# Are Hansen's soda's any healthier? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** soda-softdrinks\ **Created:** [October 8, 2012, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-hansens-sodas-any-healthier/637063 "2012-10-08T05:00:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Palo\_Verde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/65b543/32.png) [@Palo\_Verde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Palo_Verde)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2012, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-hansens-sodas-any-healthier/637063/1 "2012-10-08T05:00:47Z")
I have several health conscious friends, and when they have a party, they inevitably serve Hansen’s sodas. These are advertised as “all natural” and they don’t have high fructose corn syrup. But my question is, are they actually any healthier than a normal soda? If I drink a normal ginger ale or a Hansen’s, is there any difference? Is their key lime healthier than Sprite? Or are people just fooling themselves? [http://www.hansens.com/us/en/products/soda/](http://www.hansens.com/us/en/products/soda/) ---
**Author:** ![Shalmanese](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shalmanese](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shalmanese)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2012, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-hansens-sodas-any-healthier/637063/2 "2012-10-08T15:25:50Z")
They have roughly the same calories as coke products and there’s been no _convincing_ evidence that HFCS is any more unhealthy than cane sugar. In any case, there’s a ton of different sodas made with cane sugar now including coke (mexican/kosher coke) and pepsi (pepsi throwback). ---
**Author:** ![Bill\_Door](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@Bill\_Door](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bill_Door)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2012, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-hansens-sodas-any-healthier/637063/3 "2012-10-08T16:13:37Z")
> [@Shalmanese](#): > > They have roughly the same calories as coke products and there’s been no _convincing_ evidence that HFCS is any more unhealthy than cane sugar. In any case, there’s a ton of different sodas made with cane sugar now including coke (mexican/kosher coke) and pepsi (pepsi throwback). Unless of course you’d prefer not to have gout. From an article in The Journal of the American Medical Association by Hyon K. Choi, MD, DrPH; Walter Willett, MD, DrPH; Gary Curhan, MD, ScD: > [@](#): > > Although sugar-sweetened beverages contain low levels of purine (ie, the precursor of uric acid), they contain large amounts of fructose, which is the only carbohydrate known to increase uric acid levels.8 - 10 In humans, acute oral or intravenous administration of fructose results in a rapid increase in serum uric acid via accentuated degradation of purine nucleotides and increased purine synthesis.11 - 12 Furthermore, this urate-increasing effect was found to be exaggerated in individuals with hyperuricemia9 or a history of gout.8 > > A recent prospective study of men found that sugar-sweetened sodas, fruit juices, and fructose were associated with a substantially increased risk of gout among men. There’s plenty of other evidence I consider convincing that fructose contributes to gout. Maybe I’m easier to convince. ---
**Author:** ![Palo\_Verde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/65b543/32.png) [@Palo\_Verde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Palo_Verde)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2012, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-hansens-sodas-any-healthier/637063/4 "2012-10-08T16:23:13Z")
So are you saying that Coke (sweetened with HFCS) would be better than Hansen’s (sweetened with sugar)? ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2012, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-hansens-sodas-any-healthier/637063/5 "2012-10-08T16:39:07Z")
> [@Palo\_Verde](#): > > So are you saying that Coke (sweetened with HFCS) would be better than Hansen’s (sweetened with sugar)? HFCS = **High Fructose** Corn Syrup. ---
**Author:** ![Finagle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@Finagle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Finagle)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2012, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-hansens-sodas-any-healthier/637063/6 "2012-10-08T17:07:08Z")
Well, from their webpage, a can of Hansen’s soda is 160 calories worth of sugar. That’s 10 2/3 teaspoons worth. You kind of have to stretch to call it healthy at all. So reassuring yourself that at least it’s not HFCS seems to be a rationalization. ---
**Author:** ![Bill\_Door](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@Bill\_Door](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bill_Door)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2012, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-hansens-sodas-any-healthier/637063/7 "2012-10-08T17:34:53Z")
> [@Palo\_Verde](#): > > So are you saying that Coke (sweetened with HFCS) would be better than Hansen’s (sweetened with sugar)? I have gout, and would drink neither. If you held a gun to my head, I would drink the Hansen’s, because a 50:50 mix of glucose and fructose is better than straight fructose, but neither is healthy, except in relative terms. ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2012, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-hansens-sodas-any-healthier/637063/8 "2012-10-08T18:34:46Z")
> [@Bill\_Door](#): > > If you held a gun to my head, I would drink the Hansen’s, because a 50:50 mix of glucose and fructose is better than straight fructose, but neither is healthy, except in relative terms. HFCS is not straight fructose. The sugar in the type used in soft drinks is [55%](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-fructose_corn_syrup) fructose, only a little more than you would get from cane sugar. ---
**Author:** ![Alley\_Dweller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alley_dweller/32/430_2.png) [@Alley\_Dweller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alley_Dweller)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2012, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-hansens-sodas-any-healthier/637063/9 "2012-10-08T18:39:35Z")
> [@Bill\_Door](#): > > I have gout, and would drink neither. If you held a gun to my head, I would drink the Hansen’s, because a 50:50 mix of glucose and fructose is better than straight fructose, but neither is healthy, except in relative terms. Just so there is no misunderstanding, HFCS is not straight fructose. [The form of HFCS (called HFCS-55) used in soda pop](http://www.ers.usda.gov/topics/crops/sugar-sweeteners/background.aspx) is a 55:45 mix of fructose and glucose. ETA: **Biffy the Elephant Shrew** types faster than I do! ---
**Author:** ![Bill\_Door](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@Bill\_Door](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bill_Door)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2012, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-hansens-sodas-any-healthier/637063/10 "2012-10-08T19:36:55Z")
> [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](#): > > HFCS is not straight fructose. The sugar in the type used in soft drinks is [55%](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-fructose_corn_syrup) fructose, only a little more than you would get from cane sugar. Well, if 10% more is only a little, it’s only a little. It’s a bit like arguing that a full-tar cigarette has only a little more carcinogens than the low tar. Neither one is healthy, but one can be healthier. ---
**Author:** ![wheresmymind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/91b2a8/32.png) [@wheresmymind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wheresmymind)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2012, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-hansens-sodas-any-healthier/637063/11 "2012-10-08T20:17:06Z")
> [@Bill\_Door](#): > > Well, if 10% more is only a little, it’s only a little. It’s a bit like arguing that a full-tar cigarette has only a little more carcinogens than the low tar. Neither one is healthy, but one can be healthier. Actually, low-tar cigarettes _aren’t_ any healthier than full-tar cigarettes. Which is why cigarette companies aren’t allowed to imply health benefits to smoking light cigarettes. ---
**Author:** ![Bill\_Door](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@Bill\_Door](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bill_Door)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2012, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-hansens-sodas-any-healthier/637063/12 "2012-10-08T20:48:23Z")
> [@wheresmymind](#): > > Actually, low-tar cigarettes _aren’t_ any healthier than full-tar cigarettes. Which is why cigarette companies aren’t allowed to imply health benefits to smoking light cigarettes. They would be if you smoked the same number the same way. Unfortunately people smoke to get nicotine, so diluting the smoke means you either smoke more cigarettes, inhale more deeply, figure out that covering those little holes in the filter gets you a better smoke, or some combination of all three. ---
**Author:** ![Michael63129](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3da27b/32.png) [@Michael63129](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Michael63129)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2012, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-hansens-sodas-any-healthier/637063/13 "2012-10-10T01:21:58Z")
The way I see it, HFCS and sugar the the same thing and the rule regarding added sugars is the same for both. Of note, from the [American heart Association](http://www.webmd.com/diet/news/20090824/heart-group-limit-added-sugars-diet): > [@](#): > > The AHA notes that one 12-ounce can of cola contains about 8 teaspoons of sugar, or about 130 calories. That’s more than the AHA suggests for a moderately active woman in her early 50s. (the number is high for active young men (21-25), but still only about 2 cans a day; conversely, sedentary women age 71-75 are limited to just 3 teaspoons a day) Although, that doesn’t include the sugar found in whole foods, so this basically limits your intake of processed foods, especially those like soda. Also, [here is a study](http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/88/6/1738S.full) that finds [no significant differences](http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/88/6/1738S/T1.expansion.html) between not just HFCS and sucrose, but other sources of sugar like milk (which has no fructose): > [@](#): > > CONCLUSIONS > Collectively, scientific evidence suggests that high consumption of pure fructose may be problematic to energy intake regulation. However, HFCS is more similar to sucrose than it is to fructose in terms of its content, appetitive responses, and aspects of its metabolism that have been measured to date. Thus, existing theoretical and empirical evidence suggests that fructose-induced problems are not more related to HFCS than sucrose consumption. Note the use of “pure fructose”, which HFCS isn’t, as has already been pointed out. ---
**Author:** ![voltaire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voltaire/32/313_2.png) [@voltaire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voltaire)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2012, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-hansens-sodas-any-healthier/637063/14 "2012-10-10T02:55:20Z")
Yeah, if you want to avoid a lot of fructose, stay the heck away from Agave Nectar. That stuff is often nearly all fructose and some products tout it as if it were healthier. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2012, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-hansens-sodas-any-healthier/637063/15 "2012-10-10T12:38:19Z")
_Perhaps_ sodas made with cane sugar rather than HFCS _might_ be slightly less unhealthy. If you’re consuming sodas in moderation, the difference (if any) would be negligible. If you’re drinking gallons of that stuff regularly, either one will be likely to place a significant burden on your system. ---
**Author:** ![Nonsuch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nonsuch/32/2922_2.png) [@Nonsuch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nonsuch)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2012, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-hansens-sodas-any-healthier/637063/16 "2012-10-12T14:29:23Z")
As Michael Pollan said, there’s no such thing as a healthy soda. You’re basically just drinking candy. The least-bad-for-you soda I know is [Zevia](http://www.zevia.com/), which uses stevia and erythritol as sweeteners. Their sodas as all zero-calorie and, from what I’ve read, have no effect on blood sugar. The ones I’ve tasted are pretty good too —not quite as good as a Coke or Pepsi, but certainly better than Diet-Rite. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2012, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-hansens-sodas-any-healthier/637063/17 "2012-10-12T19:40:26Z")
> [@Palo\_Verde](#): > > Hansen’s sodas Would that be MMMPop? ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2012, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-hansens-sodas-any-healthier/637063/18 "2012-10-12T21:35:36Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > _Perhaps_ sodas made with cane sugar rather than HFCS _might_ be slightly less unhealthy. If you’re consuming sodas in moderation, the difference (if any) would be negligible. > > If you’re drinking gallons of that stuff regularly, either one will be likely to place a significant burden on your system. Right. There is some evidence that HFCS had a lower ‘satiety rating” than cane sugar, thus one would tend to drink more but still not feel “full”. This, to me, is born out by the obvious size proliferations. When I was a kid 7oz was a ‘standard’ soda, 12 oz was ‘ a lot’. Now, 32 and even 64 oz is common. Does that make HFCS evil? Hardly. But perhaps if you drink Hansens you will only drink one can not a six pack, and that certainly will be better for you. Thus, as our esteemed QtM indicates, moderation is not so bad. And I think Hansens may help you moderate. Maybe. ---
**Author:** ![Michael63129](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3da27b/32.png) [@Michael63129](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Michael63129)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2012, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-hansens-sodas-any-healthier/637063/19 "2012-10-13T01:42:45Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Right. > > There is some evidence that HFCS had a lower ‘satiety rating” than cane sugar, thus one would tend to drink more but still not feel “full”. This, to me, is born out by the obvious size proliferations. When I was a kid 7oz was a ‘standard’ soda, 12 oz was ‘ a lot’. Now, 32 and even 64 oz is common. > > Does that make HFCS evil? Hardly. But perhaps if you drink Hansens you will only drink one can not a six pack, and that certainly will be better for you. Thus, as our esteemed QtM indicates, moderation is not so bad. And I think Hansens may help you moderate. Maybe. This is more of a general trend that has little to do with soda specifically - almost EVERYTHING is much bigger today than it was in the past, probably one of the biggest factors in the current obesity epidemic (people tend to eat everything they have before them, so they eat more if they have more), besides less energy expenditure (exercise and physical labor). As far as satiety rating goes, I find that almost anything I drink by itself doesn’t fill me for long, even something like milk (the protein in particular is supposed to take a while to digest), it just goes through me and I pee it out a half hour later (although if I drink with food, as I always do, including when I used to drink soda, it does increase fullness).