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Crystal Light Lemonade Drink Mix
Photo: Open Food Facts contributors (CC BY-SA)

Dehydrated beverages

Crystal Light Lemonade Drink Mix

1.9 g

Poor out of 100 Medium confidence
  • Dye with an EU warning label
  • Contains synthetic dyes
  • Ultra-processed
  • High in salt
  • Contains non-nutritive sweeteners
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Why it scores 32

Crystal Light Lemonade Drink Mix scores 32 out of 100 (Poor) under GoodSwap’s published rules. What moved the score most:

  1. Yellow 5: In the EU and UK, foods with this color must state that it "may have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children". Regulatory
  2. Ultra-processed (NOVA 4): Classified NOVA 4: made with industrial ingredients and additives. Strong
  3. Salt 4.6 g / 100 g: Very high in salt. Strong

Every line of the math is on The Receipt below, with its evidence tier and sources.

Better drink mixes and water enhancers

The same kind of product, at least 10 points higher, sold in the US. Never paid placements.

The Receipt

Lemonade Drink Mix

START100

Ingredients

  • Yellow 5
    Regulatory In the EU and UK, foods with this color must state that it "may have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children". [1][2][3][4][5][6]
  • Acesulfame potassium (Ace-K)
    Strong In the NutriNet-Santé cohort, acesulfame-K intake was associated with higher cancer risk; cause and effect is not established. [7][8][9][10]
  • Maltodextrin
    Info An additive class typical of ultra-processed foods (NOVA group 4). [11]
  • Natural flavors
    Info "Natural flavor" is a legal category (21 CFR 101.22(a)(3)): flavor substances from spices, fruits, vegetables, meat, dairy or fermentation. [12][11]
  • Soy lecithin
    Info An additive class typical of ultra-processed foods (NOVA group 4). [11]
  • Color added (not named)
    Info 21 CFR 101.22(k) requires certified color additives (FD&C dyes and their lakes) to be declared by name. [13][11]
subtotal−34.5

Processing

  • Ultra-processed (NOVA 4)
    Strong Classified NOVA 4: made with industrial ingredients and additives. [11]
  • 5 kinds of ultra-processing markers
    Emerging Industrial additive classes found: color (added), emulsifier, flavoring, industrial sugar or starch hydrolysate and non-nutritive sweetener. [11]
subtotal−24

Nutrition per 100 g

  • Salt 4.6 g / 100 g
    Strong Very high in salt. [14]
  • Energy 167 kcal / 100 g
    Info Energy-dense for its weight. [10]
subtotal−10
TOTAL 32Poor

100 − 68.5 = 31.5 → 32

Can’t score above 79. Contains Yellow 5, an ingredient of high concern. [1][2][3][4][5][6]

Can’t score above 79. High in salt (above the front-of-pack "high" level). [15]

GTIN 00043000950654 · 2026-09-11

score v1.3.0 · kb 2026.10.11

Medium confidence

Same product, same score. Every time.

Nutrition per 100 g

Energy167 kcal
Fat0 g
Carbohydrates66.7 g
Sugars0 g
Added sugars0 g
Protein0 g
Salt4.6 g

Serving: 1 serving (2 g)

Ingredients

High Moderate Not recognized Tap an ingredient for its evidence and rules.
Label text, as published

CITRIC ACID, POTASSIUM CITRATE, SODIUM CITRATE, ASPARTAMET, MAGNESIUM OXIDE, MALTODEXTRIN, CONTAINS LESS THAN 2% OF NATURAL FLAVOR, ACESULFAME POTASSIUM, SOY LECITHIN, YELLOW 5, ARTIFICIAL COLOR, PHENYLKETONURICS: CONTAINS PHENYLALANINE

Allergens and diets

Contains: Soy

  • Palm-oil-free

Always check the package: recipes change.

Healthiest dehydrated beverages in the US

More from Crystal Light

Sources

  1. Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 of 16 December 2008 on food additives

    European Union (Official Journal) · Dec 16, 2008 · Law

    “may have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children.”

    eur-lex.europa.eu

  2. Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 (as it applies in the UK), Annex V: food colours requiring additional labelling

    legislation.gov.uk (The National Archives) · Law

    “may have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children.”

    legislation.gov.uk

  3. Food additives and hyperactive behaviour in 3-year-old and 8/9-year-old children in the community: a randomised, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial

    The Lancet · November 2007 · Peer-reviewed

    “Artificial colours or a sodium benzoate preservative (or both) in the diet result in increased hyperactivity in 3-year-old and 8/9-year-old children in the general population.”

    doi.org

  4. Tracking Food Industry Pledges to Remove Petroleum Based Food Dyes

    U.S. Food and Drug Administration · Regulator

    “FD&C Green No. 3, FD&C Red No. 40, FD&C Yellow No. 5, FD&C Yellow No. 6, FD&C Blue No. 1, and FD&C Blue No. 2—by the end of 2027.”

    fda.gov

  5. California AB 2316 (2024), Pupil nutrition: substances: prohibition

    California Legislative Information · Sep 28, 2024 · Law

    “beginning December 31, 2027, would prohibit a school district, county superintendent of schools, or charter school”

    leginfo.legislature.ca.gov

  6. 21 CFR 74.705 FD&C Yellow No. 5

    Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR), U.S. Office of the Federal Register · Dec 29, 2016 · Law

    “shall specifically declare the presence of FD&C Yellow No. 5 by listing the color additive as FD&C Yellow No. 5 among the list of ingredients.”

    ecfr.gov

  7. Artificial sweeteners and cancer risk: Results from the NutriNet-Santé population-based cohort study

    PLOS Medicine · Mar 24, 2022 · Peer-reviewed

    “In this large cohort study, artificial sweeteners (especially aspartame and acesulfame-K), which are used in many food and beverage brands worldwide, were associated with increased cancer risk.”

    doi.org

  8. Re-evaluation of acesulfame K (E 950) as food additive (plain language summary)

    European Food Safety Authority · Apr 30, 2025 · Agency assessment

    “The acceptable daily intake (ADI) considered safe for all population groups was set at 15 mg/kg body weight (bw) per day.”

    efsa.europa.eu

  9. WHO advises not to use non-sugar sweeteners for weight control in newly released guideline

    World Health Organization · May 15, 2023 · Agency assessment

    “The recommendation is based on the findings of a systematic review of the available evidence which suggests that use of NSS does not confer any long-term benefit in reducing body fat in adults or children.”

    who.int

  10. Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2025–2030

    U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and U.S. Department of Agriculture · January 2026 · Regulator

    “Limit foods and beverages that include artificial flavors, petroleum-based dyes, artificial preservatives, and low-calorie non-nutritive sweeteners.”

    cdn.realfood.gov

  11. Ultra-processed foods: what they are and how to identify them

    Public Health Nutrition · April 2019 · Peer-reviewed

    doi.org

  12. 21 CFR 101.22 Foods; labeling of spices, flavorings, colorings and chemical preservatives

    Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR), U.S. Office of the Federal Register · Dec 19, 2016 · Law

    “whose significant function in food is flavoring rather than nutritional.”

    ecfr.gov

  13. 21 CFR 101.22(k) Declaring color additives in the ingredient list

    Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR), U.S. Office of the Federal Register · Dec 19, 2016 · Law

    “Color additives not subject to certification and not otherwise required by applicable regulations in part 73 of this chapter to be declared by their respective common or usual names may be declared as “Artificial Color,” “Artificial Color Added,” or “Color Added””

    ecfr.gov

  14. Sodium reduction (fact sheet)

    World Health Organization · May 11, 2026 · Agency assessment

    “For adults, WHO recommends less than 2000 mg/day of sodium (equivalent to less than 5 g/day salt), or just under a teaspoon.”

    who.int

  15. Guide to creating a front of pack (FoP) nutrition label for pre-packed products sold through retail outlets

    Department of Health and Social Care / Food Standards Agency (GOV.UK) · Nov 8, 2016 · Regulator

    “Table 3: Criteria for drinks (per 100ml)”

    assets.publishing.service.gov.uk

  16. HHS, FDA to Phase Out Petroleum-Based Synthetic Dyes in Nation’s Food Supply (press release)

    U.S. Food and Drug Administration · Apr 22, 2025 · Regulator

    “Initiating the process to revoke authorization for two synthetic food colorings—Citrus Red No. 2 and Orange B—within the coming months.”

    fda.gov

  17. Ultra-processed food exposure and adverse health outcomes: umbrella review of epidemiological meta-analyses

    BMJ · Feb 28, 2024 · Peer-reviewed

    “Greater exposure to ultra-processed food was associated with a higher risk of adverse health outcomes, especially cardiometabolic, common mental disorder, and mortality outcomes.”

    doi.org

  18. Ultra-Processed Diets Cause Excess Calorie Intake and Weight Gain: An Inpatient Randomized Controlled Trial of Ad Libitum Food Intake

    Cell Metabolism · July 2019 · Peer-reviewed

    doi.org