Anyone who understands the dangers of refined sugars and artificial sweeteners/colors/preservatives knows that “regular” sodas are not a good beverage option. Fortunately, there are several healthier soft drink options now available — including the popular new juice-based soda called IZZE. I gave the “Sparkling Pomegranate” flavor a try today and was impressed. It tasted very good and was much more refreshing than most sodas and juice drinks I’ve tried.
IZZE is basically just a mix of 70% concentrated fruit juice and 30% sparkling water with no refined sugar, no artificial colors/sweeteners, and no caffeine. It’s becoming widely available and I’ve already seen it being sold by the bottle in Starbucks and by the case in Costco, Cost Plus World Market, and Target stores.
Obviously, you could make something very similar (and probably just as good) by mixing your favorite pure fruit juices with sparkling water or simple seltzer. But, if you’re in a rush or want to give your kids something that looks like normal soda, a bottle of IZZE is a much better option than regular sodas and high-sugar/high-chemical soft drinks.
Note: Most varieties of IZZE contain more than 30 grams of sugar (natural fructose from fruit juice) per bottle, which is not an insignificant amount — especially if you have existing health problems or are trying to lose weight!
– Jamie
Related:
Appreciate you linking to SustainLane, Jamie. But what I appreciate most is discovering your informative blog. It’s clear to me you have a true passion for the subject of discovering useful news relevant to health and sustainability. I’m a fan of Izze. Despite the fact it still contains a healthy amount of sugar (no pun intended), it’s still a bazillion times better to give to your kid to drink than Sunkist or Coke. And of course it supports a good, viable cause. Amazing they sell it at Costplus and Target now! Wow.
Though it may be a bit off topic, Warren Karlenzig, the director of our SustainLane city rankings, recently launched a blog on the health and sustainability of US cities. You might want to check it out:
http://www.warrenkarlenzig.com
Ben