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Hard Seltzer: Too Good To Be True?

Like most canned beverages, hard seltzer poses a danger from the can itself — most are lined with endocrine disrupting plastic. And, just like the beauty industry, the conventional alcohol industry isn’t legally required to disclose the ingredients in hard seltzer. (Although, like all other products in this category, the certified organic alcohol industry is held to disclosure standards.) Conventional companies can put whatever the hell they want in their products, without adding names to the labels. And just like the deceptively innocuous word “fragrance” on beauty labels, “natural flavors” mean f**k all when it comes to drinks — there are 2,500 different chemical substances that can fall…

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Featured

 How Hard Seltzer Is Made: The Art & Science B...

The phenomenal appetite and Millenial’s craze for the hot new bubbly beverage is evident all over the market, from takeout sales to hard seltzer brands’ websites to sales at bars and restaurants.

 Is There Really Such a Thing as Healthy Alcohol?

Wellness trends are coming for your spiked seltzer. “Any company [implying] that drinking alcohol is healthy is preying on people’s fantasies,” Lebonville said. “I’d say that drinking FOR your health is like driving a car to avoid getting in a car crash. It makes no sense.”

 There is no such thing as bad booze — but there is hard seltzer

We’re in the midst of a boom in boring, mediocre booze - and there’s money to be made.

 Why the hard seltzer craze has ended

In addition to the pandemic fading, inflation has pushed consumers to look for cheaper alternatives. “[W]e’re seeing a volume shift from hard seltzers back to premium light beers with their lower pricing, particularly among 35- to 44-year-olds,” said Burwick.

Articles of Interest

Are Hard Seltzers Actually As Healthy As They Seem?

So is there a clear answer to the question if hard seltzers are bad for you? Can they fit into a healthy diet? “I wouldn’t take a hard line on hard seltzers,” Slayton concludes. “They’re a decent choice compared to other forms of alcohol—but they’re far from health foods, despite the marketing. And while we can split hairs comparing spirits and beer to hard seltzer, your best bet is to monitor the number of drinks you’re having.” This point will benefit your overall health, as well as specific wellness goals. For instance, if weight management is a concern, she suggests limiting your alcohol intake (four drinks a week for women, seven drinks a week for men) to notice positive results. “Calories from alcohol don’t provide any nutrition, so they’re empty,” Shapiro adds, which also requires consideration for your overall nutrition plan. On a final note, both RDs say that if you don’t typically drink alcohol, the supposed wellness appeal of hard seltzers shouldn’t make you start.

Are Hard Seltzers Bad for You? Nutrition Experts Weigh In

The short answer: Yes. Hard seltzer isn't a healthy drink. “[Hard seltzers] contain no nutritional value and are a source of excess calories,” explains Amy Shapiro, MS, RD, CDN, founder and director of Real Nutrition. “Even though some brands are sweetened with natural fruit juice, they do not contain enough juice to provide health benefits.” At the end of the day, Shapiro adds, hard seltzer is still an alcohol beverage and because it tastes refreshing and is light in flavor it may be easy to over consume it which can lead to alcohol poisoning.

Behind the Meteoric Rise of Hard Seltzer

Most seltzers also capitalize on the convenience of cans, a trend not lost on the wine industry. This could also appeal to beer drinkers who seek something different, spirits lovers who want something lighter, and casual drinkers who don’t like the taste of strong alcohol or want something with a moderate abv.

Fact checking those 'health' claims around spiked seltzers and hard seltzers

But if you like your drinks with a bit of alcohol bite, this may not be your thing. To me, it tasted like carbonated Kool-Aid. No hint of alcohol. I can see how some of us might end up drinking a lot faster than might be advisable.

Hard Seltzer and Cancer Risk: What’s the Connection?

Many of these drinks imply that they are healthy by highlighting their relatively low-calorie count and using terms such as ancient grains, organic and natural. Similar to the ubiquitous seltzer waters, hard seltzers also feature a wide range of fruity flavors – using images and descriptions that bring to mind all the healthfulness and freshness of real fruit. Yet, the research clearly shows that alcohol increases the risk of many types of cancer. Are spiked seltzers really a healthy choice? Here’s what you need to know about hard seltzers and cancer risk.

Hard Seltzer Has Gone Flat

Americans are realizing the truth about White Claw: It’s bad!

Hard seltzer is here to stay

Hard seltzer requires almost zero explanation. It’s water with bubbles that also has alcohol in it. Even its meteoric rise over the past few months needs little parsing: Seltzer has been very popular for a while, and now this is seltzer that gets you drunk. But it’s a beverage whose existence makes so much sense for so many reasons, and feels so perfectly positioned in this particular period of time, that it has helped define what exactly this period is.

Hard Seltzers: What’s The Buzz About?

What makes hard seltzer different from other clear carbonated beverages is the unique type of alcohol in it. Unlike a vodka soda or gin and tonic, the alcohol in most hard seltzer brands comes from fermented sugars. So, when you crack open a bottle of seltzer, you’re just drinking fermented sweetened seltzer– and that could be a good thing for your health and waistline!

How Healthy Are Those Spiked Seltzers, Anyways?

While hard seltzer is lower in calories and sugar than many other fun summer cocktails, it's still important to drink responsibly. While low in calories and carbs, flavored spiked seltzers each still has one "serving" of alcohol-and there are plenty of health risks (both short and long term) that come from drinking in excess.

I Went to a Hard Seltzer Festival and Lived to Tell the Tale

On social media and in advertisements, hard seltzer has a very specific culture: dancing youth and neon lights, zoomers on beaches and boats listening to the Chainsmokers and Post Malone. But is that the demographic that actually drinks this stuff in real life?

Is Hard Seltzer Bad For You?

Hard seltzers, with 4-6% ABV, seem like a lighter alcohol option and are popular for their flavors and lower calorie content compared to other drinks. Yet, they still carry health risks associated with alcohol consumption, such as potential addiction, liver disease, and increased risk of cancers. The 'healthier' image may mislead some into drinking more, making moderation key. Artificial sweeteners in some seltzers could also impact glucose tolerance and gut health. It's crucial to consume them as part of a balanced approach to alcohol, mindful of the potential consequences of excessive intake.

Is sparkling water good for you? What about hard seltzer?

Hard seltzers can be lower in calories and carbohydrates than most beer. There are some light and low-carb beers that may have the same or fewer calories and carbohydrates than some brands of hard seltzer. The number of calories is affected by the percentage of alcohol in the seltzer, but most standard hard seltzers and light beers have a similar percentage of alcohol. Thus, a hard seltzer that is lower in calories and carbs than a beer is better.

Is Spiked Seltzer Healthy?

I think the biggest risk is falling into a “health halo.” Sometimes we get stuck on associating “better” with unlimited or healthy. “While spiked seltzers have far less calories and sugar than other drinks, this doesn’t change the fact that they are still a source of alcohol, and we should be limiting alcohol intake overall to help us maintain our weight and health,” says Kippen. “Also, the natural fruit flavors in the drinks do not make them healthy or a source of vitamins and minerals.”

Soft drinks too weak? Time to try hard seltzer

It’s a fizzy, low-calorie, often fruit-flavoured alcoholic drink, and rapper Travis Scott and chef Gordon Ramsay own brands. American millennials are more likely to have drunk a White Claw hard seltzer in the past 30 days than any other drink with the exception of Bud Light or Corona.

The Best Hard Seltzers

I live for making (and drinking) a good craft cocktail, but sometimes you just can’t beat the convenience of a cold, boozy beverage that’s ready to drink with the crack of a can. Hard seltzers are carbonated sodas spiked to the alcohol level of a light beer. They usually come in fruity flavors, and though they’re called seltzers, it’s a bit of a misnomer: They’re usually sweetened. Virtually any type of spirit or alcoholic beverage can be used. Some drinks specify that they’re produced with vodka or other popular spirits, but most hard seltzers are predominantly concocted with nameless, neutral spirits. You may already be familiar with White Claw, the best-selling brand that skyrocketed hard seltzers into popularity in the last five years, but hundreds of companies, both craft and mainstream, have come out with their own iterations. We waded through this sea of seltzers and tested 12 nationally available brands—in 40 flavors—to find the most balanced, refreshing, and natural-tasting options.

The case against hard seltzer

Alcopops were fun and very obviously not good for you. But hard seltzer, this summer’s hottest tipple, is an apology of a drink.

The Rise of Hard Seltzer and How It Became So Trendy

Not long ago, the idea of spiked sparkling water might have raised some eyebrows. But fast-forward to today, and it's almost impossible to walk into a liquor store, party, or social gathering without encountering the trendy beverage that's taken the world by storm: hard seltzer. In many ways, hard seltzer has become every bit as popular as traditional alcoholic beverages such as wine, whiskey, and Cognac — and that’s saying a lot. In fact, there are also many hard seltzer trends that are growing in popularity.

What Happens to Your Body When You Drink Hard Seltzer

Drinking these low-calorie beverages can result in some good (and not-so-good) side effects.

What Is Hard Seltzer and Is It Better Than Beer?

It's hard to beat a cold beer straight from the cooler on a hot summer day or a chilled poolside summer cocktail. But it's also tough to avoid the bloating that comes with their high-calorie counts. Cue hard seltzer.

Resources

5 Boozy Seltzers to Crack Open the Second It’s Sunny Out

They're as light and refreshing as it gets.

5 Reasons To Not Drink Seltzer

In this enlightened era of health-conscious consumers and wellness drinks, seltzer has been bubbling up. Flavored or plain, bottled or canned: everyone has their favorite brand. But what if I told you that seltzer wasn’t actually that great for you? It can be bad for your teeth and the rest of your body (not to mention your bank account). Here are five reasons you need to stop buying seltzer, stat.

Are sparkling water and hard seltzer bad for you?

Carbonated water is a healthier alternative to soda, juice or sports drinks like Gatorade. Hard seltzers tend to have fewer calories than beer. But not all carbonated water drinks are created equal. Some contain added sugars or artificial sweeteners, which can add calories, harm teeth and trigger some health conditions.