It’s no secret that proper hydration is a vital factor in weight loss. Studies proved that drinking water before meals aids in reducing weight by around 2 kg over 12 weeks.
That said, combining hydration, a healthy diet, and a suitable exercise routine is the ideal way to reach your desired shape. However, many neglect hydration for some reason. Some people just don’t like water, while others forget to drink adequate amounts.
That’s when Crystal Light comes in handy. It’s a powder that, when combined with water, creates a pleasant, calorie-free beverage with a fruity flavor. But does it help in weight loss?
In this article, we’ll guide you through everything you need to know about Crystal Light for weight loss, from its components and benefits to side effects. So let’s get started.
Table of Contents
Crystal Light for Weight Loss Overview
Crystal Light is a calorie-free drink that comes in many flavors. While it doesn’t offer many health benefits, it does help you stay hydrated as it’s an excellent water alternative.
What’s more, if you replace sugar-rich drinks and high-calorie beverages with Crystal Light, you’ll burn more calories.
What’s Crystal Light?
Crystal Light
Crystal Light is a powder that produces a fruity-flavored drink when mixed with water. The drink contains low or zero calories, providing a good alternative to water.
Crysta Light’s main products are; Tea, Classics, Pure, and With Caffeine.
The main difference is that Pure is free from artificial ingredients, preservatives, and flavors. It contains sugar cane, stevia, and dried corn syrup. Plus, the colors are all-natural and come from turmeric or black carrot extract.
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Ingredients
When it comes to Crystal Light, the ingredients are both familiar and mysterious. On one hand, you’ll find natural flavors, like lemonade and raspberry ice, derived from real fruits. On the other hand, there’s citric acid, a common preservative in many processed foods.
So what does this mean? Well, it means that there are both positives and negatives associated with Crystal Light.
On the plus side, there are no sugar or artificial sweeteners in some flavors of Crystal Light. That’s why it’s a healthier option than some other artificially-flavored drinks on the market.
The downside is that while some of the ingredients might be natural, they’re not necessarily healthy. For example, citric acid and various colorings are used to make the beverage more visually appealing, but they don’t offer any health benefits.
While the ingredients might vary slightly in each product, here are the main ingredients in Crystal Light.
- Aspartame (used as an artificial sweetener)
- Citric acid (adds a sour flavor and has preserving properties)
- Potassium citrate (preservative and flavor enhancer)
- Sodium citrate (boosts flavor and has preserving properties)
- Maltodextrin (acts as a thickening, stabilizing, and sweetening agent)
- Magnesium oxide (used as a drying agent and helps with color retention and pH modification)
Other additional ingredients include acesulfame potassium, soy lecithin, BHA, and artificial colors.
Nutritional Value
While the nutritional value might differ between varieties, a ½ packet of Crystal Light contains:
- 35gm of Sodium
- 5 calories
The drink contains no proteins, carbohydrates, sugar, or fats.
Benefits of Crystal Light
Looking at the ingredients and nutritional value of Crystal Light, you might wonder how it’s beneficial.
While it doesn’t contain any calories, Crystal Light is an excellent alternative to other drinks that contain huge amounts of sugar and calories. Let’s take a closer look at the benefits of Crystal Light.
Alternative to Soda and Other Drinks
Looking at the market of drink mixes, it can be daunting to choose the best one. That said, Crystal Light contains zero to no calories, which makes it an ideal replacement for water.
It’s also light and simple to prepare. So whether you’re on a diet or just looking to add a flavor to your drinking water, Crystal Light is a good option.
Recommended: Can you drink Crystal Light while fasting?
Different Flavors
If you’re looking for a healthy alternative to your favorite drink, Crystal Light is available in different flavors, such as lemonade, strawberry, and raspberry.
Low Calories
Limiting your sugar intake is crucial to burn calories and lose weight. Unfortunately, most drink mixes contain sugar, which might not be optimal if you’re on a calorie-restricted diet.
However, Crystal Light contains minimal sugar. That’s why it’s a safe drink mix to add to your diet.
Hydration
Crystal Light products encourage you to drink more water daily. This not only helps in weight loss, but it improves your heart and kidney functions as well.
Drawbacks of Crystal Light
As with any commercially-produced beverage, there are potential drawbacks to drinking Crystal Light.
Artificial Sweeteners
Crystal Light is sweetened with artificial sweeteners like sucralose, acesulfame potassium, aspartame, Yellow 5, Red 40, and Blue 1. These low-calorie sweeteners give Crystal Light its sugar-like flavor without the sugar content.
While the FDA regarded these ingredients as safe, some experts don’t agree. They think there’s not enough evidence about the safety of these additives.
Some studies also found that artificial colors in drinks and foods may contribute to allergic reactions and behavioral issues in children. Additionally, artificial sweeteners may trigger depressive symptoms and headaches.
Aspartame
Aspartame isn’t safe for everyone. For instance, people who have tardive dyskinesia or phenylketonuria should avoid it, as it can worsen their symptoms.
Sucralose
The long-term effects of sucralose are still not clear. However, some studies have shown that sucralose might reduce insulin sensitivity and impact gut bacteria.
Stevia
Many experts say that excess stevia might affect blood sugar and blood pressure levels. That’s why Stevia should be used with caution among diabetics and those who take blood pressure medication.
Cost
As a convenience product, Crystal Light generally costs more than making your drink at home.
For instance, purchasing individual packets can often be more expensive than making your tea or coffee with simple ingredients like lemons, lime, and other fruits or herbs.
Related: How much caffeine is in Crystal Light Wild Strawberry?
Is Crystal Light Good for Weight Loss?
Weight loss is a complex process, and no single food or drink is going to make a huge difference.
That said, Crystal Light is a good option for those looking to trim their waistline. How?
Since it contains minimal calories and sugar, Crystal Light could eventually lead to weight loss, as you consume fewer calories.
On top of that, the variety of available flavors makes the drinking experience more appealing to some people. Thus, it can help people who want to lose weight, as they usually misconstrue thirst as hunger.
Moreover, Crystal Light has zero calories and very few carbohydrates, which is a big plus for those wanting to watch their waistline. It also contains minimal sugar and is low in sodium, all of which are good things when you’re watching your weight.
Finally, it’s pretty low in fat and contains zero cholesterol, making it a healthy choice when comparing diet drinks.
Let’s look at the pros and cons of using Crystal Light for weight loss.
Pros
- Low in calories, carbohydrates, and sodium
- Minimal amounts of sugar
- Zero fats and cholesterol
Cons
- It contains artificial sweeteners like sucralose and aspartame
- It’s not necessarily a diet drink for weight loss. You should still focus on reducing calorie intake in other ways (like eating fewer high-calorie foods)
- Will cost you more than drinking plain water in the long run
FAQs
Is Crystal Light harmful?
Crystal Light is sugar-free and made using artificial sweeteners like aspartame, which can be controversial.
Some studies show that artificial sweeteners could lead to health problems such as obesity, diabetes, and headaches. However, there’s no definitive agreement yet on the potential side effects of artificial sweeteners.
How many calories are in a Crystal Light drink?
Crystal Light comes in various flavors and sizes, so the calorie count can vary depending on the flavor and size. Generally speaking, an 8-ounce glass of Crystal Light contains ten calories or less. That’s significantly fewer calories than in most other packaged drinks.
Is it OK to drink Crystal Light every day?
There’s no one rule about how often or how much you can safely drink Crystal Light. However, keep in mind that beverages count towards your daily fluid intake.
So if you’re drinking too much artificial beverage, it could affect your hydration levels and overall health in the long term. That’s why it’s best to keep an eye on your beverage consumption as part of your everyday health routine.
Can I regularly drink Crystal Light instead of water?
Crystal Light provides a convenient way of getting your daily water intake if you’re bored of plain water. However, it still contains artificial components and coloring agents, which many people want to avoid.
Even though there’s not enough evidence about the harmful effects of drinking Crystal Light daily, plain water remains the best way to hydrate. You can use natural ingredients like lemon, berries, cucumber, or any fruit of your choice to add flavor to your water.
Which Crystal Light product is the best?
In terms of flavor, it all comes down to your preference. Though, the Crystal Light Pure is an excellent choice for people who want to stay away from artificial ingredients. The product uses more natural flavorings and ingredients, however, it contains sugar.