GT’s Living Food Alive Cola
Photo: Open Food Facts contributors (CC BY-SA)

Condiments

GT’s Living Food Alive Cola

16 fl oz

Score

Okay 51 out of 100 Medium confidence
  • Ultra-processed
  • Contains non-nutritive sweeteners
  • Contains added sugars
  • Contains sugar alcohols
  • Contains caffeine

Why it scores 51

GT’s Living Food Alive Cola scores 51 out of 100 (Okay) under GoodSwap’s published rules. What moved the score most:

  1. minus 20 points Sugar: An added sugar. Strong
  2. minus 18 points Ultra-processed (NOVA 4): Classified NOVA 4: made with industrial ingredients and additives. Strong
  3. minus 7.5 points Erythritol: A 2023 study linked higher blood erythritol to cardiovascular events and found it increased clotting activity; long-term safety studies are warranted. Strong

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

The Receipt

Alive Cola

START100

Ingredients

  • Sugar minus 20 points
    Strong An added sugar. [1][2][3]
  • Erythritol minus 7.5 points
    Strong A 2023 study linked higher blood erythritol to cardiovascular events and found it increased clotting activity; long-term safety studies are warranted. [4][5]
  • Stevia (steviol glycosides) minus 2.5 points
    Emerging WHO (2023) recommends against using non-sugar sweeteners to control body weight (conditional recommendation); US dietary guidelines advise limiting them. [6][2]
subtotal−30

Processing

  • Ultra-processed (NOVA 4) minus 18 points
    Strong Classified NOVA 4: made with industrial ingredients and additives. [7]
  • 2 kinds of ultra-processing markers minus 1.5 points
    Emerging Industrial additive classes found: non-nutritive sweetener and sugar alcohol (polyol). [7]
subtotal−19.5

TOTAL 51Okay

100 − 49.5 = 50.5 → 51

Can’t score above 79. Contains sugar, an ingredient of high concern. [1][2][3]


GTIN 00722430160207 · 2026-03-19

score v1.3.0 · kb 2026.10.11

Medium confidence

Same product, same score. Every time.

Nutrition per 100 g

Energy4 kcal
Fat0 g
Saturated fat0 g
Carbohydrates3 g
Sugars1.1 g
Added sugars0.8 g
Fiber0 g
Protein0 g
Salt0 g

Serving: 473.0ml

Ingredients

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

ADAPTOGENIC MUSHROOM INFUSION (REISHI, CHAGA, TURKEY TAIL), BLACK TEA*, APPLE CIDER VINEGAR*, FRESH PRESSED APPLE JUICE*, FRESH PRESSED LIME JUICE*, CINNAMON*, ERYTHRITOL*, CANE SUGAR*, VANILLA EXTRACT*, KOLA NUT*, SEA SALT*, BLACK PEPPER*, STEVIA*, 100% PURE LOVE!!!, *ORGANICALLY PRODUCED

Allergens and diets

  • Not vegan
  • Not vegetarian

Always check the package: recipes change.

Sources

  1. Guideline: sugars intake for adults and children

    World Health Organization · Mar 4, 2015 · Agency assessment

    “In both adults and children, WHO recommends reducing the intake of free sugars to less than 10% of total energy intake”

    who.int

  2. 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

  3. Added and free sugars should be as low as possible

    European Food Safety Authority · Feb 28, 2022 · Agency assessment

    “Sugar consumption is a known cause of dental caries.”

    efsa.europa.eu

  4. The artificial sweetener erythritol and cardiovascular event risk

    Nature Medicine · March 2023 · Peer-reviewed

    “Our findings reveal that erythritol is both associated with incident MACE risk and fosters enhanced thrombosis. Studies assessing the long-term safety of erythritol are warranted.”

    doi.org

  5. Re-evaluation of erythritol (E 968) as a food additive (plain language summary)

    European Food Safety Authority · Dec 20, 2023 · Agency assessment

    “In all groups of people, both acute and chronic exposure to erythritol is above the newly set ADI.”

    efsa.europa.eu

  6. 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

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

    Public Health Nutrition · April 2019 · Peer-reviewed

    doi.org

  8. 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

  9. Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011, Annex III point 2.4 (foods with more than 10 % added polyols)

    European Union (Official Journal) · Oct 25, 2011 · Law

    “‘excessive consumption may produce laxative effects’.”

    eur-lex.europa.eu

  10. 21 CFR 184.1835 Sorbitol

    Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR), U.S. Office of the Federal Register · Nov 22, 2016 · Law

    ““Excess consumption may have a laxative effect.””

    ecfr.gov

  11. Spilling the Beans: How Much Caffeine is Too Much?

    U.S. Food and Drug Administration · Regulator

    “For most adults, the FDA has cited 400 milligrams* a day — that's about two to three 12-fluid-ounce cups of coffee — as an amount not generally associated with negative effects.”

    fda.gov

  12. Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011, Annex III point 4.1 (beverages with high caffeine content)

    European Union (Official Journal) · Oct 25, 2011 · Law

    “‘High caffeine content. Not recommended for children or pregnant or breast-feeding women’”

    eur-lex.europa.eu