maltodextrin” as one of the ingredients. Maltodextrin is one of the worst ingredients you can ingest. It is higher on the glycemic index than sugar itself at a score of 110. It is higher than any other sugar on the glycemic index scale.
What does that mean?
That means it is easily digested and causes a fast rise in blood glucose. Whereas something lower on the glycemic index is digested slower and does not have as great of an impact on your blood sugar. What’s scary is that people who are diabetic or who are trying to avoid sugar trust names like Crystal Light or Wylers Light to be safe for them to drink. Alternatively I did find some options in my cupboard that are less likely to have an impact on your blood sugar. Walmarts Great Value brand is made with stevia leaf extract and coconut water concentrate. Although this did appear to have some sugar or carbs likely coming from the coconut water powder it is less likely to affect your blood sugar than something like maltodextrin. At the same time saying one product is not as bad as another does not necessarily make it good.
So what is the best option?
Water is always the safest of course, but if you’re looking for something other than water my best suggestion is something like Everly drink powder, Sweetleaf Water Drops, Zevia soda or Bai drinks.
Everly is made with erythritol and stevia leaf extract. Neither which will affect your blood sugar. Sweetleaf Water Drops are sweetened with stevia leaf extract. Zevia soda is sweetened with erythritol and stevia extract. And Bai drinks are also sweetened with erythritol and stevia. The Sweetleaf Water Drops and Zevia soda can be found at places like Sprouts, Whole Foods grocery stores or ordered online. Bai drinks are sold in almost any local grocery store, Walmart, Target or Costco and can be ordered online. And the Everly drink mix can be ordered online and conveniently be set up as a subscription. Check out the Keto Shop for links on how to purchase these drinks!
Otherwise just learn to read your labels. Look at the sugar and carbohydrate content on your labels and then look at the ingredients. Avoid things like sugar, maltodextrin, high fructose corn syrup, honey etc. If you’re not sure if an ingredient listed is indeed sugar you can check out my Sugar and Sweeteners Guide for a reference.
