Leaning Into a Low-Sugar Lifestyle
What is a low-sugar lifestyle? Low-sugar living means cutting back on added sugars - not necessarily never enjoying sweet treats. Most people do it by choosing drinks and foods made with zero-calorie, non-nutritive sweeteners and less added sugar. At Miss Mary's, we built a line of coffee and water syrups using plant-based sweeteners like stevia leaf extract and monk fruit, plus non-alcoholic drink mixes made with no artificial flavors, colors, or sweeteners to support that lifestyle, deliciously.
Why People Are Cutting Back on Sugar
You've probably noticed we talk about 'low sugar' a lot.
According to the CDC, too much added sugar can contribute to health problems like weight gain, obesity, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease.¹
If you've ever tried to cut back on sugar, you know it shows up in some surprising places, including and especially what we drink. A 2026 analysis found that 68% of packaged foods contain added sugar.² American adults average 17 teaspoons of added sugar per year, well above the American Heart Association's recommendation of 6 teaspoons for women and 9 for men.³
There is no shortage of articles about what the potential risks are, but it's a lot harder to sort through what to do about it.
Supporting a Low-Sugar Lifestyle
For a long time, "sugar-free" usually meant artificially sweetened.
Research on artificial sweeteners like sucralose, saccharin, aspartame and sugar alcohols like erythritol is still evolving, with studies exploring topics like taste preferences, gut microbiome, and how sweetness affects cravings.
Our first formula for Sinless Syrups included erythritol, but the more we learned about it we decided we didn't want to include it. None of the Miss Mary's products include artificial sweeteners or sugar alcohols.
We wanted to build syrup and mixer formulas that more people could enjoy, even if they were reducing added sugars, avoiding artificial sweeteners or allergens like gluten, dairy, or shellfish.
Living a low-sugar lifestyle shouldn't mean giving up on fun.
How to Cut Back On Added Sugar: 5 Places You're Still Using Sugar
Ready to start your low-sugar lifestyle without losing the plot (or the fun)? Here are five places you probably add sugar every day without thinking.
Sugar-Free Coffee Syrups (The Obvious One)
There's a reason we call Sinless Syrups "coffee syrups" - most of us love starting our day with a bit of caffeine. But drive-thru coffee can pack a sugar wallup!
The swap: 2 pumps of café syrup = 10g of sugar (or more). 2 pumps of Sinless Syrup = 0g sugar, 0g carbs.
If you love to use creamer, try pairing Sinless Syrups with heavy cream. Your coffee will still have zero sugar but you'll get that nice, round mouthfeel that dairy adds.
Bonus: Because Sinless Syrups are clear and dye-free with stevia leaf extract and monk fruit (no sucralose, no sugar alcohols) they won't change your coffee color or leave behind the strong sucralose aftertaste.
Pro Tip: Cold coffee often requires more sweetener than hot coffee to taste the same level of sweet. And always shake your Sugar Free Sinless Syrups well before pouring or pumping them into your mug.
Try: Pumpkin Spice and White Chocolate together for a festive Fall latte that delights or Cinnamon Dolce and Salted Caramel together for a cinnamon roll-like treat.
Refreshment (The Refrigerator Pitcher Trick)
Sinless Syrups aren't just for coffee. You can use Sinless Syrups to batch make outstanding sugar-free beverages to keep in your refrigerator for a "sinless" sip any time of day.
Sweet Tea: Brew black or green tea and add Peach, Raspberry, Coconut, or Madagascar Vanilla syrup - 1 Tbsp per cup. Chill in the refrigerator for Southern Sweet Tea with zero sugar!
Lemonade: Fresh squeezed lemons, water, and Peach, Raspberry, Coconut, or Madagascar Vanilla syrup will quench your thirst without added sugar. RECIPE
Flavored Seltzer: Like bubbles? Sparkling soda or seltzer is a fizzy-fun way to increase your water intake. Try Toasted Marshmallow, Madagascar Vanilla, Salted Dark Chocolate, Raspberry, or Peach for a sparkling treat that tastes expensive but skips the artificial flavors.
The Breakfast and Snack Swap
Plain Greek Yogurt has protein and calcium. Add a pump of White Chocolate, Salted Caramel, Almond Biscotti, or Madagascar Vanilla for a flavor win without added sugar. Top with frozen berries or nuts for a little texture!
Overnight Oats are a time-saving wonder. Add almond milk and chia seeds to oats with Cinnamon Dolce, Salted Caramel, or Almond Biscotti stirred in and wake up to a deliciously satisfying breakfast bowl. No maple syrup needed.
Shakes, Breads, and Balls (Protein for the Win)
Protein Shake swap: Plain protein powder + almond milk + Mocha, Salted Dark Chocolate, White Chocolate, or Irish Cream delivers a milkshake experience without extra sugar.
Protein Bread/Banana Bread swap: Any recipe that calls for 1/3 cup sugar/honey can use Sinless Syrup - we love Madagascar Vanilla and Salted Caramel but White Chocolate and Almond Biscotti are also great options. Because Sinless Syrups are liquid, you'll want to reduce the other liquids by up to 2 Tbsp.
No-Bake Snack Balls: The classic oats + peanut butter + protein powder + honey gets a lower-sugar makeover with Sinless Syrups. Try Salted Caramel, Salted Dark Chocolate, Coconut, White Chocolate, or Toasted Marshmallow. We love rolling ours in unsweetened coconut flakes.
Cocktails and Mocktails (The Weekend Bonus)
Cocktails are tricky because there is no way around the calories in spirits, but you can lighten the total calories with better mixer choices.
Vanilla Vodka Soda: Madagascar Vanilla turns a plain vodka soda into something more elegant.
Espresso Martini: Try Salted Dark Chocolate or Toasted Marshmallow in your espresso martini and use cold brew instead of a coffee liqueur for less added sugar. RECIPE
Lite Margarita: Taco Tuesday or Porch Margs with the girlies or guylies? Swap your regular mixer with Miss Mary's Lite Margarita Mix for just 5g of sugar per serving.
Tasty Treats Made for Real Life
One of the founding ideas behind our company is that better ingredients taste better. We didn't conduct extensive research studies to prove this and it isn't an FDA-approved claim, it's just something we believe.
So when we chose sweeteners for our Sugar Free Sinless Syrups, stevia leaf extract and monk fruit just made sense. They're both plant-based and zero calorie sweeteners.
Stevia alone is often associated with that "sugar-free" aftertaste, so we worked for more than a year on a recipe that includes enough monk fruit to soften that edge. Nothing tastes "just like sugar" except, of course, sugar. But one of the most common compliments customers give us is that ours are the best-tasting sugar-free coffee syrups they've tried.
We're pretty proud of that.
Miss Mary's Mix began as a non-alcoholic drink mix brand, with Bloody Mary mixes, a Margarita mix, and an Old Fashioned Mix. These aren't sugar-free, but we still leaned into choosing better ingredients and avoiding major allergens. Our Lite Margarita Mix has just 30 calories per serving and 5g of sugar, using a combination of blue agave and stevia. The Wisconsin Old Fashioned Mix is also just 30 calories per serving.
The point is that real life includes mornings where coffee (or tea) is a non-negotiable and occasional happy hours to celebrate friends, family, and togetherness. There's no reason for you to compromise your standards to enjoy either.
FAQ: Low-Sugar, Sugar-Free, and Keto
Why "Low-Sugar" Lifestyle and not "Sugar-Free" or "Keto?"
Per FDA definitions, "sugar-free" means less than 0.5g sugar per serving.⁴ Our Sinless Syrups are sugar-free, but the foods or beverages you use them in might not be. Low-Sugar Living isn't about zero tolerance for any sugar, it's about lowering your overall added sugar.
Do stevia leaf and monk fruit raise blood sugar?
Stevia leaf extract and monk fruit are considered zero-calorie, non-nutritive sweeteners, meaning they add sweetness with very little to no sugar or calories. Individual responses can vary. If you monitor blood sugar, ask your healthcare provider.
Are your syrups and mixes keto-compatible/ good for people watching sugar?
Sinless Syrups have zero sugar per serving, and many people following keto or low-carb lifestyles have switched to using them in coffee, tea, and more. Our Lite Margarita Mix has 5g sugar and 30 calories per serving. Check the nutrition panel for the specific product to see what fits your goals.
This article is for informational purposes only and is not medical advice. Always check nutrition labels and consult your healthcare provider for personal dietary guidance.
¹ CDC "Get the Facts: Added Sugars" https://www.cdc.gov/nutrition/php/data-research/added-sugars.html
² Sanger-Katz, M. "You'd Be Surprised at How Many Foods Contain Added Sugar." New York Times - The Upshot, 2016. https://www.nytimes.com/explain/2022/how-to-eat-less-sugar
³ American Heart Association, "Added Sugars" https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/healthy-eating/eat-smart/sugar/added-sugars
⁴ FDA guidance for Industry, https://www.fda.gov/regulatory-information/search-fda-guidance-documents/guidance-industry-and-fda-dear-manufacturer-letter-regarding-sugar-free-claims
