Everything in the can,and why it's there.
Seven ingredients. One of them is the flower. Here's what each one does.
The list
Carbonated water
The sparkle, and the base of the drink.
Sugar
Sweetness, body and balance. In an amount we print below.
Hibiscus extract or lavender extract
The flavor. The flower is the flavor. We add no flavorings.
Lemon concentrate
Brightness. Lifts the flower and keeps the finish clean.
Citric acid (INS 330)
Tartness. The same acid found in lemons and limes. Balances the sugar.
Trisodium citrate (INS 331(iii))
An acidity regulator. Softens the sharp edges so the taste stays even, sip after sip.
Natural colour (INS 163)
Gives the drink its colour. Added, and declared on the can.
What we leave out
- No added flavors
- No preservatives
- No caffeine
- No artificial sweeteners
Why we use sugar
Flowers are delicate. We wanted a sweetness everyone already knows, in an amount small enough to let the flower lead. So we use sugar, only sugar, and we print exactly how much.
A 250 mL can has 17 g of sugar, about four teaspoons, and 78 kcal.
It tastes clean.
Sugar arrives, and it leaves. Nothing lingers after the sip.
It lets the flower speak.
Floral notes are quiet. Sugar stays in the background.
It keeps the no-added-flavors promise.
Sugar needs nothing to hide behind, so we add nothing.
It balances the tartness.
Hibiscus is sour on its own, and lemon adds more. Sugar rounds that into bright rather than sharp.
Measured, not heavy-handed: 6.5 g of added sugar per 100 mL, on every can. Enough to taste right. Not enough to cover anything up.
What are INS 330 and 331(iii)?
Citric acid is the acid in lemons and limes. Trisodium citrate is its gentler cousin; it keeps the tartness even from the first sip to the last. Both are in both flavors, in the same amounts.
Nutrition
Hibiscus and Lavender are identical.
| Per 100 mL | Per 250 mL can | |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | 31 kcal | 78 kcal |
| Carbohydrates | 7.7 g | 19 g |
| Total sugars | 6.8 g | 17 g |
| Added sugars | 6.5 g | 16 g |
| Total fat | 0 g | 0 g |
| Protein | 0 g | 0 g |
| Sodium | 11.5 mg | 29 mg |
Approximate values, as declared on the can. The can also shows %RDA per 200 mL serve.