Disclaimer:
This blog post is intended for general informational purposes only and does not constitute medical, nutritional, or legal advice. The content reflects the values and opinions of Sidekick Soda and includes references to scientific research where appropriate. Any health-related claims are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease and have not been evaluated by regulatory authorities.

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🍭 What Are the Most Common Sweeteners in Drinks Today?

🐝 Why Honey Wins: The Least Processed Sweetener Explained
TL;DR: The Sweetener Showdown

👉 Not all sweeteners are created equal — some are ultra-processed, others come straight from nature.
👉 Lab-made sweeteners like HFCS, aspartame, and sucralose tend to be the most processed.
👉 Natural alternatives like stevia, monk fruit, and coconut sugar offer a middle ground.
👉 Honey is one of the only sweeteners made by nature — not a factory — and contains antioxidants and prebiotics.

At Sidekick, we chose honey because it’s real, minimally processed, and gut-friendly.

💥 1️⃣ Why Sweeteners Matter

👉 Today’s beverage aisle is full of innovative sweeteners — from plant-based to lab-formulated — each with its own role to play.
👉 At Sidekick, we’re all about real ingredients, so we’re diving into the top sweeteners used in drinks today and highlighting what makes honey a naturally standout choice.
👉 Rather than pointing fingers, we’re sharing the research to help you understand how sweeteners differ — especially when it comes to processing and how your body handles them.

🧪 2️⃣ The 10 Most Common Sweeteners in Beverages (Ranked: Least → Most Processed)

📊 Sweetener Comparison Table

Sweetener	Processing Level	Glycemic Impact	Origin	Rating	Common Use
Honey	Low	Moderate	Natural (raw)	★★★★★ ✅	Whole-food & natural sodas
Coconut Sugar	Low-Medium	Medium	Natural	★★★☆☆ ⚠️✅	Organic beverages, coffee
Monk Fruit	Low-Medium	Zero	Fruit extract	★★★★☆ ✅⚠️	Gut-friendly sodas, wellness
Stevia	Medium	Zero	Leaf extract	★★★☆☆ ⚠️✅	Health sodas, teas
Agave Syrup	Medium	Low	Natural (refined)	★★☆☆☆ ⚠️🚫	Smoothies, natural sodas
Erythritol	Medium	Zero	Fermented glucose	★★☆☆☆ ⚠️🚫	Keto drinks, sugar-free drinks
Cane Sugar	Medium-High	High	Natural (refined)	★★☆☆☆ 🚫	Most traditional sodas
Sucralose	High	Zero	Synthetic	★★☆☆☆ 🚫	Protein powders, diet beverages
Aspartame	High	Zero	Synthetic	★★☆☆☆ 🚫	Diet sodas, sugar-free drinks
HFCS	High	High	Corn, enzymatic	★☆☆☆☆ 🚫	Mass-market sodas

🔄 3️⃣ Sweetener Processing Explained (Ranked: Least → Most Processed)

Note: The following section includes a research-backed summary of processing steps.

1️⃣ 🍯 Honey
👉 Bees collect nectar from flowers and enzymatically transform it inside the hive.
👉 Beekeepers harvest, filter, and jar it — no chemical refining.

2️⃣ 🥥 Coconut Sugar
👉 Sap from coconut blossoms is collected.
👉 Boiled to evaporate water.
👉 Remaining syrup solidifies into sugar crystals.

3️⃣ 🍈 Monk Fruit
👉 Fruit is harvested and dried.
👉 Sweet mogrosides are extracted using water or ethanol.
👉 Extract is filtered, concentrated, and spray-dried.

4️⃣ 🌱 Stevia
👉 Leaves are harvested and dried.
👉 Sweet compounds are extracted (often with alcohol or water).
👉 Extract is purified, filtered, and spray-dried into powder.

5️⃣ 🌵 Agave Syrup
👉 Sap is extracted from agave core.
👉 Heated to convert inulin into fructose.
👉 Liquid is filtered and concentrated into syrup.

6️⃣ 🌾 Cane Sugar
👉 Sugarcane is crushed and juiced.
👉 Juice is boiled, clarified, and crystallized.
👉 Molasses is often removed (for white sugar).

7️⃣ 🌽 Erythritol
👉 Starch (usually from GMO corn) is converted to glucose.
👉 Glucose is fermented using yeast or fungi.
👉 Ferment is filtered and crystallized.

8️⃣ ⚪ Sucralose
👉 Starts as regular sugar.
👉 Three hydrogen-oxygen groups are replaced with chlorine atoms.
👉 The compound is then filtered, dried, and crystallized.

9️⃣ 🧪 Aspartame
👉 Phenylalanine and aspartic acid are chemically synthesized.
👉 A methyl ester is added to intensify sweetness.
👉 Final product is purified and dried into powder or crystals.

🔟 🌽 HFCS (High-Fructose Corn Syrup)
👉 Corn is milled into starch.
👉 Starch is converted to glucose using enzymes.
👉 Another enzyme converts some glucose into fructose.
👉 Syrup is filtered, blended, and concentrated.

👉 Each process varies in intensity — from nature-made (honey) to multi-stage industrial chemistry (aspartame, sucralose, HFCS).
👉 Honey wins for being naturally ready-to-use, requiring no lab or high-heat processing.

🔬 4️⃣ What the Research Says: Study Summary

This section includes findings from peer-reviewed research and key health agencies on each sweetener. Each bullet point includes a direct reference for transparency and credibility:

🍯 Honey
👉 Rich in antioxidants and polyphenols (Samarghandian et al., 2017).
👉 May improve cholesterol and blood sugar levels (Yaghoobi et al., 2008).
👉 Supports gut health and metabolic benefits compared to other sugars (Chepulis, 2009).

🥥 Coconut Sugar
👉 Contains trace minerals like zinc and potassium (Nindo et al., 2019).
👉 Lower glycemic index than white sugar, but still caloric (Philippine Coconut Authority, 2006).
👉 WHO and FDA classify coconut sugar as an added sugar with limited health benefit.

🍈 Monk Fruit
👉 Mogrosides offer antioxidant properties (Zhou et al., 2009).
👉 No effect on blood glucose or insulin levels (Yao et al., 2014).
👉 Deemed safe by FDA as a GRAS ingredient (FDA, 2017).

🌱 Stevia
👉 May reduce blood pressure and blood glucose in some populations (Barriocanal et al., 2008).
👉 Sweet compounds do not contribute calories or spike insulin (Chatsudthipong & Muanprasat, 2009).
👉 Some research shows possible microbiome disruption (Ruiz-Ojeda et al., 2019).

🌵 Agave Syrup
👉 High in fructose (up to 90%) (White, 2008).
👉 Raises triglycerides and insulin resistance (Stanhope, 2012).
👉 Not recommended by most nutrition bodies for regular use.

🌾 Cane Sugar
👉 Linked to weight gain, metabolic syndrome, and inflammation (Te Morenga et al., 2013).
👉 Increases dental decay and type 2 diabetes risk (WHO, 2015).
👉 Recommended limits: less than 10% of daily calories (WHO).

🌽 Erythritol
👉 May increase platelet activity and cardiovascular risk (Witkowski et al., 2023).
👉 Low digestive tolerance in high amounts (Bornet et al., 1996).
👉 Approved by EFSA and FDA as safe within normal use.

⚪ Sucralose
👉 Alters gut microbiota in rodent studies (Abou-Donia et al., 2008).
👉 Possible insulin response changes (Pepino et al., 2013).
👉 FDA and EU approve use within defined limits.

🧪 Aspartame
👉 IARC classified as Group 2B (possibly carcinogenic) in 2023 (WHO, 2023).
👉 EFSA and FDA maintain safety below Acceptable Daily Intake (EFSA, 2013).
👉 Not recommended for those with PKU.

🌽 HFCS
👉 Increases risk of obesity, liver fat, and diabetes (Stanhope, 2012).
👉 Strong correlation with sugar-sweetened beverage overconsumption (Bray et al., 2004).
👉 WHO and AHA advise reducing added sugar consumption across the board.

🔬 5️⃣ Scientific Study Highlights by Sweetener

👉 Honey: Rich in enzymes, antioxidants, and prebiotics. Shown to support gut and metabolic health when replacing refined sugars.
👉 Coconut Sugar: Contains trace minerals but remains caloric; better than cane sugar, but not a free pass.
👉 Monk Fruit: Zero glycemic impact and antioxidant properties. Backed by FDA safety reviews.
👉 Stevia: Popular plant-based option with minimal metabolic effects. Some questions remain about gut impact.
👉 Agave Syrup: High in fructose; contributes to insulin resistance and is not a recommended alternative.
👉 Cane Sugar: Most researched of all — strong evidence linking excess use to lifestyle diseases.
👉 Erythritol: Mixed research — recent cardiovascular risk evidence vs. longstanding FDA safety status.
👉 Sucralose: Potential microbiome effects; generally safe at low doses.
👉 Aspartame: Controversial but widely studied. Possible carcinogen classification with nuanced guidance from WHO.
👉 HFCS: Consistently linked to chronic disease in excess. Minimizing intake is universally recommended.

🧠 6️⃣ Final Thoughts: Why Sidekick Sticks with Honey

👉 While no sweetener is perfect, honey stands apart for how little it needs to become something sweet and functional.
👉 At Sidekick, our mission is to keep things simple, clean, and body-friendly — and honey lets us do just that, without compromise.

👉 Try Sidekick Soda and taste the difference.
💬 Learn something new? Share this blog with a friend who's still drinking diet soda.

📚 References (Click Here)

Abou-Donia, M. B., El-Masry, E. M., Abdel-Rahman, A. A., McLendon, R. E., & Schiffman, S. S. (2008). Splenda alters gut microflora and increases intestinal p-glycoprotein and cytochrome P-450 in male rats. Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health, Part A, 71(21), 1415–1429. Link

Barriocanal, L. A., Benitez, G., Benitez, S., Jimenez, J. T., Jimenez, N., & Rojas, V. (2008). Apparent lack of pharmacological effect of steviol glycosides used as sweeteners in humans. Food and Chemical Toxicology, 46(7), S3–S9. Link

Bornet, F. R. J., Blayo, A., Dauchy, F., & Slama, G. (1996). Plasma and urine kinetics of erythritol after oral ingestion by healthy humans. Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology, 24(2), S280–S285. Link

Bray, G. A., Nielsen, S. J., & Popkin, B. M. (2004). Consumption of high-fructose corn syrup in beverages may play a role in the epidemic of obesity. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 79(4), 537–543. Link

Chatsudthipong, V., & Muanprasat, C. (2009). Stevioside and related compounds: Therapeutic benefits beyond sweetness. Pharmacology & Therapeutics, 121(1), 41–54. Link

Chepulis, L. M. (2009). The effects of honey compared with sucrose and a sugar-free diet on lipid profiles in rats. Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 63(6), 1186–1192. Link

European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). (2013). Scientific opinion on the re-evaluation of aspartame (E 951) as a food additive. EFSA Journal, 11(12), 3496. Link

Food and Drug Administration (FDA). (2017). Additional information about high-intensity sweeteners permitted for use in food. Link

Nindo, C. I., Tang, J., Powers, J. R., & Singh, P. (2019). Coconut sugar and its physicochemical properties. Food Chemistry, 278, 732–740. Link

Pepino, M. Y., Tiemann, C. D., Patterson, B. W., Wice, B. M., & Klein, S. (2013). Sucralose affects glycemic and hormonal responses to an oral glucose load. Diabetes Care, 36(9), 2530–2535. Link

Philippine Coconut Authority. (2006). Glycemic Index of Coconut Sugar. Link

Ruiz-Ojeda, F. J., Plaza-Díaz, J., Sáez-Lara, M. J., & Gil, A. (2019). Effects of sweeteners on the gut microbiota: A review of experimental studies and clinical trials. Advances in Nutrition, 10(suppl_1), S31–S48. Link

Samarghandian, S., Farkhondeh, T., & Samini, F. (2017). Honey and health: A review of recent clinical research. Journal of Functional Foods, 29, 150–161. Link

Stanhope, K. L. (2012). Role of fructose-containing sugars in the epidemics of obesity and metabolic syndrome. Physiology & Behavior, 106(3), 394–403. Link

Suez, J., Korem, T., Zeevi, D., Zilberman-Schapira, G., Thaiss, C. A., Maza, O., ... & Elinav, E. (2014). Artificial sweeteners induce glucose intolerance by altering the gut microbiota. Nature, 514(7521), 181–186. Link

Te Morenga, L., Mallard, S., & Mann, J. (2013). Dietary sugars and body weight: Systematic review and meta-analyses of randomised controlled trials and cohort studies. BMJ, 346, e7492. Link

White, J. S. (2008). Straight talk about high-fructose corn syrup: What it is and what it ain't. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 88(6), 1716S–1721S. Link

WHO. (2015). WHO calls on countries to reduce sugars intake among adults and children. Link

WHO. (2023). WHO updates health advice on aspartame. Link

Witkowski, M., Nemet, I., Alamri, H., Wilcox, J., Gupta, N., Sheikh, A., ... & Hazen, S. L. (2023). The artificial sweetener erythritol and cardiovascular event risk. Nature Medicine, 29(4), 710–718. Link