Sugar-free drinks: the best alternatives to fizzy drinks & co.
If you want to cut out sugar, you often wonder: what can I still drink? The good news: sugar-free drinks do not have to be boring or bland. With the right alternatives, you drink enough every day – and enjoy it. "Sugar-free" here means: without added sugar.
How much sugar is in sugary drinks?
Conventional fizzy drinks and iced teas contain a lot of sugar: a bottle of Coca-Cola Original (500 ml) contains 53 grams of sugar (10.6 g per 100 ml), which is around 13 sugar cubes of 4 g each. Sweetened iced teas on the market reach peak values of 8 to 9 g of sugar per 100 ml; one thirst-quenching iced tea had 8.8 g, so around 44 g per 500 ml. (Sources: Coca-Cola Switzerland; Verbraucherzentrale NRW, July 2026; as of 1 October 2026.)
If you want to drink less sugar, the easiest place to start is with drinks, because sweetened drinks deliver a lot of sugar at once. The alternatives below manage without added sugar.
The best sugar-free drinks at a glance
1. Water – the basis
Still or mineral water is the sugar-free drink par excellence. If you prefer more flavour, you can liven up water with natural flavour with fresh herbs, lemon slices or TEABALLS.
2. Tea – enjoyed hot and cold
Tea is one of the most versatile sugar-free drinks. Whether green tea, peppermint or hibiscus, the choice is huge. TEABALLS comes in 24 varieties: 16 TEABALLS varieties and 8 organic varieties. With TEABALLS you prepare tea without tea bags, without added sugar and without preservatives (the acidity regulators are listed in the ingredients of each variety) – simply put 3 to 5 TEABALLS in your glass (3 dl) or 5 to 8 in your bottle (5 dl), add water, done. The 16 TEABALLS varieties suit hot tea just as well as iced tea without sugar. The 8 organic varieties, for example Organic Ginger, can only be drunk hot (ideally 60 to 80 °C) and are naturally cloudy.
3. Coffee
Black coffee without sugar and milk is low in calories. Espresso and cold brew coffee also manage without sugar. For a sense of scale on caffeine (BfR figures per 200 ml): filter coffee contains approx. 90 mg, black tea approx. 45 mg and green tea approx. 30 mg of caffeine.
4. Herbal infusions & fruit tea
Natural herbal and fruit teas have a fruity or spicy flavour of their own – with no added sugar at all. Particularly popular as sugar-free drinks: hibiscus tea with its bright red colour, ginger tea with its warming heat and peppermint tea with its fresh mint flavour.
5. Sparkling water / carbonated mineral water
If still water is too plain for you: sparkling water offers the tingling mouthfeel of a fizzy drink – without sugar. With a little freshly squeezed lemon juice or a few TEABALLS, you turn it into a refreshing drink.
Making sugar-free iced tea yourself with TEABALLS
The easiest way to drinks without added sugar on the go: homemade iced tea with TEABALLS. Simply put 5 to 8 TEABALLS of your favourite variety in a water bottle (5 dl), top up with cold water and shake briefly – the pressed pieces dissolve in seconds. Without added sugar.
Our recommendations for iced tea without added sugar:
- Hibiscus – fruity and tart, bright red, ideal for hot days
- Mint – fresh and refreshing, perfect for summer
- Wildberry – fruity, berry flavour
- Lemon Vitamin C – fresh and lemony, contains vitamin C (15 mg, 19% NRV according to the product page)
What to look out for with "sugar-free" ready-made drinks
Many ready-made drinks sold as "sugar-free" or "no sugar" are sweetened with sweeteners such as aspartame, sucralose or acesulfame K – the ingredient list shows it. At TEABALLS, 12 of the 16 TEABALLS varieties and all 8 organic varieties contain no sweetener. Sucralose is found only in the varieties Energy, Mango, Blueberry & Coconut and Watermelon.
Sugar-free drinks for every occasion
Whether at the office, during sport or while cooking: drinks without added sugar can be used flexibly. With the TEABALLS drinking bottles and more, you always have tea and flavoured water with you.
Conclusion: sugar-free drinks – varied and tasty
Sugar-free drinks do not mean going without – they open up a whole world of flavours. With TEABALLS you have a simple way to enjoy tea without added sugar in any situation: hot or cold (the organic varieties only hot), in a bottle or a glass, at home or on the go.
Discover TEABALLS now and find favourite drinks without added sugar.
