Naturally Sweetened Hard Seltzers: Ingredients, Brands, Benefits & Drawbacks

The Rise of Hard Seltzer

Over the last few years, hard seltzer has taken the alcohol industry by storm. These bubbly, flavored malt beverages contain alcohol but are lower in calories and carbs than beer, wine, and traditional mixed drinks. Major brands like White Claw, Truly, and Bon & Viv have capitalized on the health-conscious drinking trend, marketing their seltzers as a fit, fun way to imbibe without wrecking your diet.

However, many popular seltzers use artificial sweeteners like sucralose or aspartame to achieve their lighter taste profiles. These chemical sugar substitutes allow brands to create sweet, fruity flavors without adding extra calories or spiking blood sugar. But artificial ingredients don't align with the natural, wellness-oriented image many hard seltzer brands aim to project.

The Need for Naturally Sweetened Options

In response to consumer demand for products made from simple, recognizable components, new seltzer brands have rolled out lines sweetened with no artificial, non-nutritive sweeteners. These naturally sweetened seltzers rely on fruit juice concentrates, monk fruit extract, organic cane sugar, and stevia leaf extract to develop low-calorie yet flavor-packed beverages.

Naturally sweetened hard seltzers appeal to health-conscious drinkers who want all the fun of a flavored, fizzy drink without any of the funky chemicals. This category caters to consumers who closely scrutinize ingredient labels and prioritize natural components over sugar content. While these products may contain more calories than their artificially-sweetened counterparts, many drinkers consider that a worthwhile tradeoff.

Popular Naturally Sweetened Brands

Several hard seltzer companies recognized the market potential for naturally sweetened products early on. Spindrift first tackled the category in 2018 with three flavor offerings made with fresh juice and pured real fruit. Since then, brands like Sound Sparkling, Arctic Summer, and Atmos have also launched seltzers made with all-natural ingredients.

Now that the hard seltzer category has matured, even mainstream brands like White Claw, Truly, and Bud Light Seltzer have added or announced lines featuring natural sweeteners. These beverage giants likely want to compete across all niches within the bubbly, booze-infused drink space.

Benefits of Choosing Naturally Sweetened Seltzers

Here are some of the main upsides of picking a hard seltzer without artificial sweeteners:

• You avoid controversial chemical sugar substitutes like aspartame, acesulfame potassium, sucralose, and saccharin.
• Products made with simple, recognizable ingredients align better with a health and wellness-focused lifestyle.
• Naturally sweetened seltzers often use fruit juice concentrates, providing more actual fruit taste compared to chemical flavorings.
• Stevia, monk fruit, and organic cane sugar are generally considered safe and less processed than artificial sweeteners.
• You support smaller brands focused on artisanal, high-quality ingredients over mega corporations.

Potential Drawbacks

Of course, naturally sweetened hard seltzers arent perfect. Here are some potential downsides to consider:

• Since they contain real sugar and fruit juice concentrates, theyre often higher in calories and carbs than mainstream diet seltzers.
• Smaller brands tend to cost more than hugely mass-produced labels like White Claw.
• All-natural seltzers generally have shorter ingredient lists, so the flavors may taste less complex or artificial than standard varieties.
• These products occupy specialty niche market, so you may not find as much brand, flavor, or package variety.

Examining Popular Naturally Sweetened Options

If youre interested in sampling some hard seltzers without fake sugar, plenty of options exist. Heres an overview of some top naturally sweetened spiked seltzer brands:

Spindrift

As a pioneer in the unsweetened sparkling water space, Spindrifts credentials as a non-artificially flavored beverage brand are rock solid. Their hard seltzer line comes in three flavors: Half & Half, Pineapple, and Mango. Each can contains real squeezed fruit pure for tangy tropical taste. At 130 calories and 4g carbs per 12 oz serving, this brand falls slightly above average for hard seltzers in terms of nutritionals.

Sound Sparkling

This brand uses organic agave, fruit juice concentrates, and botanicals like ginger and hibiscus to craft their flavor profiles. With exotic flavor combinations like Cucumber Jasmine, Lychee Hibiscus, and Grapefruit Basil, Sound Sparkling targets adventurous drinkers looking for an elevated experience. At 100 calories and 2g carbs per 12 oz can, their stats equal mainstream diet seltzer brands.

Arctic Summer

Playful flavors like Watermelon Mojito, Cherry Vanilla, and Wild Berry Lemonade make Arctic Summer another fun, fruit-forward player in the all-natural hard seltzer segment. This woman-owned brand is sweetened with organic cane sugar and real fruit pures. Each 12 oz serving clocks in at 140 calories and 4-6g carbs depending on variety.

Atmos

Boasting USDA Organic Certification and B Corp status, Atmos goes above standard sustainable business practices to promote positive global impact. Their hard seltzers use organic blue agave nectar to achieve sweetness without artificial additives. Flavors like Guava Punch, Pineapple Twist, and Clementine offer vibrant fruit taste. At 120 calories and 3g carbs per 12 oz can, Atmos aligns with conventional seltzer nutrition stats.

Factors to Consider When Choosing a Naturally Sweetened Hard Seltzer

With so many options now available in the all-natural sparkling alcohol arena, drinkers have their pick of the litter. Here are some key considerations as you evaluate brands and make purchases:

Ingredients

Scrutinize the ingredient list above all else - this will reveal exactly what sweeteners and flavor components make up a hard seltzer formula. Look for easy-to-pronounce compounds like fruit juice concentrates, stevia leaf extract, monk fruit, and organic cane sugar. Avoid anything containing sucralose, aspartame, acesulfame potassium, neotame, saccharin, and advantame.

Nutrition Facts

Calorie, carb, sugar, and alcohol content differ wildly amongst natural hard seltzer products. If youre watching your weight, limit sugars, or dont want to overdo it on booze, compare these metrics across your preferred brand flavors to inform decisions.

Taste

This one seems obvious, but remains super significant. Since all-natural seltzers use real fruit and sugar to provide sweetness and flavors, the taste profile can come across quite different from artificial varieties. Make sure you genuinely enjoy the flavors before stocking up for summer sip sessions.

Brand Reputation & Values

Research companies behind naturally sweetened seltzer brands to understand their missions, standards, and practices. Many center sustainability, ethical sourcing, positive social impact, and health in their messaging and business approaches. Identify brands that align with your personal values around drinking.

The Verdict on Naturally Sweetened Hard Seltzers

While hard seltzers with natural sweeteners may not please every palate, they offer some advantages over mainstream artificially flavored options. Avoiding controversial chemical sugar substitutes, supporting smaller sustainable brands, and consuming more real fruit in your beverages all constitute solid rationales for choosing all-natural bubbly booze.

However, these products dont necessarily reign as victors in every category. Naturally sweetened seltzers generally contain more calories, carbs, and sugars than standard diet varieties. They also come with higher price tags in many cases. And their flavor complexity simply wont stand up to artificial tastes for some drinkers.

At the end of the day, your personal preferences and priorities should drive buying decisions. Just know that if you want to avoid artificial sweeteners, plenty of authentic seltzer options now exist to quench your thirst this summer!

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new treatment regimen.