Like most cocktail mixers, Lush uses a sweetener to get its delicious flavor. But we don't just use any sweetener; we use organic cane sugar. We use about half as much as our competitors to deliver a balanced, and not-too-sweet craft cocktail experience. In addition, you'll find real fruits and spices in Lush for a full, delicious flavor. And, you'll never find artificial sweeteners.
Why do we avoid conventional, non-organic sugar? Processed cane sugar generally undergoes extensive refining, which can sometimes introduce or retain certain contaminants. A few concerns include:
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Pesticide Residues: Conventional (non-organic) sugar cane crops may be treated with pesticides, some of which can linger on the cane. During refining, these residues are largely removed, but trace amounts could remain.
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Sulfur Dioxide: In some refining processes, sulfur dioxide is used as a bleaching agent to whiten sugar. This can result in residual sulfur compounds in the final product, though they are usually within safe consumption levels.
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Bone Char for Whitening: Some sugar refineries use bone char (animal bone charcoal) to filter cane sugar and make it white. Though not toxic, this is more a concern for dietary preferences, like veganism, rather than a health risk.
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Heavy Metals: Depending on where the cane is grown, soil contamination can introduce heavy metals, like lead or cadmium, though these are rare. Food safety standards closely monitor for and limit these contaminants.
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Environmental Pollutants: In certain areas, sugarcane fields may be exposed to environmental pollutants, like dioxins from industrial pollution, which could theoretically transfer to the crop. However, these risks are mitigated by agricultural regulations and are rare in refined sugar.
On the other hand, organic cane sugar offers a fuller flavor profile, limits pesticide exposure, and avoids synthetic bleaching agents. This is the best natural choice for low-toxin, "clean ingredient," delicious organic wine slushies & cocktails!