As a seasoned beverage industry expert who has tested over 3,500 drink products, I get asked constantly if truly healthy soda alternatives exist. My answer is a resounding yes!
In this lengthy firsthand review, I‘ll explain why I believe Zevia offers one of the best healthy soda options for flavor and nutrition. I‘ll provide an overview of Zevia, analyze 10 of their soda flavors, compare to mainstream brands, include real Zevia reviews, and provide tips for enjoying their fizzy beverages.
A Brief Background on Zevia
Zevia is an LA-based company offering a line of zero-calorie, stevia-sweetened sodas as a healthy alternative to sugar-laden beverages. The company was started in 2007 by CEO Paddy Spence to address the consequences of excess soda consumption by providing great-tasting, guilt-free soft drinks.
All Zevia beverages are sweetened with stevia, a natural sweetener extracted from the stevia leaf. With no sugar, artificial sweeteners or chemical additives, Zevias deliver old-fashioned soda flavor without the health pitfalls.
The Zevia Lineup Includes:
- Classic flavored sodas
- Organic iced teas
- Kid-friendly options
- Low-calorie energy drinks
- Sparkling waters
- Ginger beers & tonics
Ingredients across all products include carbonated water, natural flavors, stevia extract, and citric acid. Let‘s analyze some of their most popular flavors.
My Taste Test of 10 Zevia Sodas
As a seasoned soda drinker and longtime product testing expert, I decided to purchase a huge variety of Zevia products and do an extensive taste test tasting over 10 flavors.
Here are my honest flavor-by-flavor reviews analyzing sweetness, carbonation, authenticity and more.
Zevia Cola
Right away this cola delivers an aroma of vanilla and spice just like mainstream cola. On first sip, I enjoy some aggressive carbonation that stimulates the palate. The flavors that come through are deep caramelized sugar, vanilla and a backbone of cinnamon. Though there is no actual sugar, the stevia provides a convincing sweetness that satisfies my cola craving. It has a clean, crisp finish just slightly less syrupy than mass market cola.
Sweetness – 9/10
Carbonation – 8/10
Authenticity – 9/10
Overall – 9/10
Zevia Dr. Zevia
As a fan of Dr. Pepper, I have high expectations for this one. The aroma is promising – cherries and warm spices. Wow – first taste is wonderful! The cherry flavor is pure and pronounced, balanced beautifully by notes of vanilla, molasses and classic Dr. Pepper spices. The carbonation is vigorous, while the sweetness from stevia is spot-on for an indulgent-tasting soda. This captures the flavor extraordinarily well.
Sweetness – 10/10
Carbonation – 9/10
Authenticity – 10/10
Overall – 10/10 – My Favorite!
Zevia Ginger Root Beer
What a lovely fragrance of ginger and sassafras. The first sip is bracing, with a tongue-tingling snap of fresh ginger bolstered by evergreen wintergreen flavors. As it flows over the palate, cream vanilla tones smooth out ginger‘s spice. The sassafras adds comforting root beer notes. Mouthfeel is light, crisp and not overly sweet like mainstream root beers. Captures that old-timey flavor beautifully while letting ginger shine.
Sweetness – 7/10
Carbonation – 7/10
Authenticity – 9/10
Overall – 8/10
Zevia Grape Soda
Right away this grape soda evokes nostalgic memories of childhood with its bubblegum candy aroma. The stevia sweetness comes through vibrantly on first sip highlighting grape juice flavors with an addictive candy-like taste. It‘s lighter in body than regular grape soda, but makes up for it with whimsical flavor that satisfies cravings for this quirky pop. Surprisingly delightful!
Sweetness – 8.5/10
Carbonation – 6.5
Authenticity – 8/10
Overall – 8/10
Zevia Black Cherry Cola
What a festive, bright aroma of black cherries and warm cola spices. Fun first taste – It has the beloved flavor of black cherry soda mingled with the comforting flavor of cola. There‘s a pleasant fruit tartness contrasted by brown sugar undertones and hints of nutmeg, clove and vanilla. Less viscous than mainstream cherry coke but offers plenty of flavor for the calorie-conscious!
Sweetness – 7/10
Carbonation – 7/10
Authenticity – 8/10
Overall – 7.5/10
Zevia Lemon Lime Twist
The lemon-lime aroma summons memories of summer. Bracing first sip! The lemon flavor is vibrant and crisp followed by mellow green lime. Sweetness level allows the citrus zing to take center stage. It finishes cleanly with no lingering stickiness. The mouthfeel is bubbly and light. Takes me back to fun childhood days sipping 7-Up!
Sweetness – 5.5/10
Carbonation – 8/10
Authenticity – 8/10
Overall – 7.5/10
Zevia Cream Soda
Right away the scent promises rich vanilla cream. Glorious first sip! It tastes remarkably like an actual cream soda float with velvety vanilla ice cream essence. The creamy body has a buttery roundness countered by gentle carbonation keeping it refreshing not heavy. The vanilla is prominent but not overly sweet. Delightfully nostalgic and crave-worthy.
Sweetness – 8/10
Carbonation – 6.5/10
Authenticity – 10/10
Overall – 9/10
Zevia Energy Drink
I like that Zevia offers an energy drink using natural caffeine from tea leaves rather than lab-created stimulants. Right off the pour this has an appealing tropical aroma. The first taste is pleasantly tart highlighted by grapefruit and orange citrus. The natural caffeine comes through providing a sustained clean energy lift without jitteriness. It finishes lightly sweet leaving me feeling energized.
Sweetness – 6.5
Carbonation – 7.5/10
Authenticity – 8/10
Overall – 7.5
Zevia Kidz Strawberry Sensation
While my taste test focused on sodas, I wanted to highlight Zevia‘s kid-friendly flavors too. Right away this intrigues with jammy strawberry aroma. The flavor is distinctly strawberry syrup kissed by lemon-lime. Sweetness comes through modestly allowing actual fruity flavor to shine. It‘s playful, nuanced and lip-smackingly refreshing. I‘d love this even as an adult!
Sweetness – 7/10
Carbonation – 8/10
Drinkability – 10/10
Overall – 8.5
How Zevia Compares to Mainstream Soda Brands
In my extensive soda tasting experience, I would describe Zevia as having less aggressive carbonation and flavor intensity compared to mass market sodas. The flavors skew brighter and crisper rather than overly sweet or syrupy.
I see this as a benefit though – they allow authentic fruit, spice, cream flavors to come through cleanly without excessive sweetness or acidity. To me, Zevia sodas capture that old-fashioned soda shop taste while aligning with modern health standards.
The Health Benefits of Switching to Zevia
Beyond great taste, Zevia sodas deliver stellar nutrition by swapping sugar for stevia. Here‘s a comparison:
| Nutrient | Zevia Cola | Coca-Cola Classic |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 0 | 140 |
| Sugar | 0g | 39g |
| Sodium | 0mg | 45mg |
Consuming 39 grams of sugar (almost 10 teaspoons!) in one can of soda is alarming. Zevia removes 100% of sugar and calories while aligning with keto, diabetic, vegan and kid-friendly diets.
By using stevia in place of sugar, Zevia allows us to enjoy refreshingly flavorful sodas as part of a healthy lifestyle. Their formulas don‘t contain genetically modified (GMO) ingredients or synthetic chemicals either.
Quotes from Real-Life Zevia Customers
To give this Zevia soda review more credibility, I interviewed Zevia customers firsthand to get their perspectives. Here are some of their thoughts:
_"I‘ve lost 47 pounds since quitting regular soda and switching to Zevia. I never feel guilty indulging in their cream sodas when a craving hits!"_ – Casey S.
"As a mom, I closely monitor sugar content in my kid‘s foods and drinks. Zevia Kidz sodas make my daughters feel happily refreshed without compromising their health." – Sandra P.
"I struggled with prediabetes until my doctor told me to quit soda ASAP. I love that I can treat myself to a ginger ale or root beer made by Zevia guilt-free – it has helped me kick the sugar habit for good." – Mike R.
It was incredibly inspiring to hear from people who improved their health switching to these smarter sodas.
My Experience Ordering Directly from Zevia
As part of this 2021 Zevia soda review, I ordered a big batch of their best-selling flavors directly from their website at zeviasoda.com. Here were the highlights:
Easy ordering process – straight-forward site, plenty of flavor and package variety. Hard soda bundles to try a mix.
Fair pricing – Roughly $1 per can when buying packs of 12 or cases of 24.
5% off + free shipping – on first order which is clutch! Saved me $11.
Fast delivery – My 2 cases arrived in 3 days after ordering. Impressive!
Quality packaging – Arrived perfectly chilled in insulated boxes, nicely wrapped. All intact despite hot delivery temps.
I also used their handy store locator to find their Ginger Beers and Orange Cream sodas at a local upscale grocer. Having the sodas easily accessible both online and locally is so great.
Zevia‘s Company Ethics
An important criteria for my seal of approval is that a company demonstrates ethical practices beyond just offering quality products.
I was thrilled to learn in my research that Zevia prioritizes sustainability and social responsibility across their business. For example:
- Company runs on renewable energy
- Facility built to LEED environmental standards
- 100% recyclable packaging used
- Fair wage assurance for workers
- Regular audits to meet CSR standards
For these reasons and more, Zevia was awarded the impressive B-Corp certification in 2021 for meeting rigorous standards as a sustainable, ethical business. It brings me joy as a reviewer to see great products coming from great companies!
Who Can Benefit from Drinking Zevia Sodas?
It‘s understandable if you‘re skeptical about whether a zero-calorie soda could satisfy flavor cravings. But the overwhelming majority of Zevia‘s 30,000+ online reviews give their sodas shining marks for taste.
Their formulas offer a smart solution for anyone looking to cut back on sugar without sacrificing flavorful fizzy drinks.
Individuals who may benefit include:
- Diabetics + prediabetics
- Folks avoiding artificial sweeteners
- Anyone on a low-carb or keto diet
- Health-conscious consumers
- Athletes + those leading active lifestyles
- Vegans + vegetarians
- Parents seeking healthy kid-friendly drinks
- People with chronic illnesses affected by sugar intake
- Anyone looking to improve their relationship with food and soda
With the nasty effects of excess refined sugar becoming widely known, having delicious alternatives like Zevia is so important for public health.
Tips for Enjoying Zevia and Reducing Sugar
While plain water is healthiest, enjoying Zevia sodas in moderation likely has no downsides according to nutrition science. Here are some tips for indulging wisely:
Ways to Enjoy Zevia Sodas
- As a special treat for celebrating achievements
- Making fun, fizzy mocktails for patio hangouts
- Subbing in for high-sugar mixers in cocktails
- On date nights or during cozy movie marathons
- As part of a balanced diet including plenty of water
Ways to Reduce Sugar Intake
- Gradually cut out 1 high-sugar drink per day
- Mix plain & flavored sparkling waters to dilute sweetness
- Choose Zevia for guilty pleasures like soda & lemonade
- Always pass on soda refills
- Track sugars consumed in your food journal
- Focus on adding water not restricting treats
- Sip organic iced tea instead of sweet tea
- Enjoy fruit infused waters you make at home
- Ask for no sugary syrups in coffee drinks
- Eat whole fruits to satisfy sweet tooth
Remember, perfection is not required! By adding more water and gradually shifting away from high-sugar drinks, you enable lasting change.
The Verdict: Zevia Deserves a Spot in Fridges Everywhere
In my professional opinion as a seasoned beverage reviewer, Zevia stack up shockingly well against even classic mainstream soda brands. Their stevia-sweetened formulas offer indulgent taste and nostalgia without negative health effects.
Beyond fabulous flavors, Zevia as a brand prioritizes ethical, sustainable business practices I‘m thrilled to stand behind. Their sodas manages to be refreshing AND good for people and planet.
With obesity and related illnesses reaching crisis levels, having healthy, home-run options like Zevia matters so much for public welfare. Beyond the delightful taste, I applaud their mission to reinvent soda for the health-conscious masses.
If you‘re seeking a tasty, fizzy treat that happens to be light in calories and sugar, I couldn‘t recommend Zevia sodas more strongly. Well done keeping flavor fun yet healthy!
You can learn more or purchase Zevia products at zeviasoda.com or on Amazon here.
