Sparkling drinks embrace small amounts of real sugar and natural ingredients

Bon Appetit reported that a new trend in sparkling drinks is shifting away from zero sugar toward including a small amount of natural sweetness. Brands are emphasizing real, recognizable ingredients as key to flavor, rather than relying solely on zero-calorie sweeteners.

Yuzuco, co-founded by Griffin Owens and Marcus Klein, produces sparkling yuzu drinks made with cold-pressed yuzu juice, water, and a few minerals. These beverages contain just 1 gram of sugar from natural yuzu juice, totaling 9 calories per can. Owens noted that consumers now prioritize knowing what is in the can and prefer ingredients they can identify over artificial or less familiar natural sweeteners like monk fruit or stevia.

Other companies are following suit by using real fruit juices and botanicals. Bawi’s Agua Frescas offers effervescent drinks flavored with passion fruit, pineapple, and guava from real juices. Walker Brothers’ Forest Waters uses wild-harvested botanicals sweetened lightly with wildflower honey. Tractor Beverage Co. introduced Haymaker, a canned switchel tonic made with ginger and apple cider vinegar, focusing on kitchen-style ingredients.

Duke Stump of Tractor Beverage Co. emphasized the importance of ingredients consumers understand, including natural sources of sweetness. This movement reflects a broader consumer desire for better-for-you beverages that balance taste with transparency about ingredients.