Liquid IV is a popular electrolyte brand that sells a wide range of different products and flavors. Consumers are often curious about which flavor tastes the best, and which flavor is the healthiest.
But are some Liquid IV products healthier than others based on the ingredients contained? Which flavor tastes the best? And where can you buy the best flavor for the best price?
In this article we’ll answer all of these questions and more as we analyze the ingredients in different flavors of Liquid IV to give our take on the healthiest flavor, and feature unsponsored user reviews that taste test every flavor to determine the best-tasting flavor.
We’ll provide a cost comparison to show which retailer sells the best flavor for the best price.
Which Flavor is the Healthiest?
All Liquid IV flavors have a number of inactive ingredients that we consider to be unhealthy.
As we discussed at length in our does Liquid IV work article, ingredients like citric acid, added sugar and flavoring additives are clinically shown to have questionable health effects.
We consider the sugar-free versions of Liquid IV to be healthier than the regular version. The ingredients in the White Peach flavor of Liquid IV Sugar-Free are shown below:
Allulose is used as a non-caloric sweetener instead of pure cane sugar. Most of the inactive ingredients are the same between the two formulations, so this is the most important difference.
Allulose is a plant-based sweetener that was shown in a medical review published in the Pharmacology & Therapeutics journal to have favorable effects on obesity and blood sugar, while refined sugar has negative effects on both.
This formulation also has 30 less calories per serving than the sugar-sweetened version, which isn’t a significant amount in one sitting but can be significant over the course of long periods of use.
While we don't recommend any Liquid IV products from a health perspective, we recommend any flavor of Liquid IV Sugar-Free over Liquid IV to consumers intent on purchasing from this brand.
But which flavor gets the best reviews in terms of taste from real users? We’ll feature unsponsored user taste tests in the next section.
Which Liquid IV Flavor Tastes the Best?
A YouTube channel called “Vitality Vixens” has a video taste testing nearly every Liquid IV flavor:
Where to Buy Liquid IV for the Best Price
Here's a per-serving cost comparison for Liquid IV Sugar-Free at the time of publishing this article:
Rite Aid: $2.50 (link)
Walgreens: $2.17 (link)
Brand website: $1.44 (free shipping, link)
Amazon: $1.44 (free shipping, link)
Liquid IV Sugar-Free is currently around 50% cheaper on the brand's website and Amazon than at Rite Aid.
Our Clean Electrolyte Picks
Our top electrolyte powder supplement is Vitacup Hydration Coffee Instant Sticks.
This product provides a modest amount of sodium, potassium and magnesium (electrolytes), and contains 100 mg of caffeine for an energy boost during workouts.
Most importantly, it's formulated with whole food ingredients like coconut water and himalayan pink mineral salt. There are no additive ingredients in this product that we consider questionable from a health perspective.
Intersted consumers can check out Vitacup Hydration Coffee Instant Sticks at this link to the product page on the brand's official website.
For consumers who prefer avoiding caffeine, the brand we recommend is LMNT Unflavored Electrolyte Powder Packets.
The only ingredients in LMNT Unflavored are electrolytes: sodium, potassium and magnesium, making it a clean and simple formulation.
Interested consumers can check out LMNT Unflavored Electrolyte Powder Packets at this link to the product's official Amazon listing.
How Does 30 Days of Liquid IV Change the Body?
A YouTube creator named “The Plant Based Teacher” used Liquid IV for 30 days straight and reported on the effects:
