Scanning the Marketplace for Low Sugar Beverages
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In February 2009, The Nutrition Source systematicallyreviewed the Web sites of the leading liquid refreshment beverage and carbonated soft-drink companies inthe U.S.1 toidentify low-sugar beverages, defined as beverages that are sweetened only withcaloric sweeteners2 and containno more than 1 gram of sugar per ounce. We called each of these manufacturers’consumer inquiry lines or media inquiry lines to request suggestions for low-sugar beverages. A follow-up review of Web sites was completed in April 2009.
We found only a handful of offerings from these manufacturersthat meet the low-sugar criteria, and a few that come very close to meeting thelow-sugar criteria. Most of these products areready-to-drink teas and lightly-sweetened waters. From searching offerings in supermarkets and on the Web,we have identified other low-sugar beverages from smaller, independentmanufacturers. To give consumers an idea of what is available in themarketplace, we have included some (but not all) of these lower sugar offeringsin How Sweet Is It?, a handout available on The Nutrition Source Web site. The Nutrition Source does not endorse specific brands, and the inclusion of brand-name beverages on this handout does not constitute an endorsement.
1. Beverage DigestFact Book 2008 identifies the top 10liquid refreshment beverage companies for 2007 as Coca-Cola Co., PepsiCo, Dr.Pepper Snapple, Nestle Waters, Cott, National Beverage, CG Roxanne, Arizona, Premium Waters, and Hansen Natural. The top nine carbonated drink manufacturers in 2007 are Coca-Cola Co., Pepsi-Cola Co., Dr.Pepper Snapple, Cott Corp., National Beverage, Hansen Natural, Red Bull, Rockstar, and Big Red.Source: Beverage Digest Fact Book, 2008: StatisticalYearbook of Non-Alcoholic Beverages. 13th Edition. Bedford Hills, NewYork.
2. Caloric sweeteners include sugar, cane sugar, highfructose corn syrup, crystalline fructose, honey, molasses, juice, or juiceconcentrates. Artificially sweetenedbeverages, beverages sweetened with stevia, beverages that contained amix of artificial sweetener or stevia and caloric sweeteners, and unsweetenedbeverages (such as calorie-free flavored waters orunsweetened iced tea) do not meet the "low sugar beverage"criteria.
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