Zevia - Zero Calorie Soda You Can Be Happy About, Body and Mind...And Giveaway! (CLOSED)

 Straight up, I don't normally do diet soda. I don't like the funny aftertaste, and the thought of all those chemicals make me cringe. But this is Zevia, and in my opinion, in a category by itself.

Courtesy of zevia.com

Zevia was born in 2007 in Seattle. The goal: to make soda a friend instead of an enemy. The first flavors, Cola, Lemon Lime Twist and Orange, were well-received, and they relocated to Los Angeles, but never forgot their roots...or the mission.

They've doubled their staff and quintupled their flavors list, but the mission remained on target: healthy, tasty soda. I know, I know, what makes them so different?

To give you an idea, it's movie time. Check this out:

       

Courtesy of zevia.com

 Zevia is all-natural, using stevia as a sweetener. Groundbreaking, In my opinion. As if that wasn't fabulous enough, the current formula now uses monkfruit as an additional sweetener as well. Don't let the pics of cans fool you...they're also available in glass bottles as well.

History lesson over...now time for my verdict.

First, this is not a overly sweet soda, nor are the flavors gaudy and overpowering, like the artificial ones full of dyes. It actually reminds me of a flavored seltzer with a kick of extra taste. If you're used to full-sugar soda, it may take a bit of a transition.

These are the flavors I tried: Cherry Cola, Black Cherry, Strawberry, Lemon Lime Twist, Ginger Root Beer, and Cream Soda.

Cherry Cola: A bit medicinal, but once you get used to it, it's pretty good. Reminiscent of a fountain Cherry Cola.

Black Cherry: My favorite of the group. A fresh cherry taste, not the sugary candy flavor you usually get with this kind of soda, and subtly sweet.

Strawberry: I usually do NOT like strawberry soda, due to the aforementioned sugary candy flavor. This tasted like fresh squeezed strawberries, very light and refreshing. I enjoyed it immensely.

Lemon Lime Twist: I was not a big fan of it straight up, as the sweetness was a bit too muted for my liking. That said, it is the best product I've found of its kind for mixing and recipes.

My daughter loves Shirley Temples, but the sugar in those is staggering. Using Lemon Lime Twist Zevia as a base made it a much more reasonable offering, and she never knew the difference. It's great for other mixed drinks as well.

I have several recipes that call for lemon-lime soda, and using Lemon Lime Twist gave it a lighter flavor and a fresh addition that really melded well with the ingredients.   This is an example, a crock pot Sweet Garlic Chicken recipe:

Ginger Root Beer: It's got a true ginger flavor, but mellowed to get that Root Beer feel. It reminded me of a birch beer, almost...flashback to my childhood in Pennsylvania.

Cream Soda: Again, like the others, you won't get a heavy, overly sweet rush, but a delicate vanilla flavor. More like a seltzer, but still a creamy sweetness that lingers on the tongue pleasantly.

Above the flavor enjoyment, you can really feel the goodness. Unlike other sodas, I didn't get heartburn, and I didn't feel overly thirsty and have the urge to drink a lot more. I felt refreshed and like I'd done some good for my body, and that's always a plus for me. I love the concept that instead of damning soda, they made a better one available. It's especially great for my kids, as they got very little soda otherwise.

Now that I've got you all curious, now comes the fun part. The generous Zevia crew is letting me give away FIVE coupons to get your hands on a sixer of your very own Zevia for free! So jump up on my Rafflecopter below:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I was given the opportunity to try Zevia Zero Calorie Soda in exchange for my review. My opinions are my own.