Lidl's instant tea: 9.5 g of sugar per 100 ml
Lidl's instant tea declares 9.5 g of carbohydrates per 100 ml, more than Nestea. The teabag alternative works out at 3.5 cents a cup.
English · Original discussion in Spanish · Published
Lidl's instant tea under scrutiny: 9.5 grams of carbohydrates per 100 ml
Four spoonfuls of powder in cold water and done. That gesture, repeated every morning in thousands of Spanish kitchens, is at the heart of a product that has won itself a legion of loyal fans: the forest-fruit instant tea that Lidl sells at a bargain price. The promise is appealing —cheaper than the Mercadona one, says the label— and the result, according to those who drink it daily, is a drink that gets you hooked. The problem isn't the taste. It's what's behind it.
The nutritional information on the packaging, reproduced in the discussion, leaves no room for interpretation: 168 kJ and 40 kcal per 100 ml, with 9.5 grams of carbohydrates. To put it in context, one participant points out that a Pepsi has 43 kcal per 100 ml. Lidl's instant tea sits in the same league as the soft drinks it claims to replace.
How much sugar does Lidl's instant tea have compared with a soft drink?
The figure that shatters the healthy-drink illusion is right there in the nutrition table. 9.5 grams of carbohydrates per 100 ml. Some argue that this amounts to around 8 spoonfuls of sugar per glass if prepared at the recommended dilution. The difference is that here the consumer feels virtuous because they aren't drinking a "soft drink".
Some argue the problem isn't the product but the dose. "When I actually drink it diluted and barely add half a spoonful", argues one participant who admits the packaging recommends an amount he considers excessive. It's a recurring line of reasoning: the sugar is there, but the consumer decides how much to add. The problem is that the label isn't designed for you to dilute it. It's designed for the product to taste of something.
The comparison with other alternatives exposes the trick. Peach Nestea declares 28 kcal and 6.6 grams of sugar per 100 ml. The lemon one, 31 kcal and 7.6 grams. Lidl's instant tea beats both. Only Pepsi, with 43 kcal per 100 ml, can hold its own.
The teabag alternative: 3 cents a cup
Against the instant powder, the humble teabag stakes its claim as the rational option. The calculation doing the rounds is blunt: an SPAR Earl Grey teabag, made by Pompadour, works out at 3.5 cents. No added sugar, no sweeteners, no colourings. Just tea and hot water. Five minutes of preparation versus the five seconds of the instant version.
The debate over the actual tea content of the instant product remains open. "First ingredient? The one present in the largest amount: sugar. It has more sugar than tea", notes one analysis that invites you to read the small print. Another participant's reply is just as uncomfortable: "The only tea in it is the flavouring". The teabag, at least, doesn't deceive.
Those who have tried both routes agree that your body notices. "My kids got addicted to that tea. It's far too much sugar", says a father who ended up replacing it with homemade iced infusions cooled with orange or lemon juice. The recipe isn't complicated: green tea with fresh mint in the fridge, or a strong jasmine infusion topped up with fresh juice. The sugar savings are obvious. The money savings, too.
The price of convenience: what the label doesn't tell you
The appeal of instant tea isn't just the price. It's the logistics. No need to boil water, no waiting, no saucepan to wash. Four spoonfuls in cold water and done. In summer, that immediacy is worth its weight in gold. The problem is that convenience has a cost that doesn't show up on the receipt.
The discussion drifts into the territory of everyday addictions. "I had my addiction phase too, I used to eat it dry like a snack", confesses one participant who now looks back with a wry smile. The product is habit-forming. And habit, when sugar is the vehicle, takes hold fast.
The comparison with packaged pastries or snacks is no accident. The same participant who criticises the quality of those products at the same supermarket chain admits that the instant tea is "easy to prepare" and that this makes it a daily temptation. The German chain has some excellent things and some truly awful ones, he sums up. The instant tea, with its 9.5 grams of carbohydrates per 100 ml, belongs to the second category.
The question left hanging isn't whether Lidl's instant tea tastes good. It does. The question is how many of those who drink it every day know they are essentially drinking a forest-fruit-flavoured soft drink. The label says so. But nobody reads the label when the price is that low and the gesture that convenient.
Four spoonfuls of powder in cold water and done. That gesture, repeated every morning in thousands of Spanish kitchens, is at the heart of a product that has won itself a legion of loyal fans: the forest-fruit instant tea that Lidl sells at a bargain price. The promise is appealing —cheaper than the Mercadona one, says the label— and the result, according to those who drink it daily, is a drink that gets you hooked. The problem isn't the taste. It's what's behind it.
The nutritional information on the packaging, reproduced in the discussion, leaves no room for interpretation: 168 kJ and 40 kcal per 100 ml, with 9.5 grams of carbohydrates. To put it in context, one participant points out that a Pepsi has 43 kcal per 100 ml. Lidl's instant tea sits in the same league as the soft drinks it claims to replace.
How much sugar does Lidl's instant tea have compared with a soft drink?
The figure that shatters the healthy-drink illusion is right there in the nutrition table. 9.5 grams of carbohydrates per 100 ml. Some argue that this amounts to around 8 spoonfuls of sugar per glass if prepared at the recommended dilution. The difference is that here the consumer feels virtuous because they aren't drinking a "soft drink".
Some argue the problem isn't the product but the dose. "When I actually drink it diluted and barely add half a spoonful", argues one participant who admits the packaging recommends an amount he considers excessive. It's a recurring line of reasoning: the sugar is there, but the consumer decides how much to add. The problem is that the label isn't designed for you to dilute it. It's designed for the product to taste of something.
The comparison with other alternatives exposes the trick. Peach Nestea declares 28 kcal and 6.6 grams of sugar per 100 ml. The lemon one, 31 kcal and 7.6 grams. Lidl's instant tea beats both. Only Pepsi, with 43 kcal per 100 ml, can hold its own.
The teabag alternative: 3 cents a cup
Against the instant powder, the humble teabag stakes its claim as the rational option. The calculation doing the rounds is blunt: an SPAR Earl Grey teabag, made by Pompadour, works out at 3.5 cents. No added sugar, no sweeteners, no colourings. Just tea and hot water. Five minutes of preparation versus the five seconds of the instant version.
The debate over the actual tea content of the instant product remains open. "First ingredient? The one present in the largest amount: sugar. It has more sugar than tea", notes one analysis that invites you to read the small print. Another participant's reply is just as uncomfortable: "The only tea in it is the flavouring". The teabag, at least, doesn't deceive.
Those who have tried both routes agree that your body notices. "My kids got addicted to that tea. It's far too much sugar", says a father who ended up replacing it with homemade iced infusions cooled with orange or lemon juice. The recipe isn't complicated: green tea with fresh mint in the fridge, or a strong jasmine infusion topped up with fresh juice. The sugar savings are obvious. The money savings, too.
The price of convenience: what the label doesn't tell you
The appeal of instant tea isn't just the price. It's the logistics. No need to boil water, no waiting, no saucepan to wash. Four spoonfuls in cold water and done. In summer, that immediacy is worth its weight in gold. The problem is that convenience has a cost that doesn't show up on the receipt.
The discussion drifts into the territory of everyday addictions. "I had my addiction phase too, I used to eat it dry like a snack", confesses one participant who now looks back with a wry smile. The product is habit-forming. And habit, when sugar is the vehicle, takes hold fast.
The comparison with packaged pastries or snacks is no accident. The same participant who criticises the quality of those products at the same supermarket chain admits that the instant tea is "easy to prepare" and that this makes it a daily temptation. The German chain has some excellent things and some truly awful ones, he sums up. The instant tea, with its 9.5 grams of carbohydrates per 100 ml, belongs to the second category.
The question left hanging isn't whether Lidl's instant tea tastes good. It does. The question is how many of those who drink it every day know they are essentially drinking a forest-fruit-flavoured soft drink. The label says so. But nobody reads the label when the price is that low and the gesture that convenient.
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Summary of a discussion on Burbuja.info - Foro de economía, actualidad y política., translated from Spanish and reviewed before publication. Read the full discussion (27 replies).
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