I recently went to the store and evaluated every lemonade brand I could find…and let me tell you, the ingredients FLOORED me. 

If you love lemonade as much as I do, it can be super frustrating when you can’t find a single brand without processed ingredients.

Lemonade should be made with just lemons, water, and sugar (or honey)… 

But almost every brand out there (even organic like Santa Cruz Lemonade) contains “Natural Flavors”. You’ll also find flavors added to fast food lemonades like Chipotle’s Organic Lemonade, McDonald’s Lemonade, and Wendy’s “All-Natural” Lemonade. 

Natural Flavors are used as a way to use fewer lemons, so it is much cheaper to produce. These flavors are NOT natural and are made in a lab. They also can contain dozens of different chemicals, preservatives, and emulsifiers, none of which are labeled.

That’s just the beginning. Take a look at what you’ll find in popular lemonade brands:

The ingredient list on Minute-Maid Lemonade “Made with Real Lemons” is insane. Sure, there’s some real lemon juice in there, but it’s also full of high fructose corn syrup, artificial preservatives, and artificial dyes! 

It’s alarming that they add the synthetic preservative sodium benzoate to this, because with this chemical is mixed with vitamin C (naturally found in lemons!) it can produce BENZENE, a known carcinogen.

Minute Maid Zero Sugar Lemonade is even worse!

Cans of Minute Maid Zero Sugar have THREE different Artificial Sweeteners linked to cancer: Aspartame, Acesulfame Potassium, and Sucralose.

These sweeteners are also linked to weight gain. Although artificial sweeteners have no calories, they have been shown to contribute to weight gain by encouraging sugar cravings. Research finds they stimulate your appetite, increase sugar cravings, and promote fat storage and weight gain. Stay far away from these ingredients!

Country Time Lemonade and Crystal Light Lemonade Mixes both have absolutely NO lemon in them. These powders are awful! 

Santa Cruz Zero Sugar Lemonade is organic… but contains Stevia.

I try to avoid Stevia because it’s linked to fertility issues and endocrine disruption. There is also research showing it may kill good bacteria in the gut. I’d rather have a natural sweetener like honey in my lemonade. 

Are these processed ingredients in your lemonade?

YELLOW 5: Dye derived from petroleum, linked to several health issues, including hyperactivity in children, which requires a warning label in Europe. May also disrupt the immune system.

CITRIC ACID: Heavily processed preservative and flavoring made from sugar fed to fungus (a GMO black mold, not fruit). It can contribute to a leaky gut, or make it hard to heal from a leaky gut.

ASPARTAME: A peer-reviewed study in France found that consuming this artificial sweetener may increase the risk of breast cancer up to 22%. It was originally created in a lab during pharmaceutical development and was found to be sweet on accident when a researcher licked his finger.

STEVIA EXTRACT: Linked to reduced fertility, endocrine disruption, and may kill good bacteria in the gut.

SOY LECITHIN: Emulsifier likely derived from GMO soybeans and extracted with hexane, a neurotoxin.

MALTODEXTRIN: Heavily processed powder, often made from GMO corn. Linked to increased risk of inflammatory bowel disease, autoimmune conditions, gastrointestinal issues – gas and diarrhea.

BHA: Shown to be an endocrine disruptor, linked to cancer, causing tumors in animal studies. The International Agency for Research on Cancer classifies BHA as “possibly carcinogenic to humans“ and it’s been deemed a “reasonably anticipated human carcinogen” by the U.S. Dept. of Health & Human Services, National Toxicology Program.

SODIUM BENZOATE: A synthetic preservative that when combined with either ascorbic acid (vitamin C) can produce benzene, a known carcinogen.

POTASSIUM SORBATE: This preservative has been shown to be genotoxic to white blood cells, which could lead to cancer. It has also been shown to induce DNA damage when combined with vitamin C (naturally found in lemonade).

Instead of lemonades with processed ingredients, try my easy fresh-squeezed lemonade instead!

It’s made purely with filtered water, lemon juice, and honey – it’s incredibly refreshing and delicious! 

Food Babe's Fresh Squeezed Lemonade

Prep Time:

30 mins

Cook Time:

5 mins

Total Time:

35 mins

Serves:  4

Ingredients:

• 4 cups filtered water
• ½ cup raw honey (get local if possible)
• 1 cup fresh lemon juice

Instructions:

1. Bring the water to a boil. Take off the heat and stir in the honey until dissolved. Refrigerate until chilled.
2. Add the lemon juice and stir to combine. To serve, place some ice in a glass and add 8 ounces of lemonade.

Notes:

• Please use all organic ingredients if possible.

Share the truth about lemonade with your friends who might be buying crazy processed brands like Minute-Maid or Country Time. 

Thank you for spreading the word! 

Xo,

Vani

P.S. If you love Lemonade and the taste of REAL Lemons, you’ve got to try Truvani’s latest protein flavor- LEMON COOKIE!