# Why are single serve drink packets sugar-free only? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 13, 2012, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-single-serve-drink-packets-sugar-free-only/625073 "2012-06-13T22:03:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![RetroVertigo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b38774/32.png) [@RetroVertigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RetroVertigo)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2012, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-single-serve-drink-packets-sugar-free-only/625073/21 "2012-06-18T16:21:22Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > I have one of the big manufacturers of the stuff as a client. > > There’s two reasons: > > 1. As has already been pointed out, sugar’s a lot bulkier than artificial sweetener, and would require a substantially bigger package. (According to their web site, Crystal Light Pure, which **RetroVertigo** mentioned, uses Truvia, not sugar, btw.) > > 2. There’s simply not a lot of demand. Most of the users of “sugared” soft drink mixes (like Kool-Aid and Country Time) are families with kids, and they go through it by the gallon. They aren’t, generally, looking for the “on the go” packets (which are more expensive, on a per-serving basis) when they drink so much of it. Sorry about that, I was trying to do it from memory. Now that my wife bought some from the store store I see that it has both sugar and Truvia in the ingredients. Never noticed that before. ---
**Author:** ![Azeotrope](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/0ea827/32.png) [@Azeotrope](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Azeotrope)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2012, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-single-serve-drink-packets-sugar-free-only/625073/22 "2012-06-20T13:52:16Z")
> [@Tangent](#): > > Actually, I’m with you on that. Unsweetened iced tea is my drink of choice but, heck, I can’t even find it in individual bottles or cans, let alone single-serve powdered packets. Lipton Pureleaf tea in bottles comes unsweetened, but it’s hard to find. I’m lucky because the convenience store I go to most often has it. Just make sure the bottle says “unsweetened” and not “regular” because the latter is basically brown sugar water :X ---
**Author:** ![Tangent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tangent/32/3098_2.png) [@Tangent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tangent)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2012, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-single-serve-drink-packets-sugar-free-only/625073/23 "2012-06-20T21:08:32Z")
^Actually, I just saw some of that Pureleaf in the grocery store yesterday, but the price was outrageous–like $8 for a six-pack. Jeez, the twelve-packs of their sweetened tea was only about $7. ---
**Author:** ![kivrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e56c9b/32.png) [@kivrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kivrin)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2012, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-single-serve-drink-packets-sugar-free-only/625073/24 "2012-06-23T01:39:01Z")
Most, if not all, flavors of Emergen-C have sugar. Depending on where you are it may only be sold in boxes of single-serving packets. Trader Joe’s sells boxes; a deli near my work sells single packets; a local food co-op sells both single packets and boxes of packets. ---
**Author:** ![Arabella\_Flynn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8491ac/32.png) [@Arabella\_Flynn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arabella_Flynn)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2012, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-single-serve-drink-packets-sugar-free-only/625073/25 "2012-06-23T05:13:43Z")
> [@kivrin](#): > > Most, if not all, flavors of Emergen-C have sugar. Depending on where you are it may only be sold in boxes of single-serving packets. Trader Joe’s sells boxes; a deli near my work sells single packets; a local food co-op sells both single packets and boxes of packets. Odd. I had a roommate who swore by the stuff. She offered me some once when I was sick and I had to decline because they had aspartame, which is a migraine trigger for me. I’m pretty sure it was the actual brand-name “Emergen-C” and not a knock-off, but I could well be wrong. ---
**Author:** ![Motorgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e36b37/32.png) [@Motorgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Motorgirl)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2012, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-single-serve-drink-packets-sugar-free-only/625073/26 "2012-06-23T13:50:09Z")
> [@Shalmanese](#): > > Most people buy unsweetened tea so that they can sweeten it themselves to their desired sweetness level, very few drink it completely unsweetened. With single servings, it’s unlikely that the customer has a source of sweetener nearby so this typically isn’t possible. I suppose that makes sense. But it also reinforces that I am in the minority and unlikely to get what I really want. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![doreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/858c86/32.png) [@doreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doreen)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2012, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-single-serve-drink-packets-sugar-free-only/625073/27 "2012-06-23T14:28:55Z")
> [@Motorgirl](#): > > I suppose that makes sense. But it also reinforces that I am in the minority and unlikely to get what I really want. 🙂 I’m in the minority with you. But since I really wanted the packets for when I’m at work and have access to a water cooler and cups, I buy cold brew tea bags. It wouldn’t work if wanted to keep the packets in the car and buy bottled water throughout the day. ---
**Author:** ![kivrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e56c9b/32.png) [@kivrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kivrin)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2012, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-single-serve-drink-packets-sugar-free-only/625073/28 "2012-06-23T15:56:10Z")
I looked at the ingredients on the Emergen-C I’ve got and for maximum crazy it has BOTH sugar and aspartame. So, if you avoid aspartame for the taste, you’re golden, but if you have a sensitivity to it, you’re out of luck. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-single-serve-drink-packets-sugar-free-only/625073.md?page=1)