Like most people, you are probably always on the lookout for healthier alternatives to the drinks you usually consume. You may have seen Minute Maid Zero Sugar at your local grocery store or on TV ads and wondered if it is a healthy option for you.
Minute Maid Zero Sugar is a fruit-based drink from the Minute Maid company. Their zero-sugar varieties come in many flavors with exotic and delicious tastes.
In this post, I have listed both the pros and cons of Minute maid zero sugar so that you can make an informed decision to decide whether or not it is healthy for you.
So let’s start.
Also read: Is Pepsi Black Healthy? Everything You Need To Know
Nutritional facts of Minute maid zero sugar
A single serving (240ml or 8fl oz) of Minute maid zero sugar (Mango passion flavor) contains:
- Calories: 5
- Carbs: 1g
- Sugar:0g
- fat:0g
- Protein:0g
- Sodium:20mg
- Potassium:50mg
- Vitamin C:72mg
As the name suggests, Minute maid zero sugar has no sugar and is relatively low in calories. It is also fat-free and has just 1g of carbs.
Being sugar-free, fat-free and low in calories and carbs makes it an excellent juice to include on a diet.
It contains a small amount of sodium and potassium, which act as electrolytes that help your body function normally. In addition, it’s an excellent source of vitamin C
Nutritionally, if you compare it to many of the other fruit-based drinks or even to its regular varieties, it’s a healthy choice to go with.
Ingredients in Minute maid zero sugar
Minute maid zero sugar comes in 5 flavors which include:
- Zero sugar mango passion
- Zero sugar pink lemonade
- Zero sugar fruit punch
- Zero sugar lemonade
- Zero sugar light cherry limeade
The key ingredients that are used among all the flavors include Pure filtered water, Juice from concentrate, Natural flavors, Citric acid, Vitamin C, Potassium citrate, Sodium benzoate and potassium sorbate and calcium disodium EDTA, Aspartame, Acesulfame potassium, sucralose, Glycerol ester of rosin, Modified cornstarch, beta carotene, Grape skin extract and Phenylalanine.
Pros of Minute maid zero sugar
Excellent source of vitamin C
Minute maid zero sugar (except the light cherry limeade flavor) is an excellent source of Vitamin C.
A single serving (240ml) provides 70mg of vitamin C, about 96% of the daily value for men and 80% for women. That’s the same amount of vitamin C you would get by eating a medium-sized orange.
Vitamin C helps your body in many ways, such as producing collagen, developing immunity and absorbing iron.
Good for weight loss
Even though Minute Maid Zero Sugar doesn’t explicitly market itself as a weight-loss drink, it can be beneficial for those looking to shed some pounds.
That’s because it’s sugar-free and low in calories. In fact, the lemonade and cherry limeade flavors have zero calories.
Additionally, it is low in carbs and fat-free, making it a good fruit juice drink to enjoy without worrying about weight.
Good for diabetes
Due to being sugar and fat-free and low in calories and carbs, Minute maid zero sugar is a healthy option for people with diabetes. It does use artificial sweeteners, but they are deemed safe by food authorities.
Cons of Minute maid zero sugar
Low in nutrients
In the name of nutrients, Minute maid zero sugar has only vitamin C. It does have sodium and potassium but in a meager amount.
In addition, it has no protein or fiber, which is usually present in fruits.
And that could be because Minute maid zero sugar is a processed product. During processing, it loses many of the essential micro-nutrients present in it.
So, if you want a good source of overall nutrients, Minute maid zero sugar is not the right option.
Use of artificial preservatives
While analyzing the ingredients, I found that the light cherry limeade flavor uses artificial preservatives such as Sodium benzoate, potassium sorbate and calcium disodium EDTA.
While preservatives are mostly safe for people, they can sometimes cause unwanted side effects, especially when you consume them in excess.
For example, in studies, sodium benzoate has been associated with inflammation, nausea, abdominal pain, ADHD, oxidative stress and allergies[1][2][3][4].
In addition, potassium sorbate can pose allergic reactions in some people[5].
Not an utterly natural fruit juice
If you are looking for a natural fruit juice, Minute maida zero sugar is not the right choice.
That’s because it uses many artificial ingredients such as artificial sweeteners(Aspartame, Acesulfame potassium and sucralose), modified starch and preservatives.
Although these additives are safe to consume, they can pose health risks if consumed in excess.
Is Minute maid zero sugar Keto friendly?
Minute Maid zero sugar is low in carbs(1g per 240ml) and therefore is Keto friendly.
However, it does contain artificial sweeteners. If you are concerned about this, you should avoid Minute Maid zero sugar.
Opt for another juice brand that uses keto-friendly sweeteners like stevia, monk fruit, or erythritol.
Final words: Is minute maid zero sugar healthy?
Minute Maid Zero Sugar is a good choice if you’re looking for a product that contains no sugar, fat, and fewer calories and carbs. In addition, it’s an excellent source of vitamin C.
But if you’re looking for an entirely natural product, Minute Maid Zero Sugar is not the right choice. It’s processed, low in nutrients and contains artificial additives.
Therefore even if minute maid zero sugar is a better option than others, it’s important to drink it in moderation.
In addition, If you asked me to choose one of five Minute Maid Zero Sugar flavors on a health basis, I would go with mango passion.
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