How Much Sugar is Actually in a Can of Popular High Noon Hard Seltzer?

Understanding Sugar Content in High Noon Hard Seltzers

Hard seltzers like High Noon have been growing rapidly in popularity over the past few years. Marketed as a lighter, low calorie alternative to beer, many health-conscious consumers view them as a smarter drinking option.

But with growing sales has come growing concern over the actual sugar and carbohydrate content in many mainstream hard seltzer brands. This includes extremely popular options like High Noon hard seltzer.

What is High Noon Hard Seltzer?

High Noon is a line of fruit-flavored hard seltzers made by E. & J. Gallo Winery. Launching originally in 2019 with just two flavors - Grapefruit and Pineapple - High Noon has grown quickly into one of America's top selling hard seltzer brands.

Like most hard seltzers, High Noon is made by fermenting cane sugar into alcohol. This fermented sugar water base is then combined with fruit flavoring and carbonated water to produce a light, fruited bubbly drink around 5% alcohol by volume (ABV).

High Noon's Growing Popularity

Part of what sets High Noon apart is its focus on real spirit-based flavors using vodka and whiskey, rather than fermented cane sugar alone. This gives High Noon a deeper, richer flavor profile compared to many hard seltzers.

High Noon has also grown through innovation, expanding to over a dozen unique fruit flavor combinations like Peach, Black Cherry, Mango, and Watermelon Vodka. Special edition Pride Packs and seasonal flavors drive further excitement around the brand.

Thanks to great branding, influencer marketing and distribution through E. & J. Gallo's networks, High Noon has gone from fledgling upstart to one of the country's hottest hard seltzer brands with over $150 million in sales.

How Much Sugar is Actually in High Noon Hard Seltzers?

With the rise of health-conscious drinking, more attention has turned to evaluating actual sugar content within leading hard seltzer options.

So how much sugar is actually found in a can of High Noon hard seltzer?

Nutrition Facts for High Noon

Looking at the latest nutrition facts published by High Noon, a 12 ounce can contains:

• Calories: 100
• Carbohydrates: 2g
• Sugars: less than 1g

This amounts to 4% of a typical daily carbohydrate intake. Very low numbers compared to traditional beer, which normally range from 10-15 grams of carbs per 12 ounce serving.

Understanding the Less Than 1g Sugar Claim

While compelling on its surface, the "less than 1 gram" sugar claim by High Noon requires a deeper look. By law, nutrition labels are allowed to claim "<1g sugar" as long as the item contains between 0.5g to 0.9g of sugar per serving.

So realistically, High Noon could contain up to 0.9g of sugar per can, even as its labels claim less than 1g. Over a 4-pack or 12-pack, actual sugar intake could approach 4-5 grams.

Additionally, by relying on fermented cane sugar in the brewing process, more hidden sugar likely makes its way into the final liquid compared to hard seltzers made from sugar-free bases.

Best Estimates Suggest 0.5-1g of Sugar per High Noon

Evaluating all available information on High Noon's production process and nutrition panels, the best estimates suggest each can likely contains 0.5 to 1 gram of actual sugar content.

So while High Noon technically meets its sub-1g sugar claim, the real number may be higher than some health-conscious consumers realize.

How High Noon's Sugar Content Compares to Other Hard Seltzers

To better understand High Noon's sugar levels, it helps to compare against other mainstream hard seltzer brands.

White Claw Hard Seltzer Sugar Content

White Claw, the current top-selling hard seltzer brand in America, contains a very similar nutrition panel to High Noon:

• Calories: 100
• Carbohydrates: 2-3g
• Sugars: less than 1g

Made from a fermented sugar base, White Claw likely has a comparable 0.5 to 1g of actual sugar per 12 ounce can.

Truly Hard Seltzer Nutrition Facts

Truly, another wildly popular hard seltzer, reports slightly higher carbohydrate and sugar content:

• Calories: 100
• Carbohydrates: less than 1g
• Sugars: 1g

Thanks to its rounded-up 1g sugar claim, Truly is likely on the higher end for sugar content among major hard seltzer brands.

Bud Light Seltzer Sugar Profile

Interestingly, newer brand Bud Light Seltzer calls out dramatically lower carbohydrates and sugar than rivals:

• Calories: 100
• Carbohydrates: less than 1g
• Sugars: less than 1g

If accurate, Bud Light Seltzer would essentially contain negligible actual sugar. However it is worth being skeptical of significantly better nutrition claims from brands owned by major conglomerates.

Sugar-Free and Low Sugar Alternatives

Beyond mainstream brands, a growing number of hard seltzer products advertise as low-sugar or completely sugar free, including:

• Vizzy Hard Seltzer
• Bon & Viv Spiked Seltzer
• Smirnoff Seltzer
• Arctic Summer

These products substitute sugar in the fermentation process for artificial sweeteners (e.g. sucralose, stevia), erythritol or other low caloric bases. As a result they can credibly claim little or no sugar per can.

Is High Noon "Low Sugar" Overall?

Given its likely 0.5 to 1g of actual sugar and fewer than 100 calories per 12 ounce can, High Noon does reasonably fit macro trends for a low sugar, low carb adult beverage.

However its production process based on fermented cane sugar means it trails newer generation competitors when it comes to minimizing real sugar content.

Prioritizing Ingredient Quality Over Sugar Numbers

In High Noon's defense, relying on cane sugar likely contributes to its depth of flavors and alcoholic kick compared to seltzers made from sugar substitutes.

There is also the perspective that 2-3 grams of sugar (in a 12 pack) should not make or break generally healthy diets. Moderating overall alcohol intake is likely the far bigger long-term health factor.

Nevertheless, the rise of lower sugar and sugar-free spiked seltzers suggest High Noon could see consumer pressure to reformulate in coming years if nutrition continues overtaking other buying factors.

Is High Noon Ultimately a "Healthy" Drink Option?

No alcohol product fits all criteria for a "healthy" beverage. But High Noon does check several boxes compared to traditional beer, cocktails and other mixed drinks:

• Lower calories than most alcoholic options at just 100 calories per can
• Relatively low carbohydrates
• Gluten-free formulation
• Real spirit-based flavors adding depth and variety
• Antioxidant content from natural fruit flavors

Based purely on nutritional content, most dieticians and health experts would likely view High Noon (in moderation) as a fairly smart alcoholic drink selection relative to other choices.

Downsides to Consider from a Health Standpoint

However, it is impossible to ignore the well-understood health risks of alcohol consumption entirely. Even in moderation, alcohol negatively impacts:

• Brain function and cognition
• Sleep cycles
• Heart health
• Immune system function
• Calorie intake and fat burning

There are also social factors that come with "drinking culture" which can encourage excessive intake. Pre-made canned cocktails like High Noon lower the barriers to rapid alcohol consumption even further.

So while High Noon has its merits as an occasional drink choice, it will always fall short of truly "healthy" status.

The Bottom Line on High Noon and Sugar

High Noon hard seltzer deserves credit for sparking innovation and excitement within the spiked seltzer category, converting many beer, wine and cocktail drinkers towards a lower sugar option.

While High Noon likely contains more total sugar than its nutrition labels suggest, its sub 1g per can sugar claim is within legal guidelines and reasonable compared to leading competitors.

Measured against purely nutritional metrics, High Noon is a fairly smart alcoholic beverage selection for carb and sugar-conscious drinkers. However, no alcohol product qualifies as truly healthy, only less unhealthy.

Moderating overall alcohol intake remains the best practice. But for occasional drinking choose, High Noon presents a nice balance between flavor, refreshment and lower sugar intake compared to traditional alcohol options.

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.