The Caim Circle Podcast

Are Alcohol-Free Drinks Healthy? The Truth About Sugar, Calories & Hidden Preservatives

Jessa Frances

Today I'm bringing content from my Substack to the podcast in a deeper, more intimate way — sharing not just what I wrote, but the stories behind the stories and the realizations I've had since.

This episode is about a wake-up call: just because something is alcohol-free doesn't mean it's healthy.

It started with my son's ADHD diagnosis, which turned me into an obsessive label reader. I cut out processed foods, artificial colors, preservatives — everything that could harm him or compromise his ability to focus.

But then I entered the alcohol-free beverage industry. And I realized I was being meticulous about food ingredients while completely ignoring what was in my drinks.

My Real Story:

I wanted to stop drinking alcohol because I was gaining weight. A Jack and Coke is 270 calories per drink, and I wasn't having just one. When I discovered zero-calorie whiskey alternatives, I thought I'd found the solution. But then I looked at the labels on the mixers: sodium benzoate, aspartame, sucralose.

That's when I started diving deeper. It wasn't just sugar and calories hurting my health — it was everything I was putting in my body.

What You'll Learn:

  • Why sodium benzoate + citric acid creates benzene (a known carcinogen)
  • The three most common preservatives in NA drinks and their effects
  • Which clean label brands refuse to compromise (Rasasvada, Curious Elixirs, For Bitter For Worse, All the Bitter, Sarilla, and more)
  • Why "generally recognized as safe" (GRAS) doesn't mean safe for regular consumption
  • The uncomfortable truth: many "healthy" alcohol-free drinks have as much sugar as alcoholic ones
  • How working at a bottle shop revealed my own unconscious consumption patterns

The Deeper Work:

This isn't just about ingredients. It's about examining WHY we're reaching for beverages in the first place. Are you using adaptogens to support your nervous system? Or to avoid doing nervous system work? Are you trading one form of liquid dependence for another?

This is where The Caim Circle (inner work) and Untoxicated (conscious choices) come together. You can't skip the inner work and just buy better beverages. And you can't do all the inner work but keep poisoning your body. True transformation requires both.

Learn more about my favorite brands!

www.rasaspirit.com

www.allthebitter.com

www.forbitterforworse.com

www.curiouselixirs.com

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Is it time for personalized support? Connect With Me!

Website: www.thecaimcirlce.com
Instagram: @jessafrances @untoxicated.world

Thank you for being here. Thank you for doing this work. And thank you for being willing to fail—because that means you're willing to grow.

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