Crystal Light Pure Fitness
 

Does anyone know if this is available in Canada??? I don't care for chemical light regular packs, but this stuff is supposed to be made with 'real' sweeteners and has a few more calories etc., but I can't find it?!

And I've seen commercials of a squeezy liquid bottle to put in water but can't find that either. C'mon Canada, we're thirsty too!

I bought some without really reading the label carefully. It's significantly higher in price and in calorie (I believe 30 calories, as opposed to the 0 to 5 in the regular Crystal Light. If you drink more than one 8-oz glass that can add up quickly). I believe (if I remember correctly) it contains both sugar and stevia.

Personally, I'm not convinced that stevia is safe for regular use (yes, it's been used in folk herbalism for thousands of years, but never as a daily sweetener, and never as a refined product). There's been almost no research, and the research that has been done, has been linked to reproductive tract birth defects in the offspring of lab animals fed stevia.


I've found a much better and much cheaper alternative. I buy candy oils (in the tiny dram bottles) and add a drop to a glass of water or seltzer water (or skim milk, or any beverage).

Usually for an 8 oz. glass I dip a toothpick into the bottle and then stir the toothpick into the beverage. If I want the beverage stronger, I then dip the clean end of the toothpick back into the bottle (or a different bottle if I want to combine flavors).

I'll probably buy an eyedropper, because I think that will be better for larger glasses, and I'll waste fewer toothpicks.

Then I add the sweetener of my choice (or no sweetener at all).

The oils are cheap ($1.50 to $3 per bottle) and they last forever because you need so little, and they come in a zillion flavors. I pick up a new flavor almost every month. The first bottle I bought, at least six months ago is only half gone (I have tangerine, pistachio, pecan, cherry, amaretto, lime, apple, and caramel).

I also use extracts (but those you need more, like an 1/8th of a teaspoon. I have lemon, orange, cherry, rootbeer, peppermint, almond, and vanilla.

Since I started using extracts and oils, I haven't bought any drink mix (except a specific lemonade packet I like that I haven't yet been able to duplicate with my flavoirings), or any flavored sugar free (DaVinci or Torani) syrups.

That's not great news about Stevia. I have a problem with artificial sweeteners, but Stevia doesn't bother me. But I do use 6 packets a day. 3 in my coffee and 3 in my green tea. I really try and not use it anywhere else because it makes me nervous to be eating too much of it.

I believe the bottled liquid is Mi0 and to my knowledge it's not yet available here in Canada :( I keep watching for it.

I've never tried stevia, I thought I was quite cosmopolitan trying agave nectar LOL of course til Dr. Oz teased one of his audience members that your body can't tell the dif between it and a snickers bar LOL it still sounds very fancy!

The candy oils sound intriguing but I have NO IDEA where one would purchase such a thing???

i LOVE MiO so I hope you get it soon! Can you order online?? MiO is sweetened with sucralose (which is Splenda) - some folks have problems with Splenda but MiO is the ONLY thing that's gotten me to choke down my water every day!

You can buy them online (amazon.com search for LorAnn), and in many grocery stores, stores like Walmart and Target, and craft and hobby stores (Like Michael's and Hobby Lobby). In Walmart the candymaking aisle is usually in or near the craft and hobby section, or in specialty and gourmet stores.

I buy mine in a small baking supply shop (which sells spices, flours, and all manner of ingredients for the home cook/baker and also ready-to-bake products and some gourmet sauces, salsas...)

If a grocery store carries them, they usually place them in the baking aisle near the food colorings and extracts, but most grocery stores don't carry many flavors. Hobby and craft shops have a better selection (usually with or near the cake decorating supplies), and baking/candy supply shops carry the best selection at the best price.