What is a truly natural soda?
You see "natural" everywhere on bottles and cans. But what does it actually mean? And how can you tell if your soda is genuinely natural?
"Natural" flavors: the big lie
Surprise: a "natural" flavour isn't necessarily what you think. Legally, a natural flavour can be extracted from any natural source — even one far removed from the final taste. A natural strawberry flavour can come from... a mushroom. Not very apetising.
At Chouette Canette, we use no flavorings — natural or otherwise. We flavour directly with real plants, fruits and spices.
Concentrates: the hidden enemy
Most sodas on the market use concentrated juices. Why? Because it's cheaper and easier to transport. But concentrating a juice means heating and transforming the original product — vitamins disappear, taste changes.
At Chouette Canette, no concentrates. We use real juices and real infusions.
Sugar: the other problem
A classic soda contains an average of 10 to 12g of sugar per 100ml. Our Chouette Canette sodas contain a maximum of 5g per 100ml — half as much. And that sugar comes from natural sources, not industrial syrups.
How to read a label?
Words to avoid on a label:
- "Natural flavors" or "flavorings"
- "Fruit juice from concentrate"
- "Glucose-fructose syrup"
- "Acidity regulator"
- "Sweeteners"
If you see these words, the soda isn't truly natural.
Aditionnaly, organic is a must if you don't want to have extra chemicals in your drink.