What Drinks Contain Stevia? Your Guide to Stevia-Sweetened Beverages

November 23, 2025 •

2 min read

According to a 2019 report, the market for stevia-sweetened products, including beverages, saw a 31% increase in launches. The growing demand for healthier alternatives to sugar-laden drinks has made many people wonder: exactly what drinks contain stevia? This comprehensive guide reveals the most popular store-bought options and how to make your own at home.

Quick Summary

This guide covers a variety of popular store-bought and homemade drinks containing stevia, a natural, zero-calorie sweetener. It details commercial soda, tea, and flavored water brands, offering a comparison of product categories and benefits.

Key Points

Major Brands: Many well-known beverage companies, including Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, and Zevia, offer drinks sweetened with stevia.
Diverse Products: Stevia is found in a variety of drink types, such as sodas, ready-to-drink teas, and flavored waters, catering to different tastes.
Combination Sweeteners: To manage its aftertaste, stevia is often blended with other sweeteners like erythritol or monk fruit.
Homemade Options: Stevia powder or liquid drops are readily available for creating your own low-calorie drinks at home, like lemonade and iced tea.
Health Benefits: Choosing stevia-sweetened drinks can be a strategy for reducing calorie intake and managing blood sugar levels.
Regulatory Approved: Only high-purity steviol glycosides are approved for use as a food additive in many countries, including the U.S..
Aftertaste Considerations: Some individuals may perceive a slight aftertaste in stevia-sweetened products, which varies based on the formulation.

Popular Soda Brands Using Stevia

Major beverage manufacturers are incorporating stevia to meet the demand for low-calorie and natural sweeteners.

Coca-Cola Company: Features like VitaminWater Zero Sugar, sweetened with stevia and monk fruit, Fuze Meyer Lemon Black Tea, and Blue Sky Zero Sugar Cola are part of their portfolio. The discontinued Coca-Cola Life also used a blend of stevia and cane sugar.
PepsiCo: Offers options like certain versions of Pepsi Zero Sugar, Sobe Lifewater flavors, and Trop50 juice which uses a blend of sugar and stevia.
Zevia: This brand specializes in a full range of sodas, energy drinks, and teas exclusively sweetened with stevia, offering various traditional and fruit flavors.

Ready-to-Drink Teas and Juices with Stevia

Stevia is also found in many ready-to-drink (RTD) teas and juices.

Bai Products: All Bai beverages, including Antioxidant Infusions and Bubbles, are sweetened with stevia and erythritol.
Starbucks Refreshers: Some of these use high-purity rebaudioside A, a stevia leaf extract.
VIStevia Juices and Syrups: This brand includes sugar-free syrups sweetened with stevia.

Flavored Waters and Hydration Drinks

Many flavored waters use stevia for calorie-free sweetness. Consumers should check ingredient lists as some brands may use sweetener blends. Making homemade sparkling water with unflavored carbonated water and flavored stevia drops is another option.

Coffee and Tea (Hot or Cold)

Stevia is a versatile sugar substitute for hot or cold coffee and tea. Products like SweetLeaf Stevia Sweetener offer drops and packets. Truvia, a brand from Coca-Cola and Cargill, contains erythritol and high-purity stevia leaf extract. Homemade iced tea can also be sweetened with stevia powder or drops.

DIY Stevia Drink Recipes

Creating your own stevia-sweetened drinks allows for ingredient control. Simple recipes include lemonade with fresh lemon juice, water, and liquid stevia drops, and smoothies blended with fruits, yogurt or milk, and stevia drops.

Comparing Popular Stevia Drink Categories


Feature	Soda	Ready-to-Drink Tea	Flavored Water	Homemade Drinks
Sweetness Control	Low (pre-formulated)	Low (pre-formulated)	Medium (brands vary)	High (fully adjustable)
Availability	High (most major retailers)	High (most retailers)	High (many brands available)	Requires sourcing ingredients
Aftertaste	Often mitigated with other sweeteners like erythritol	Varies by brand and formulation	Can be noticeable, depends on brand	Customizable, depends on user
Additives	May contain other artificial flavors or colors	Varies; some are clean-label	Often minimal; focuses on natural flavor	Full control over ingredients
Cost	Typically low to moderate	Low to moderate	Low to moderate	Variable, depends on ingredients

Conclusion: Navigating Your Stevia Drink Choices

Many major brands utilize stevia to provide healthier, lower-calorie beverage options in sodas, teas, and waters, reflecting consumer demand for natural sweeteners. While convenient store-bought options like Zevia and Bai are available, making your own offers greater control. The increasing availability provides health-conscious consumers with numerous choices.

Frequently Asked Questions

Coca-Cola has experimented with stevia in many products, including VitaminWater Zero Sugar, Fuze Meyer Lemon Black Tea, and the discontinued Coca-Cola Life. Their brand Truvia is also a stevia-based sweetener.

Zevia is a brand that specializes in beverages sweetened with stevia. Their product line includes sodas, energy drinks, and teas, all offering a zero-calorie, sugar-free alternative to traditional drinks.

No, Bai products, including their Antioxidant Infusions and Bubbles, are sweetened with a blend of stevia and erythritol. This combination helps to create a balanced flavor profile.

Yes, flavored and unflavored stevia liquid drops are perfect for sweetening homemade drinks. You can add them to iced coffee, tea, smoothies, and sparkling water to control the sweetness yourself.

High-purity stevia leaf extract, which contains at least 95% steviol glycosides, is the form approved by regulatory bodies like the FDA for use in foods and drinks. Crude stevia leaf and extracts are not approved as food additives.

Coca-Cola Life, which was sweetened with a blend of sugar and stevia, was discontinued in many markets as the company decided to focus on other diet and zero-sugar brands, like Coca-Cola Zero Sugar. The taste was not always popular with consumers.

While high-purity stevia is generally considered safe, some people may experience mild side effects like bloating, nausea, or a bitter aftertaste at high concentrations. For most, it is well-tolerated.

Yes, other natural, zero-calorie alternatives include monk fruit sweetener. Some products, like VitaminWater Zero Sugar, use a combination of stevia and monk fruit extract.

For a basic recipe, mix fresh lemon juice and water, then add a few drops of liquid stevia to taste. You can adjust the sweetness level and add other flavors like mint or fruit slices.

No, the United States FDA only recognizes high-purity steviol glycosides as generally safe (GRAS) for use in food and beverages. Crude stevia extracts or the whole leaf are not approved for this purpose.

Stevia-sweetened drinks are zero-calorie and can help reduce sugar intake, which may contribute to weight management and lower the risk of sugar-related health issues. However, overall health depends on the entire diet and lifestyle.

Yes, the concentration of stevia can vary significantly between different products and brands, affecting the level of sweetness and potential for aftertaste. It is always best to read the ingredients list carefully.