Is Crystal Light Bad for You?

SaveSavedRemoved 0

Crystal Light is a powder used to flavor water like a fruity drink while keeping the calorie count low or even zero. Several flavors of prepared Crystal Light taste like fruit juice, sweet tea, or lemonade.

You might wonder if Crystal Light is a better option, given that similar powdered drinks are generally considered unhealthy.

This article discusses Is Crystal Light Bad for You? whether drinking Crystal Light is healthy and things you should keep in your mind while deciding to drink it or not.

Ingredients and nutrition

Since its introduction in the early 1980s, Crystal Light has developed into various products. Four product categories are now available: Pure, Tea, Classics, and With Caffeine.

While most of the names are self-explanatory, Pure doesn’t appear to employ artificial sweeteners, flavors, or preservatives, which is a significant distinction. Cane sugar, dry corn syrup, stevia, and natural colorings like turmeric or black carrot extract are used as alternatives.

The fundamental components of traditional Crystal Light include:

Citric acid: a naturally occurring substance used as a preservative and for sour flavor.
Preservative and taste enhancer sodium citrate: A potassium salt also employed as a preservative is potassium citrate.
Aspartame is a synthetic sweetener.

Magnesium oxide is a food ingredient that is used as a drying agent, as well as to retain color and change pH.
Maltodextrin is a thickening, stabilizing, and sweetening agent.

Classic Crystal Light may also contain less than 2% natural flavorings, acesulfame potassium artificial sweetener, soy lecithin emulsifier, artificial colors, and butylated hydroxyanisole preservative (BHA).

Even though the nutritional data can vary by variety, a typical 1/2-packet (2-gram) serving of Crystal Light with the ingredients mentioned above has the following nutritional profile:

5 calories
0 grams of protein

0 grams of total fat.
0 grams of carbohydrates overall
0 grams of sugar overall

Salt: 35 mg

The four primary Crystal Light types have calorie counts per packet that range from 0 to 40. The majority of packets provide two to eight servings.

Does Crystal Light Have any Side Effects? Is It Safe to Drink?

Artificial sweeteners like sucralose and aspartame, as well as artificial colors, are the two main components of Crystal Light that have drawn criticism. There has been a lot of research both in favor of and against both chemicals, despite the FDA’s declaration that both are safe.

Synthetic Colors

Yellow 5, red 40, and blue 1 are just a few of the artificial colors used in the drink mixes at Crystal Light.

According to the FDA, food color additives are perfectly safe. However, the organization also clears that while it is uncommon, some people may experience allergic reactions to color additives like yellow 5 (also known as tartrazine), which can result in itching and rashes.

According to research published in January 2015 in Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine, artificial food dyes have been linked to allergic reactions, behavioral issues in children, such as attention deficit disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and neurobehavioral disorders, and autoimmune disorders.

According to Harvard Health Publishing, an FDA panel concluded that there is just no data to demonstrate that artificial food dyes contribute to or cause behavioral issues, such as hyperactivity and distractibility, in most children.

However, the panel noted that certain kids with ADHD can be hypersensitive to food colorings and other additives. Even though the chemicals are not hazardous to the nervous system, certain kids may be sensitive to them.

Still, more investigation is required on the potential health effects of artificial food dyes.

Synthetic sweeteners

Theoretically, you can consume fewer calories without giving up sweet foods by substituting caloric sweeteners with artificial sweeteners. However, other specialists assert that it might not operate as well.

Some people may believe that using artificial sweeteners in their drinks or meals provides them more room in their diet for high-calorie foods. According to Harvard Health Publishing, this would negate any calorie reduction and result in a calorie surplus.

The use of artificial sweeteners may change how individuals perceive food, which is another issue. According to Harvard Health Publishing, the extreme sweetness of these components can make naturally sweet meals like fruit, and some vegetables taste less sweet in comparison. As a result, you could consume less of these nutrient-dense foods and go for more artificially flavored foods that are nutrient-poor.

It’s also important to note that research published in the Nutrition Journal in September 2017 found a connection between artificial sweeteners and adverse side effects like headaches and depressive symptoms.

Compared to soda, is Crystal Light healthier?

It’s evident that Crystal Light has problems, but so does soda. Since Crystal Light doesn’t contain much sugar, it should be healthy, right?

That is likely the case, given that sugar has several well-known adverse effects, including an increase in inflammation, an increased risk of type 2 diabetes, and a potential link to obesity. If additives have negative effects, they are likely to be more subtle because we have not fully uncovered them.

Even yet, Crystal Light isn’t necessarily better for you despite being healthier than soda.

Possible negative effects

Here are some of the most common side effects of crystal light:

Hunger
Weight gain
Gluten sensitivity

Allergy to soy
Sensitivity to certain artificial hues
Headaches

Insulin responsiveness

Possibly harmful long-term effects

Some of its possible long-term effects include:

Lupus

Multiple Sclerosis (MS).
Neurological conditions
Cancer

Ingredients to avoid

Some of its ingredients you should be careful about include:

Citrus acid
Sodium citrate

Maltodextrin
Aspartame
Magnesium oxychloride

Natural flavoring
Potassium acesulfame
Soybean lecithin

Synthetic colors

Can You Drink Crystal Light on a Ketogenic Diet?

There are a few things to consider when determining whether Crystal Light is keto-friendly. Crystal Light theoretically fits within your keto macros, given its nutritional profile. Because it contains no carbohydrates, you can drink a typical serving and keep your body in a ketogenic condition.

However, is Crystal Light healthy for you? You can see that it is not a healthy choice in terms of beverages suitable for keto. Crystal Light has artificial substances that can harm your health despite being low in carbohydrates.

Many people adopt a keto lifestyle to decrease inflammation, have more energy, and lose weight. However, low-carb foods containing artificial substances (like aspartame) can prevent you from gaining the health benefits you desire because they raise your chance of contracting illnesses and developing allergies.

So, even though this low-calorie drink is technically keto, it doesn’t go well with a ketogenic diet.

End words by the writer

A low- or zero-calorie powdered drink mix called Crystal Light is touted as an easy method to put flavor into plain water and stay hydrated. Although the components in Crystal Light vary depending on the variation and branding, they are often a blend of artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives.

Instead of preservatives, Crystal Light Pure offers powders that are made with sugar and just natural flavors and colors.

The occasional consumption of Crystal Light is unlikely to cause any health issues for the average healthy person. The best way to stay hydrated is to drink plain water, flavor plain water yourself with a few slices of fresh fruit, berries, or cucumber, or go with seltzer water.

Frequently Asked Question (FAQ’s) about Is Crystal Light Bad for You?

Is consuming Crystal Light as beneficial as drinking water?

Crystal Light has fewer calories than other sweetened beverages, making it a better choice. However, it does have artificial sweeteners and flavors. Therefore, it is not superior to drinking water.

Is consuming too much Crystal Light harmful for you?

Yes, excessive use of crystal light can be dangerous. There are numerous fake substances in it. These can have negative short- and long-term health impacts if consumed in excess.

Can Crystal Light cause an insulin spike?

No, a surge in insulin is not brought on by the artificial sweeteners in crystal light. However, if you consume too much, it could make you feel uneasy.

What is Crystal Light substitute good for you?

There are healthier alternatives to crystal light, such as fresh fruit juices, green tea, herbal tea, black tea, and coffee. So, choose one of these substitutes if you don’t like crystal light but still want to enjoy the sweetness.

References

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/is-crystal-light-bad-for-you#bottom-line

https://www.livestrong.com/article/309079-the-pros-cons-of-crystal-light-drink/

https://www.healthdigest.com/334097/crystal-light-is-it-bad-for-you/

https://www.isitbadforyou.com/questions/is-crystal-light-bad-for-you

https://foodfornet.com/crystal-light-good-you/

https://lifefalcon.com/is-crystal-light-bad-for-you/

https://perfectketo.com/crystal-light-keto-friendly/

http://thenakedlabel.com/blog/2014/03/31/crystal-light/