Great Value drink mixes contain a variety of different sweeteners depending on the specific flavor and product. Some of the most commonly used sweeteners in Great Value drink mixes include sucralose, aspartame, acesulfame potassium, and sugar.
Sucralose
Sucralose, also known by the brand name Splenda, is an artificial sweetener that is around 600 times sweeter than regular sugar. It is commonly used in reduced calorie food and drink products as a sugar substitute. Sucralose is found in a number of Great Value drink mixes including:
- Great Value Light Pink Lemonade Drink Mix
- Great Value Diet Orange Drink Mix
- Great Value Diet Grape Drink Mix
- Great Value Sugar Free Iced Tea Mix
Sucralose provides sweetness without calories or carbohydrates, making it useful for sugar-free and reduced calorie drink mixes. It does not raise blood glucose levels, so it can be safely consumed by diabetics. The FDA has approved sucralose as a general purpose sweetener.
Aspartame
Aspartame is an artificial sweetener that is about 200 times sweeter than sugar. It is marketed under brand names like Equal and NutraSweet. Aspartame is found in Great Value diet drink mixes including:
- Great Value Sugar Free Grape Drink Mix
- Great Value Sugar Free Orange Drink Mix
- Great Value Sugar Free Lemonade Drink Mix
- Great Value Sugar Free Pink Lemonade Drink Mix
Aspartame provides the sweet taste of sugar without any calories, making it useful for diet and weight control products. It does contain phenylalanine, so people with phenylketonuria need to monitor their intake. The FDA has approved the use of aspartame in beverages and other foods.
Acesulfame Potassium
Acesulfame potassium, also known as Ace-K, is an artificial sweetener that is around 200 times sweeter than sugar. It is often combined with other sweeteners in food and beverages. Some Great Value products contain a blend of sucralose and acesulfame potassium, including:
- Great Value Sugar Free Strawberry Kiwi Drink Mix
- Great Value Sugar Free Fruit Punch Drink Mix
- Great Value Sugar Free Pink Lemonade Drink Mix
Ace-K provides sweetness without calories or carbohydrates. It has a clean, quickly perceptible sweet taste that combines well with other sweeteners. The FDA has approved acesulfame potassium for use in foods and beverages.
Sugar
Many regular, non-diet Great Value drink mixes use plain granulated sugar as the sweetener. Some examples include:
- Great Value Pink Lemonade Drink Mix
- Great Value Fruit Punch Drink Mix
- Great Value Iced Tea Mix
- Great Value Grapeade Drink Mix
Sugar provides the familiar sweetness that people expect in non-diet beverages and drink mixes. Plain sugar has 15 calories per teaspoon and provides a source of carbohydrates.
Ingredient Labels
The specific sweeteners contained in Great Value drink mixes can be found by looking at the ingredient labels on the packages. For example:
Great Value Sugar Free Orange Drink Mix
Ingredients: citric acid, maltodextrin, contains less than 2% of aspartame, yellow 6, yellow 5, acesulfame potassium, BHA (preservative), red 40.
Contains aspartame and acesulfame potassium as the sweeteners.
Great Value Iced Tea Mix
Ingredients: sugar, citric acid, maltodextrin, tea, acacia gum, lemon juice solids.
Contains sugar as the sweetener.
Benefits of Different Sweeteners
| Sweetener | Benefits |
|---|---|
| Sucralose |
|
| Aspartame |
|
| Acesulfame Potassium |
|
| Sugar |
|
Amounts of Sweetener Used
The exact amounts of sweetener used in Great Value drink mixes vary between products and flavors. However, below are some typical levels of sweetener:
- Sucralose: 50-100mg per serving
- Aspartame: 25-75mg per serving
- Acesulfame potassium: 25-75mg per serving
- Sugar: 5-10g per serving
These amounts deliver the level of sweetness expected for a single serving stick of powdered drink mix while keeping calories and carbohydrates within the desired range.
Safety
The artificial sweeteners used in Great Value drink mixes have been extensively tested and approved as safe by the FDA:
- Sucralose – Approved in 1998, considered safe for human consumption
- Aspartame – Approved in 1981, considered safe when consumed within recommended amounts
- Acesulfame potassium – Approved in 1988, no evidence of carcinogenic effects
Hundreds of studies have been conducted on these sweeteners, including long-term animal studies looking for any association with cancer risk. The results of these studies have confirmed the safety of the sweeteners when used according to approved levels.
Cost Effectiveness
Artificial sweeteners like sucralose, aspartame, and ace-K can provide a high level of sweetness for very little cost. Only tiny amounts are needed since they are hundreds of times sweeter than regular sugar. Sugar costs around 5 cents per teaspoon compared to a tiny fraction of a cent for most artificial sweeteners. This makes artificial sweeteners a very cost effective way to deliver sweetness in food and beverage products.
Conclusion
Great Value drink mixes use a variety of sweeteners depending on the specific product and flavor. The most frequently used sweeteners include sucralose, aspartame, acesulfame potassium, and sugar. These provide the taste and functionality needed while keeping calories, carbs, and costs within desired ranges. Extensive testing has confirmed the safety of the artificial sweeteners for use in food and beverages. Checking the ingredient labels allows consumers to see exactly which sweeteners are contained in each drink mix.
