Flip over almost any "zero sugar" drink and you'll find one of a short list of sweeteners doing the work. Here's what each one is, how sweet it is, and how to spot it on the label.

Why zero-sugar drinks taste so sweet

Most sugar alternatives are many times sweeter than table sugar, so a tiny amount goes a long way. These are the ranges the FDA lists:

• Stevia (on labels: stevia leaf extract, steviol glycosides, Reb A, Reb M). 200 to 400 times sweeter than sugar. Purified compounds from the stevia leaf.
• Monk fruit (on labels: monk fruit extract, luo han guo, mogrosides). 100 to 250 times sweeter. Purified compounds from the monk fruit. Monk fruit packets are often cut with erythritol so they pour like sugar, so check the whole list.
• Sucralose. About 600 times sweeter.
• Acesulfame potassium (ace-K). About 200 times sweeter.
• Aspartame. About 200 times sweeter.

Source: FDA, Aspartame and Other Sweeteners in Food.

Allulose and sugar alcohols

Allulose is a rare sugar, about 70 percent as sweet as table sugar. The FDA lets brands leave it out of "Total Sugars" and "Added Sugars" on the label, though it still counts in total carbohydrates. So a drink can be sweetened with allulose and still say 0g sugar.

Sugar alcohols usually end in "-itol": erythritol, xylitol, sorbitol. They stay out of the sugar line too.

How common are they in electrolyte mixes?

We read the ingredient labels of 26 best-selling electrolyte drink mixes on Amazon on September 30, 2026. 25 of 26 used at least one zero- or low-calorie sweetener, and 16 of 26 used stevia. See every label and how we counted.

Real-food ways to sweeten

• Whole fruit. Fresh, frozen, or freeze-dried. You get the fruit, not a compound pulled from it.
• Honey. Never for babies under 12 months (CDC).
• Maple syrup. A little goes a long way.
• A little cane sugar. Measured, and listed on the label where you can see it.

Where we landed

Mineral Mist has no stevia, no monk fruit, no sucralose, and no sugar alcohols. Four of our five flavors have 0g added sugar; their light sweetness comes from coconut water and fruit. Berry Sweet has 2g of organic cane sugar per serving, and it's printed on the label.

It tastes lightly salty, not candy-sweet. If you're coming from a sweet mix, give it a few days. Most people tell us their taste buds adjust within the first week.

The FDA considers approved sweeteners safe at permitted levels. Whether you use them is your call. We just think you should know which one is in your glass.

See the Mineral Mist label