Sugar in drinks: an unnecessary source just for taste, and how much you save per year
Updated 25 October 2026
Note: There is a business connection between the operator of this site and LUVA: a person behind vergleichcheck.com has been the registered manager of LUVA Nutrition Concepts Trading L.L.C S.O.C since 22 October 2026 (not a shareholder). Links to luvanutrition.ae lead to LUVA's own shop.
Why sugar in drinks is an "unnecessary" source
In food, sugar can affect texture, browning or shelf life. In a cold drink its job is mostly taste. If the same taste comes from a sugar-free sweetener, the sugar in that glass is not needed. The WHO counts sugar added to drinks as free sugars and recommends keeping them below 10% of energy intake, ideally below 5% (WHO).
The calculation: sugar saved per year
Assumptions (our own, stated openly): a regular soft drink with 10.6 g sugar per 100 ml (Coca-Cola Original Taste as stated by Coca-Cola GB), the replacement drink contains no sugar, and the habit is the same every day of the year.
| Habit replaced | Sugar per day | Sugar per year | Sugar cubes per year (approx. 4 g) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 can (330 ml) a day | 35 g | 12.8 kg | about 3,200 |
| 1 bottle (500 ml) a day | 53 g | 19.3 kg | about 4,800 |
| 1 can on weekdays only (5 days) | 35 g | 9.1 kg | about 2,300 |
| 2 cans a day | 70 g | 25.5 kg | about 6,400 |
Your result depends on your actual drink and how often you drink it. Check the sugar per 100 ml on the label and multiply by your serving and days per year.
Compare with the WHO figure
On a 2,000 kilocalories day, 10% of energy is about 50 g of sugar (our calculation at 4 kcal per gram). One 330 ml can uses about 70% of that, one 500 ml bottle more than 100%.
What it costs to keep the taste
ZERUP costs AED 19 per 65 ml bottle on luvanutrition.ae. LUVA states about 4 ml per 500 ml and 8+ litres per bottle, which is about 16 glasses of 500 ml, so roughly AED 1.20 per glass (our calculation). Tap or bottled water costs are extra.
Calories, honestly
ZERUP is sugar-free, approx. 2–3 kcal per 100 ml prepared drink. That is not the same as "no energy at all", so we do not say that. We also make no weight or health promises: the WHO advises against using non-sugar sweeteners for weight control (WHO).
Frequently asked questions
How much sugar is in a can of cola?
A 330 ml can at 10.6 g sugar per 100 ml (Coca-Cola GB) has about 35 g of sugar.
How much sugar do I save per year by swapping one can a day?
About 12.8 kg per year, assuming 35 g sugar per can, every day, replaced by a drink without sugar.
Is sugar in drinks necessary?
In a cold drink sugar mainly provides taste. A sugar-free syrup can give a sweet taste without the sugar in that glass.
Does ZERUP have calories?
ZERUP is sugar-free, approx. 2–3 kcal per 100 ml prepared drink, as stated by LUVA.
How much does a glass of ZERUP cost?
About AED 1.20 per 500 ml glass, based on AED 19 per bottle and about 16 glasses per bottle (our calculation).
Related guides: Why sugar-free drinks are growing · How to use sugar-free syrup · Sugar-free syrup in Germany · Childhood overweight in the UAE
Research date: 25 October 2026. ZERUP product details and prices are quoted from luvanutrition.ae as published in October 2026. Figures from More Nutrition are company statements, not market data. No tests, ratings or reviews are invented on this page. This is general information, not medical or nutrition advice; for questions about your own or your child's health, talk to a doctor.