Walking down the drinks aisle has turned into a reading exercise: "sugar-free," "zero," "light," "no added sugar," "naturally sweetened." Similar phrases that do not mean the same thing. The good news: you don't need to be a dietitian to decode them; you just need a few labeling rules and to know what to ask the ingredient list.
In this guide we cover what "sugar-free" legally means in Colombia, how free, added and naturally occurring sugars differ, and how the most common sweeteners compare. Also why at Alawa we only call our Zero Sugar line "sugar-free" and never our panela drinks: saying things as they are is part of "no regrets."
If you're after the full picture of how to choose across every category, start with our healthy drinks guide; this piece goes deep on the specific world of "sugar-free."
What does "sugar-free" legally mean on a label in Colombia?
In Colombia, food and beverage labeling is not a free-for-all: it is regulated by the Ministry of Health. Resolution 810 of 2021, along with its amendments, created front-of-pack warning labeling: the black octagonal seals reading "EXCESS SUGARS" when a product goes over the added-sugar thresholds the rule defines. It is the fastest signal on the pack: if the seal is there, the product exceeds that threshold.
The "sugar-free" claim cannot be printed lightly either. Colombian nutrition labeling rules reserve it for products whose sugar content is so low it is considered negligible: under 0.5 g per serving. When a drink says "sugar-free" in Colombia, it must be able to prove it to the health authority. That is why at Alawa the phrase only appears on the line that genuinely meets it, the Zero Sugar line, sweetened only with stevia.
Free, added and naturally occurring sugars: how do they differ?
This is the key. The World Health Organization calls free sugars the sugars added by the manufacturer or the consumer plus those naturally present in honey, syrups and fruit juices. Naturally occurring sugars are those inside the matrix of the whole food: the fructose in a whole guava or the lactose in milk. In its guideline on sugars intake, the WHO recommends that free sugars provide less than 10% of daily energy, and notes additional benefits below 5%: about 25 g a day for an average adult.
One key detail: panela, honey or a freshly squeezed juice all count as free sugars, even though their origin is entirely natural. "Natural" describes where an ingredient comes from, not how much sugar it provides. That distinction is the basis of everything that follows.
How do the sweeteners in sugar-free drinks compare?
When a drink manages to be sweet without sugars, it does so with sweeteners. The four you will most often find have been assessed by the joint FAO/WHO committee (JECFA), the US FDA and the European EFSA, each with a generous Acceptable Daily Intake. Here is how they compare:
| Sweetener | Origin | Calories | Regulatory backing | Taste notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steviol glycosides (stevia) | Plant-based: purified extract of Stevia rebaudiana | 0 kcal | FDA GRAS; JECFA and EFSA ADI of up to 4 mg/kg/day (as steviol) | Clean sweetness in the Reb-M and Reb-D fractions; less purified versions can leave an aftertaste |
| Aspartame | Synthesized from two amino acids | Practically 0 at use levels | Approved by the FDA and EFSA; JECFA ADI of up to 40 mg/kg/day | Sweetness close to sugar; its label must warn people with phenylketonuria |
| Sucralose | Chemical modification of sucrose | 0 kcal | Approved by the FDA and EFSA; JECFA ADI of up to 15 mg/kg/day | Intense, stable sweetness; widely used in drinks and desserts |
| Erythritol | A polyol obtained by fermentation | Approx. 0.2 kcal/g (near zero) | Assessed by JECFA and EFSA; ADI "not specified" given its low toxicity | Mild sweetness (60-80% of sugar) with a cooling sensation; usually used as a companion |
Note: the ADI figures reflect the regulatory consensus at the time of publishing this guide; always check the official sources linked. If you want to understand how the safety of stevia is assessed, we explain it in what the regulation says about steviol glycosides.
Why did Alawa choose the Reb-M and Reb-D fractions of stevia?
The stevia leaf contains several sweet glycosides, and they do not all taste the same. Early stevia drinks used less purified fractions that left a bitter aftertaste. The Reb-M and Reb-D fractions are different: they are the cleanest-tasting glycosides in the plant, with a sweetness far closer to sugar. In a blind sensory panel with 120 people, 87% noticed no difference against the traditional version. That result defined the formula for our whole Zero Sugar line: Coconut Limeade, Watermelon Limeade, Piña Colada, Aloe Vera Grape and Grapefruit Tonic.
If you want to know the ingredient from the plant to the bottle, we cover it in what stevia is and what it is used for.
And panela? Why Alawa does not call it "sugar-free"
We'll say it straight and in large letters: panela is unrefined cane sugar. It keeps the flavor, the color and part of the minerals of the cane because it never goes through refining, but it provides sugars and calories, and for the WHO it counts toward your free sugars for the day. That is why our Natural Energy line (Panela Limeade, Panela Lulada and panela water) is described as "sweetened with natural panela" or "no refined sugar," and never as "sugar-free." It is not a technicality: it is label honesty, and it is exactly what our "no regrets" means. You enjoy it knowing what you're drinking.
That transparency goes back a long way: we have been making drinks since 2014, in 2019 we became the first Colombian exporter of panela water to the United States, and every bottle is backed by INVIMA and FDA certifications. If you're interested in the real difference between panela and table sugar, we analyze it in panela vs refined sugar; and if your question is about calories, in is panela fattening? we answer without hedging.
What to look at on the label before buying a sugar-free drink
Five checks, each under a minute, so you can choose on your own terms:
- The ingredient list: it runs in order of quantity, from most to least. Look for the sweetener by name (steviol glycosides, sucralose, aspartame) and check whether any sugar is hiding in disguise: syrup, juice concentrate, honey.
- The front-of-pack seals: if the "EXCESS SUGARS" octagon is on the pack, you already know that drink does not belong in the "sugar-free" category.
- The type of sweetener: with the table above you can identify its origin, its calories and its regulatory backing in seconds.
- The declared serving: some bottles contain two or three servings; multiply the sugars in the nutrition table by the servings you are actually going to drink.
- The exact wording: "no added sugar" means no sugar was added, but the drink may still contain sugars inherent to the base ingredient. "Sugar-free" is the most demanding claim of all.
"Sugar-free" is not a slogan: it is a regulated claim the label must be able to prove. Learning to read it takes a minute and hands you back control of what you drink.
Frequently asked questions about sugar-free drinks
Which drinks have no sugar?
Still or sparkling water, unsweetened coffee and infusions, and drinks sweetened only with non-caloric sweeteners such as steviol glycosides. At Alawa, the Zero Sugar line (Coconut Limeade, Watermelon Limeade, Piña Colada, Aloe Vera Grape and Grapefruit Tonic) is sweetened only with stevia. Confirmation is always in the ingredient list, not on the front of the pack.
Does "sugar-free" mean calorie-free?
Not necessarily. "Sugar-free" speaks to sugars, but a drink can still provide calories from other ingredients, such as some polyols or bulking agents. Pure stevia provides zero calories, so a drink sweetened only with steviol glycosides is usually very low in calories too. To be sure, check the nutrition table per serving: the real calories are there.
Are sweeteners safe?
The sweeteners permitted in Colombia have been assessed by JECFA (FAO/WHO), the FDA and EFSA, which set an Acceptable Daily Intake for each with wide safety margins. Within normal consumption, the regulatory backing is solid. If you live with a health condition such as diabetes or phenylketonuria, decisions about your diet should be made with your doctor or dietitian.
Is panela water a sugar-free drink?
No. Panela is unrefined cane sugar, so panela water provides sugars and calories, in an amount that varies with the preparation. It is a delicious traditional drink with history behind it, but it does not belong in the "sugar-free" category. That is why at Alawa we describe it as "sweetened with natural panela" and reserve "sugar-free" for the Zero Sugar line with stevia.
Does stevia leave a bitter aftertaste?
It depends on the fraction used. Early stevia drinks used less purified extracts that did leave a bitter finish. The Reb-M and Reb-D fractions we use at Alawa are the cleanest-tasting glycosides in the plant and minimize that aftertaste: in our blind sensory panel with 120 people, 87% noticed no difference against the traditional version.
