The Battle of the Sweeteners

Part of what makes YRBA so refreshing is that perfect level of sweetness. The first thing that usually comes to mind when we think of sweet flavors is sugar. The more we learned about sugar, the more we knew that outright sugar or non-natural sweeteners were not the right option for our everyday, guilt-free drink. When we point to sugar as the "bad guy" in our foods, we’re not talking about the naturally-occurring sugars in foods like fruits and vegetables - those sugars come from natural sources and help provide energy to fuel you throughout the day. The sugars that get a bad rep (and for good reason) are added sugars, AKA sugar that food manufacturers add to products to increase flavor or extend shelf life.

Added sugars are high in calories and consumed in far too high quantities given how many foods (especially ones you wouldn’t expect!) that they’re hidden in. The higher the intake of added sugar, the more likely the average person is for conditions like diabetes, heart disease, and more. 

In thinking about the most common sources of added sugars, we were disappointed to hear the most common culprit in the US were soft drinks and fruit drinks. Studies show 42.2% of the average adult’s added sugar intake is from sodas, energy drinks, and sports drink. That meant nearly half of the sugars that make us sick was from what some would consider their daily energy kick! When making YRBA, we decided to only use natural sweeteners that would keep YRBA out of this category and include only ingredients you could feel good about consuming every day. 

The only sweeteners we use in YRBA are monk fruit and stevia. These low calorie, clean, natural sweeteners offer refreshing sweetness without any of the negative side effects of traditional sugar or artificial sweeteners. There are dozens of options to pick from in the sugar alternatives landscape, but we picked monk fruit and stevia because: 

• Monk fruit comes from a small gourd that grows on vines, and the best sweeteners come from the Earth itself! It is zero calories and blood sugar friendly. It can also promote gut health by facilitating healthy bacteria in the digestive tract.
• Stevia also comes from a plant, making it a natural sweet source that is low calorie without artificial chemicals or flavors like other common, low calorie sweeteners. Unlike sweeteners that come from sugar alcohols, stevia is also diabetes and blood sugar friendly. 

Those are just a few of the reasons why monk fruit and stevia were our standout winners for ingredients for YRBA. You shouldn’t have to compromise on the ingredients you’re ingesting to be able to enjoy your daily pick-me-up. Monk fruit and stevia can help you focus on you and enjoy every sip.

Sources

1. Health.com

2. WebMD

3. Harvard