Last updated: October 30, 2026
Key Takeaways
- Clean label is a marketing phrase, not a regulated FDA term, so each brand defines it differently.
- A quick four-point label audit of sweetener type, flavor source, stated functional dose, and disclosed potency shows what is actually in any can.
- Little Saints Mojito is the only ready-to-drink option that answers all four points on the label: monk-fruit-only sweetener, natural botanical flavors, a printed 100 mg functional dose, and minimum 70% beta glucan documented by supplier certificates of analysis.
- The can reaches zero sugar and five calories without erythritol or sugar alcohols, which avoids the cooling sensation and potential GI trade-offs those ingredients can bring.
- Little Saints delivers a clean-label non-alcoholic mojito built for the third-drink occasion, for people who still drink alcohol and want a functional, transparent option.
How Clean Label Applies To A Non-Alcoholic Mojito
Clean label is not a regulated term in the US. There is no official FDA standard, required certification, universal ingredient list, or legally fixed threshold, so the meaning depends on what a brand, retailer, or third-party program decides it means. The four checks that matter most on a non-alcoholic mojito can are the sweetener, the flavor source, whether a functional dose is stated, and whether potency is disclosed.
Each of the four points breaks down as follows.
- Sweetener. Identify what actually carries the sweetness and whether a sugar alcohol does most of the work behind a monk fruit claim. Monk fruit is commonly blended with erythritol as a bulking agent, so a monk-fruit front label does not guarantee a monk-fruit-only ingredient list. Check the ingredient list, not the front panel.
- Flavor Source. “Natural flavor” is a legally defined term under 21 CFR 101.22(a)(3). It covers a broad range of flavoring substances such as essential oils, oleoresins, essences, extracts, protein hydrolysates, distillates, and products of roasting, heating, or enzymolysis. These substances come from natural sources like spices, fruits, vegetables, herbs, meat, seafood, dairy, or fermentation products. Their significant function must be flavoring rather than nutritional. The label may declare them simply as “natural flavor,” so it does not have to list which specific substances appear.
- Stated Functional Dose. Look for a milligram figure per serving printed in the ingredient statement. Proprietary blends do not give you a number to verify. If no number appears, you have no dose to check.
- Disclosed Potency. For a mushroom extract, look for the beta glucan percentage documented by supplier certificates of analysis. Beta glucan is the fraction of the mushroom that carries its adaptogenic, restorative properties. Without a stated percentage, the extract could be a concentrated fruiting-body extract or a dilute mycelium-on-grain powder, and the label gives you no way to tell.
Two additional points sit alongside clean label. Organic is a federally regulated USDA program with its own certification requirements. Non-GMO claims may be supported through private verification programs, while bioengineered-food disclosure is separately governed by the USDA's National Bioengineered Food Disclosure Standard. GRAS, or Generally Recognized As Safe, is a safety determination about an ingredient's intended use in food. These programs address certification and safety, not the four-point label test.
The four-point test also sits apart from nutrition. A product can have a short ingredient list and still carry significant sugar. The questions of what is in the can and how much sugar it contains deserve separate attention.
The Four-Point Label Test For Ready-To-Drink Non-Alcoholic Mojitos
The list below applies the four-point test to the approaches currently on the market. Each entry reflects only what is or is not printed on the label, with no invented scores or ratings.
- Little Saints Mojito: Sweetener, monk fruit juice concentrate only. No erythritol and no sugar alcohols. Flavor source, natural flavors derived from botanicals. Stated functional dose, 100 mg per serving printed in the ingredient statement. Disclosed potency, minimum 70% beta glucan documented by supplier certificates of analysis.
- Sugar-Alcohol-Sweetened Ready-To-Drink Non-Alcoholic Mojitos: Sweetener, erythritol or another sugar alcohol, often paired with a high-intensity sweetener. Flavor source, natural flavors with source not specified. Stated functional dose, not stated. Disclosed potency, not disclosed.
- Stevia-Sweetened Cans: Sweetener, steviol glycosides often blended with erythritol as a bulking agent. Flavor source, natural flavors with source not specified. Stated functional dose, not stated. Disclosed potency, not disclosed.
- Full-Sugar Mocktail-Style Cans: Sweetener, cane sugar or juice-based sweetening. Flavor source, natural flavors or juice. Stated functional dose, not stated. Disclosed potency, not disclosed.
A can sweetened with sugar alcohols that publishes no functional dose and no potency figure gives you nothing to check against the four-point test. That trade-off is documented on the label. Little Saints Mojito is the only option in this set where all four points appear.
For a deeper look at how functional ingredients separate Little Saints from the rest of the non-alcoholic mojito category, see Non-Alcoholic Mojito With Functional Ingredients That Work.
Sweetener Choices: Monk Fruit, Stevia, And Sugar Alcohols
The sweetener shapes how the can tastes on the second sip and whether you buy it again.
Monk fruit derives its sweetness from mogrosides rather than sugars. It carries zero calories and has no measurable glycemic impact. For most palates it reads as cleaner than stevia, with no bitter linger and no herbal aftertaste. Commercial products often blend monk fruit with erythritol to improve functional properties and texture. That blend means a monk-fruit-sweetened product may still contain a sugar alcohol unless the label specifies otherwise, so the ingredient list matters more than the front panel.
Stevia is approximately 200–450 times sweeter than sucrose. It carries a documented bitter, licorice-like or herbal aftertaste that is often more evident after swallowing, especially at higher concentrations. Stevioside and rebaudioside A are particularly associated with bitterness and prolonged sweetness. In a mint-and-lime beverage, that aftertaste competes directly with the flavor profile.
Sugar alcohols introduce a different set of trade-offs. Erythritol is only 60–70% as sweet as sucrose, so formulators almost always pair it with a high-intensity sweetener. The erythritol provides bulk and body, and the high-intensity sweetener closes the sweetness gap. That pairing is not the only consideration. Xylitol, another sugar alcohol, is more likely than erythritol to cause bloating and loose stools at higher doses due to incomplete absorption and fermentation in the large intestine.
Little Saints Mojito uses monk fruit juice concentrate only as the sweetener. That choice keeps the ingredient list short enough to read in the aisle and supports the zero-sugar, low-calorie profile without the cooling sensation or GI trade-offs that sugar alcohols can bring at higher doses.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Consult a doctor before use if you are pregnant, nursing, taking medications, or managing a medical condition.
Try The Monk-Fruit-Sweetened Mojito
Sugar And Calories In A Non-Alcoholic Mojito, In Context
Sweetener choice is only half the label story. The other half is what the numbers say: Little Saints Mojito carries 0 g of sugar and 5 calories per can, and those are label facts, not diet claims.
The honest answer to any “which is best for weight loss” question is the Nutrition Facts panel, not the front label. The front label may say “zero sugar” while the ingredient list carries a sugar alcohol, so the panel is where the actual numbers live. That is why you should read it on every can you consider and compare grams of sugar and calories per serving directly.
A cleaner ingredient deck and lower sugar are two separate questions. A can can have a short ingredient list and still carry significant sugar. Both questions matter, and neither answer replaces the other.
Home Baseline: How To Make A Non-Alcoholic Mojito
The home method acts as the control case, the baseline against which to judge any can. Here is a single, repeatable build.
- Muddle 8–10 fresh mint leaves with ½ oz of simple syrup or a monk-fruit sweetener to taste in the bottom of a glass.
- Add 1 oz of fresh lime juice.
- Fill the glass with ice.
- Top with 4–5 oz of sparkling water.
- Stir gently and garnish with a mint sprig and a lime wheel.
For more detail and variations, see
The statements made on our website have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration, Our products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. If you are pregnant, nursing, taking any medications or have any medical conditions, consult your doctor before use.