Since I've been talking about Coca-Cola and their VEB (Venturing and Emerging Brands) group since my visit to their HQ in Atlanta, I thought, why not share the sodas I personally like to drink which are all made of all natural ingredients.
I'm not against the concept of soda. Soda is fun and of course we should partake in some fun drinkage. I don't encourage the consumption of HFCS (high fructose corn syrup) and artificial sweeteners like aspartame and Splenda which are commonly used in mainstream sodas.
I recommend that one of the first steps in eating healthier is eliminating these two ingredients, HFCS and ASs, from foods and drinks you consume because you will feel better.
But don't just take my word for it. Find out for yourself. Eliminate these ingredients for just 30 days and then at the end see how your body feels. Take a sip of your typical diet soda or pop and see how your body reacts after not having it for a month. Odds are you will notice a difference.
Also to note, just because a soda is natural or organic doesn't mean that the sugar is better for you. Too much sugar is still too much sugar, so keep moderation in mind. A good rule of thumb, treat soda like it is a treat versus a staple.
So here are four of my favorite soda brands and why I like them:
- Oogave: This soda is sweetened with agave nectar and is by far my favorite of the group. I predict that this soda brand will be a breakout star into the mainstream because it is sweet and tasty with unique flavors and under 100 calories per 12oz. bottle.
My favorite flavor is the watermelon which some say tastes like Bubbilicious gum, and perhaps that's my inner teenager who's grooving on the flavor. The watermelon is excellent mixed with vodka for a fun cocktail.
- Izze: These drinks are called sparkling juices or new age beverages and they do have some "sodas" but to me anything fizzy and sugary is classified as a soda. Clementime and Peach are my two favorite flavors. Izze Esque is lower calorie but not zero without going artificial sweetener. See it can be done!
I don't care about having zero calories in my drinks. To me anything under 100 calories and using all natural ingredients is fine. I don't drink sodas every day because I am conscious of my sugar intake.
- Whole Foods 365 brands sodas: These sodas are sweetened with 100% cane sugar, have no preservatives, no caffeine, are sodium free, and are 49 cents at my local Whole Foods. Yes, theses sodas have significant amounts of sugar, so compared to a Pepsi or Coke, they are no better, but at least the sugar is not HFCS. My favorite flavors are Cola, Cherry Vanilla, Ginger Ale, and Black Cherry. And again, view this soda like a treat versus an every day all the time kind of thing.
- Virgil's by Reed's Inc: I love their Root Beer and Cream Soda because I enjoy the "creaminess" of their sodas. As far as root beer's go besides Virgil's which can be purchased in many stores, my two favorite specialty micro-brewed root beers are BJ's Brewhouse handcrafted root beer and in San Francisco the Funhouse Root Beer made at the Beach Chalet. You can buy jugs of this root beer and I so recommend it!
So those are a few of my favorite all natural sodas. What are some of yours?
