ZEVIA – The Natural Soda

Can the words natural and soda co-exist or is “natural soda” an oxymoron? After reviewing the newer natural sweetener, Truvia, the good folks at ZEVIA sent Grading Girl samples of this surprisingly delightful, unindulgent indulgence.  Admittedly, I all but eliminated soda from my adopted clean-eating diet a few years ago.  But when I unzipped the compact cooler containing the soda (thank you, ZEVIA!) and opened my first can, I was surprised at how light, fresh and tasty the bevarage actually was.  ZEVIA comes in six varieties – ZEVIA Natural Cola, ZEVIA Natural Orange, ZEVIA Natural Twist, ZEVIA Natural Root Beer, ZEVIA Natural Black Cherry, and ZEVIA Natural Ginger Ale.  The first flavor I opened was the Natural Cola as I wanted to see just how similar to the leading diet sodas this tasted.  This flavor tasted so close to Diet Coke that I had to run to my closest grocer to grab a can and compare the two side-by-side.  The result:  ZEVIA had a lighter, more refreshing taste whereas Diet Coke left me feeling full.  Zevia was, in fact, just fractionally sweeter - not too sweet, but enough to satisfy my taste buds more than the average soda.

Now they had my curiousity.  Next, I tested the Natural Orange . . . this one tasted better than the Orange Crush I used to drink as a kid.  Maybe it was because I hadn’t sipped flavored soda in years, but I finished the whole can rather quickly (unusual for me).  Here’s a rundown of my taste test on each of the ZEVIA flavors:

Natural Cola =  Lighter, more refreshing than the leading Cola

Natural Orange = Tasted as if a bit of juice from an orange was squeezed into it (made with natural orange oil)

Natural Twist = Almost as light as my lemon water

Natural Root Beer = Very authentic, old fashioned root beer taste (this coupled with fat free ice cream would make a guiltless root beer float!!!)

Natural Ginger Ale = As with the Natural Cola, more refreshing and light than the originals.  I’m buying a case of this to keep on hand when my daughter’s home sick and won’t drink anything else.

Natural Black Cherry = My favorite (as are all things cherry!)  Just sweet enough.

So are these tasty treats too good to be true?  Grading Girl did her research on the few ingredients found in the sodas.  The main ingredient, Stevia, is found in all six flavors.  It’s a natural herb native to South and Central America.   For centuries, native Americans of Paraguay and Brazil called it “sweet leaf” and used it to sweeten native foods. The extract from the stevia leaf has no calories, no effect on blood sugar levels, and is much sweeter than sugar.  This would explain how it can be so pleasing to the palette without the unwanted side effects.  The next ingredient found in all six flavors is Erythritol, a natural sugar alcohol found in fruits and vegetables, also with no calories or effect on blood sugar levels.   Here is a bonus for those of us who remember those 2nd grade experiments where the teacher leaves a tooth in a glass of soda to quickly decay - Erythritol does not promote tooth decay!  In fact, the caramel coloring found in the Natural Cola is only from real caramel.  The other ingredients found in a few of the flavors are just as natural: tartaric acid occurs naturally in many plants, particularly grapes, bananas, and tamarinds, and is also found in wine (Most colas use cheap, harmful phosphoric acid for flavor.   Phosphoric acid is used in fertilizers and detergents! Yikes!); kola nut extract naturally occurs in caffeine (which is only found in the Natural Cola flavor, by the way); annato is the only existing natural orange coloring (the ZEVIA team searched far and wide to find this as they refused to use any unnatural coloring); and, ginger root is found in the Natural Root Beer and Natural Ginger Ale flavors.

The correct answer is no, this is not too good to be true; and, with ZEVIA, the term “natural soda” is not an oxymoron.  The 0 calories, 0mg sodium, 0g sugar, 0g fat equals one thirst-quenching, crave-curbing soft drink.

Grading Girl gives ZEVIA an A for pleasingly refreshing taste without the bloated filling afterward that sodas usually leave me with.  This is one type of soda – no, let me correct that, the ONLY soda – I will be happy to stock my fridge with and not feel guilty about sipping myself!!  Thank you, ZEVIA, for creating a seemingly too-good-to-be-true product into something that just about everyone can consume within their clean-eating lifestyles.  My daughter especially thanks you since I’ve been refusing to buy other sodas.

Addendum to original post:  Thank you to Zevia for sending the 6-pack of soda.  My family enjoyed every last drop!!

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Shake the Sugar

GG’s Healthy Eating Shortcuts and Tips aka “How to Shake the Sugar”

Feeling a little ODed on Sugar?!? (pink sherbet photography

In this American society of super-sizing, more-is-less, fast and convenient food nation, there are small things we can do that make a big difference in our health. I don’t have many vices . . . can nurse one drink all evening and still not finish it, never tried smoking anything , don’t gamble, and have no taste for caffeine or salt but. . . I LOVE my sugar. Why oh why do the very most “deliciousest” foods on earth have to be oh so bad for you?!? You’re reading the words from a person who used to eat cake for breakfast, a chocolate shake with lunch, and devour dessert after dinner too – yes, all in the same day! I’ve been known to eat a whole can of prepared frosting by itself. Or inhale sprayed finger-fuls of whipped cream. Or lick the spatula from my mother’s baked goodies. My habit became so insane that my grandmother used to tell me I’d get ants in my stomach if I kept up with my indulgences. So, dear readers, if I can curb my sweet tooth, anyone can. Here are my secret tips to survive the temptations of decadent dishes. Some may sound trivial, but the calories, fats, sodium and sugar content all add up quickly. Follow these, and you’ll be able to indulge a little more without the added guilt or calories, and your recipes will be more healthful. These shortcuts really do help without disappointing the palate and I personally follow each one:

Tip #1 = When a recipe of baked goodies calls for vegetable oil, replace that with olive oil. It tastes the same once baked, trust me!

Tip #2 = When a recipe calls for butter, use half the amount prescribed. You won’t notice a difference.

Tip #3 = When a recipe calls for eggs, replace half of the eggs with 2 egg whites each. For example, 2 eggs = 1 whole egg + 2 egg whites; 4 eggs = 2 eggs + 4 egg whites

Tip #4 = When a recipe calls for white flour, use half white flour, half whole wheat (or even ¾ white and ¼ whole wheat will do).

Tip #5 = When a recipe calls for sugar, use half the sugar OR replace the sugar with half the amount of Truvia.  (1/2 cup Truvia = 1 cup sugar).

Tip #6 = Don’t add salt to food as you prepare it . . . not even to boiling pasta. Your taste buds will soon hardly notice a difference. If you can’t go cold turkey, use half the portions of salt now and work your way down.

Tip #7 = Use fresh lemon or lime juice rather than store bought. Hmmm so good and no added sodium.

Tip #8 = Use low/reduced fat shredded cheese in foods such as homemade pizza, pastas, and tacos/burritos. Trust me, it’s equally good!

Tip #9 = Fat free Cool Whip, 1/3 less fat cream cheese, and reduced fat grated Parmesan cheese all taste just as delectable as the originals.

Tip #10 = When eating out, ask for dressing on the side.  Here is where the calories and fat of a salad lie; place the dressing on as sparingly as possible without sacrificing taste.

Tip #11 = Make your own flavored water by placing fruit slices in a pitcher of water.  My favorites are lemon slices or strawberry pieces.  Homemade Propel without the additives!

Tip #12 = If you cannot curb your taste for soft drinks, replace your usual soft drink with Zevia, the 100%, thirst quenching natural soda.  I don’t crave soft drinks, but I enjoy this very much!!

Don’t get me wrong, I still crave my sugar. Just ask my colleagues who yell across the English office to let me know how many roses are left on a cake. Hey, old habits die hard. That’s why I take these little shortcuts . . . to afford the occasional splurge. At least I’m not eating a whole can of the stuff anymore!

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