The Fresh Test Glucose Drink 50g | Mint Lemonade, Dye-Free

Description

The Fresh Test glucose drink is a dye-free, mint lemonade alternative to the standard orange or fruit punch drink used in pregnancy glucose tests. This listing is the 50 g packet, made for the 1-hour glucose challenge test most practices give between 24 and 28 weeks. You mix the powder with 10 ounces of water, drink all of it within 5 minutes, and have your blood drawn an hour later.

The label lists three ingredients: non-GMO dextrose (D-glucose), crystallized lemon (citric acid, lemon oil, lemon juice) and organic peppermint leaf powder. It's Non-GMO Project Verified and kosher. The glucose itself isn't organic; the peppermint is.

The test works the same way with either drink. Your body gets a set dose of glucose, and the lab measures how well you clear it. What changes is the flavor and what's left out, like artificial dyes, flavors and preservatives. Whether you can use it comes down to two people: your provider and the lab drawing your blood.

Good to know before you buy

• Ask your provider first. The label says to use it as directed by a physician. Your result has to match your practice's testing protocol, so your provider decides whether this drink counts.
• Call the lab before test day. Some labs stock it, and Labcorp's 1-hour screen lists a 50 g Fresh Test as an accepted glucose load. Other draw sites may not take a drink you bring, or may want your provider's order for it. If they say no, you'll drink theirs.
• Match the size to your test. This packet is 50 g, for the 1-hour screen only. The 2-hour test needs 75 g and the 3-hour test needs 100 g, which The Fresh Test sells separately.
• The evidence is small. The one comparison we found, from the University of New Mexico and TriCore Reference Laboratories, gave 10 healthy adults who weren't pregnant each drink a week apart. Their average glucose rise wasn't significantly different, and all 10 preferred the taste of The Fresh Test. Ten people is far too few to show the drinks give identical results, the conference abstract is hosted on the brand's website, and it lists no funding or disclosures.
• It isn't nausea-proof. The label lists nausea and diarrhea as possible reactions, and no study we found measured nausea in pregnant women.
• Amazon and the label describe it differently. Amazon lists it under Grocery with a dietary supplement disclaimer and calls it "pregnancy-friendly." The brand calls it a diagnostic glucose beverage and says it's FDA-registered as a Class II device. We built this page on the label. Registration isn't the same as FDA clearance or approval.
• If you already have diabetes, the label says not to drink it unless a physician directs you to.

Which glucose test are you having?

Practices screen for gestational diabetes in one of two ways, and each uses a different amount of glucose. Testing usually happens between 24 and 28 weeks, or earlier if you have risk factors. Ask your provider which test you're getting before you buy any size.

• 50 g, 1-hour screen (two-step method, step one). You don't need to fast. You drink 50 g of glucose and have one blood draw an hour later. If your number is above your practice's cutoff, you move on to the 3-hour test. This is the test The Fresh Test 50g is made for.
• 100 g, 3-hour test (two-step method, step two). You fast first, then drink 100 g of glucose and have blood drawn while fasting and at 1, 2 and 3 hours. This one diagnoses gestational diabetes.
• 75 g, 2-hour test (one-step method). Some practices skip the screen and use a single fasting test, with blood drawn while fasting and at 1 and 2 hours after a 75 g drink.
• 75 g, 2-hour test after birth. If you had gestational diabetes, ACOG and the American Diabetes Association recommend a test 4 to 12 weeks after delivery, and the ADA specifies the 75 g, 2-hour test. It checks whether diabetes or prediabetes stayed after pregnancy. After that, plan on a diabetes check every 1 to 3 years for life.

Why women love it

• No dyes: a clear mint lemonade instead of a bright orange or red drink.
• Three ingredients: glucose, lemon and peppermint, with no artificial flavors or preservatives.
• Same dose as the standard screen: 50 grams of glucose, the amount the 1-hour test calls for.
• Preferred in a small taste test: all 10 people in the comparison study picked it over the standard drink.
• Easy to bring: a flat packet that mixes with 10 ounces of water.
• Non-GMO Project Verified and kosher: useful if you follow either.

Best for

• Women whose provider has approved The Fresh Test for the 1-hour, 50 g screen
• Women who've confirmed their lab accepts an outside glucose drink
• Anyone avoiding artificial dyes, flavors or preservatives
• Women who had a hard time with the standard drink in a past pregnancy, after checking with their provider
• Not for the 2-hour (75 g) or 3-hour (100 g) test, including the 75 g test after birth
• Not for anyone already diagnosed with diabetes, unless a physician directs it

Related reading

• Gestational diabetes diet: what to eat, your target numbers and how to manage it, for what happens if your test comes back high
• Pregnancy diet plan by trimester, for eating well before and after your test
• What to expect at your prenatal care visits, for where the glucose test fits in

Explore more

Browse our pregnancy essentials for every trimester.

A note from Mindy on glucose testing

I hear a lot of dread about the glucose drink, and I understand it. It's very sweet, you have to finish it quickly, and some women do feel queasy afterward. If that's you, tell your provider before test day instead of skipping the test. Gestational diabetes usually has no symptoms, and this test is how we find it.

A dye-free drink like The Fresh Test can be a reasonable option, but it's a decision for your provider and your lab, not something to swap in on your own. The dose and timing have to match the protocol, or the result may not mean what we think it means. If your lab won't accept it, drink what they give you. Asking for it chilled can make it easier to get down.

If you had gestational diabetes, please don't forget the test after your baby comes. The 75 g, 2-hour test between 4 and 12 weeks postpartum tells us whether your blood sugar has gone back to normal, and it's the one that most often gets missed.

Mindy Motta, FNP-C

FAQs

What is The Fresh Test glucose drink?

It's a mint lemonade glucose drink for gestational diabetes testing, made with non-GMO dextrose, crystallized lemon and organic peppermint, with no dyes or preservatives. This 50 g packet is for the 1-hour screen. The brand sells 75 g and 100 g versions separately for the longer tests.

Can I bring The Fresh Test to my glucose test?

Only if your provider says yes and your lab confirms they'll accept it. Some labs stock it, and Labcorp's 1-hour screen lists a 50 g Fresh Test as an accepted glucose load, but policies vary by location and some want an order from your provider. Call before test day so you aren't turned away.

Is The Fresh Test as accurate as the standard glucose drink?

It has the same 50 g dose of glucose, so it should work the same way, but the evidence comparing the two is thin. The one study we found tested 10 adults who weren't pregnant and found no significant difference in their average glucose rise. A 2024 article from the Association for Diagnostics and Laboratory Medicine names glucola and The Fresh Test as suitable glucose drinks for the test, and warns against candy and other unvalidated sugar sources.

What's the difference between The Fresh Test and glucola?

Both give you a measured dose of glucose dissolved in water. Standard drinks like glucola are usually colored orange or red and artificially flavored, while The Fresh Test is a clear mint lemonade with no dyes, artificial flavors or preservatives. It costs more than the drink your lab already has, and your lab has to agree to use it.

What's the difference between the 1-hour, 2-hour and 3-hour glucose tests?

The 1-hour test uses 50 g of glucose, needs no fasting and is a screen. The 3-hour test uses 100 g after fasting and confirms whether you have gestational diabetes. The 2-hour test uses 75 g after fasting, either as a single test in pregnancy or 4 to 12 weeks after birth for women who had gestational diabetes.

What's a normal result on the 1-hour glucose test?

Labcorp's reference range for the 1-hour screen is 70 to 139 mg/dL, so many practices flag 140 or higher. Some use a lower cutoff, around 130, to catch more cases. A high result doesn't mean you have gestational diabetes. It means you need the 3-hour test.

Do I need a glucose test after birth if I had gestational diabetes?

Yes. ACOG and the American Diabetes Association recommend a test 4 to 12 weeks after delivery, and the ADA specifies the 75 g, 2-hour glucose tolerance test. After that, you'll need a diabetes check every 1 to 3 years for life. This 50 g packet is the wrong size for that test, so ask your provider about the 75 g version and check that your lab accepts it.

Will The Fresh Test keep me from feeling sick?

There's no guarantee. The label lists nausea and diarrhea as possible reactions, and we couldn't find a study that measured nausea in pregnant women. Some women find lemon and mint easier to finish than a syrupy orange drink, but it's still 50 grams of sugar in 5 minutes, so tell your provider if you've thrown up during a past test.