Is Crystal Light Bad for You?: Crystal light is aIs powered beverage introduced by Kraft Foods back then in 1982. It has a wide variety of flavors to choose from. These powered beverages were quite famous and had attracted a good number of people.
Crystal light is a sweet drink and has different flavors for different taste-buds. It is a flavor to enhance the taste of water. It is exactly what you need when you are dehydrated and bored with the basic taste of plain water. It can be your friend at a party! You can mix a dose of crystal light with any other beverage like Vodka.
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And there are numerous flavors in crystal light. The last time I counted, they were around 30-35. They range from lemon, strawberry, berry, and some variants also have caffeine added to them hence you can occasionally substitute your tea or coffee with crystal light.
I hope you read that I wrote “occasionally”. This definitely does not mean that you stock your room fridge with cartons of crystal light. It can be bad for your health to consume it regularly.
And let me tell you why, you may think Aspartame is not going to make you fat, now I am not going to bother you with the biological terms, but long story short, Aspartame enhances Insulin levels which in return reduces the amount of burnt fat. So basically you are not taking sugar but still increasing the insulin levels, which stops weight loss.
However, the question of health safety rises in this case since frequent usage can affect your health adversely. Read these myths of fat loss.
It is also in the news that crystal light is low in calories. A flavored water enhancer that too with minimal calories sounds wholesome. Doesn’t it?
It is also claimed that crystal light is a natural sweetener and contains lesser amounts of sugar. This reason itself is the secret behind the crystal light’s sale. Yet the first reason remains the convenience of enhancing the taste of water.
Though it is pretty weird to know that people can get tired of how plain water tastes. Anyways, we have been wearing mixed reviews regarding the safety of using crystal light.
Like any other artificial sweetener, it is going to have its pros and cons. When it comes to the health of an individual, is crystal light bad for it or is it safe to use?
To answer this question, we will have a look at the pros, cons, and ingredients of crystal light. Analyzing these details will help us reach a conclusion to answer our health safety concerns regarding crystal light.
Below mentioned are a number of factors and reasons that will help you decide if using crystal light is bad for health or not. Keep reading to find out!
Table of Content
Ingredients of crystal light and health concerns associated with them:
One of the major concerns that arose regarding the consumption of crystal light was the ingredients used to manufacture it.
It is said that it contains a number of ingredients that are not very healthy to consume.
Basic ingredients included in almost all flavors and variations of crystal light are as mentioned; Citric acid, Potassium citrate, Maltodextrin, Aspartame, Magnesium oxide, Acesulfame potassium, Soy lecithin, Artificial and Natural color.
The flavoring and further ingredients required to differentiate flavors and variants were different in all of them.
Yet the basic ingredients required to make the formula of crystal light are as mentioned above.
One of such ingredients used in crystal light is Aspartame. It is an artificial sweetener used to produce crystal light. It is marked safe to use yet it can have some potential health risks involved.
The debate regarding the usage of aspartame is two-sided. While one claims that using it is harmless and safe whereas the other side states that using aspartame can have several health risks.
They include; higher risk of dementia, higher chances of stroke, depression, and an increased chance of obesity.
Therefore these health risks shall make you reconsider your choice of consuming crystal light regularly.
Moreover, using artificial flavors in the production of crystal light is not exactly very beneficial for an individual’s health. It can adversely affect their physical health since any artificial additive can be bad for health.
Maltodextrin should also be used in precision since it is a sweetener and can cause allergies to some people.
Hence consuming crystal light in moderation is somewhat safe and not really bad for health at the same time.
Is crystal light bad for you and your health?
I think the answer to this is relative. If consumed in moderation, it is not as bad as you think it is. Moreover if used habitually it can have certain health effects that are unhealthy and have health risks associated with them.
Furthermore, health concerns will also depend on the person consuming it. If a diabetic person consumes crystal light, it will have more drawbacks than its effect on a non-diabetic,
Similarly, crystal light should not be consumed very regularly if you are fighting with any hormonal problem or a similar issue. You should keep your bodily issues in mind before consuming crystal light because of its artificial flavoring.
It contains Aspartame which is a dangerous artificial sweetener to be consumed regularly, specifically if you are battling diabetes.
Certain side effects of using aspartame regularly through crystal light are headaches, dizziness, anxiety attacks, abdominal discomfort, etc. It can be tricky and you have a chance of being the unlucky one to experience these symptoms.
Aspartame is probably the most significant drawback of crystal light. Artificial enhancers on the whole have a negative effect on an individual’s body.
Acesulfame potassium on the other hand is another artificial sweetener used; it is labeled as dangerous as well. It contains methylene chloride. It is dangerous to be consumed regularly for leisure.
It also increases the chances of cancer and other long term illnesses if consumed regularly. Therefore it is recommended to not consume crystal light very regularly due to these adverse effects of it.
These are a few precautions and concerns regarding the consumption of crystal light. Every individual holds a unique sentiment hence it cannot be generalized if everyone will agree with these concerns or not.
Some studies have proven Aspartame safe to use yet some haven’t. Some believe it can be used in moderation whereas some think it is not unhealthy to consume at all. This is what I meant when I said this idea is relative.
However, it should be claimed and admitted that using artificial sweeteners can be extremely damaging for your health anyway.
Be it crystal light or not, using artificial sweeteners can impair liver functioning along with other uncomfortable side effects like dizziness and nausea.
It should also be noted that if you are trying to use crystal light for weight loss, it might not be a wise idea. Though we have heard it works for Keto diet; if that diet is healthy or not is another long debate.
It can help you reduce your soft drink intake however the artificial sweeteners are not exactly something you should be using when you are on a diet.
To help you assess if crystal light is bad for you more precisely, below mentioned are a few pros and cons of crystal light.
Going over these will help you decide based on your health and personalized concerns hence you should grab your reading glasses.
Pros of crystal light:
There are no as such advantages of using crystal light on your health or body. Nothing can ever truly replace natural water hence do not expect a long list of advantages.
One pro of using crystal light is that you can battle your dehydration. If you find it difficult to drink regular water, there is a high chance that you will remain dehydrated.
To overcome this, crystal water can help since it is flavored and individuals consume it without having to worry about the taste. Although, doing this can be an unhealthy resort to your dehydration.
Moreover, another pro of using crystal water is that it can help you remain consistent when it comes to dieting. They can help you reduce your soft drink intake as well as replace all your extremely sugary drinks.
It also said that crystal water is good for the Keto diet. With modernity approaching every passing day, keto is becoming the new normal. Having the comfort of consuming crystal light during this diet can make it bearable.
Moving on, artificial sweeteners are not good for health for sure. However, replacing caloric sweeteners with these artificial sweeteners can help you lose weight as well as reduce your midnight lotus brownie cravings.
Moreover, people who are concerned about Aspartame can consume pure crystal light. They do less or no artificial additives hence can be consumed without having to worry a lot about artificial sweeteners like aspartame.
They don’t have any calories and fat hence they can be a good replacement for all your soft drinks and extra sugary juices. Not bad for a try though.
These above-mentioned advantages have no effect on an individual’s health hence this should be kept in mind before raving about them.
You should only consume a drink regularly if it has considerable benefits for your health. Therefore please do not overload your cart with it. Moderation is the key!
Cons of crystal light:
The debate regarding the cons of consuming crystal light is relative. Some people find it safe to use whereas some find it hazardous for health.
The main concern most people have regarding the consumption of crystal light is artificial sweeteners. It is no secret that artificial sweeteners are unhealthy and can have certain health effects.
Crystal light has Aspartame and that can have side effects like dizziness, nausea, etc. As well as long term illnesses like cancer and liver complications hence using it in high quantities can surely be hazardous.
Aspartame can also cause abdominal discomfort as well a slight headache, Therefore the benefits of using this do not overweigh an individual’s comfort.
Moreover, crystal light will somehow replace your ability to consume natural water. No matter what is the level of modernity, our body will always need natural water to function somehow.
Hence using crystal light extremely regularly can rule out an individual’s tendency to drink regular natural water and this can result in some serious sickness or dehydration.
Crystal light has no healthy nutrients added to them. Why spend money on a drink that just has flavor yet no benefit or advantage later in life?
Moreover, using artificial sweeteners regularly can alter your taste of food. You will start claiming that a certain mango is too sweet because of the effect of artificial sweeteners on individuals. .
The above-mentioned cons will also vary person to person hence one should make a decision entirely based on their personalized health along with the factors mentioned in this article.
Below mentioned are a few healthier alternatives to use instead of crystal light
Beverages that can be substituted:
- Ice Tea
- Regular water
- Sparkling water
- Green tea
- Coffee
- Black tea
Using these above-mentioned beverages instead of crystal light can help with weight loss, diet, cravings, dehydration, etc.
You will not have to compromise on your health and there will be no worries before consumption of these, unlike crystal light.
Conclusion:
On the whole, crystal light is not really bad if you use them occasionally in moderation. Everything used in excess is any way toxic.
Remember when Buddha said,
“Everything excess in life is poison.”
Therefore, if an individual consumes it in moderation without stocking on it; it is less likely to have health hazards for that person. Using it once in a few weeks can be a good taste for you as well as not heavy for your health.
However, it should be worrisome at all levels if you consume crystal light excessively. If you are trying to substitute it with water, it is not possible since crystal light has no healthy nutrients.
Moreover, our human body needs water and it is not something that we can replace on our own. The artificial sweeteners in crystal light can damage our liver and despair our regular functioning.
To ensure that you have a good taste as well as a healthy lifestyle, you should limit your consumption and increase your water supply. This will give you peace of mind regarding your health.
Crystal Light is not really bad for your health though, yet it should still be used sometimes in less quantity since artificial sweeteners shouldn’t be anyone’s regular choice. Be it weight loss or any other reason.
