This summer marked a huge transition in my life. Did I get married? Nope. Did find a new job? Keep guessing. A new puppy? I wish. No, the summer of 2009 shall forever be remembered as my recovery from diet soda addiction.

For as long as I can remember, our household refrigerator has been fully stocked with several varieties of diet soda. Although the soda stash was originally intended for my mother’s consumption, I soon grew to love it as well–I recall one particular Polaroid from my toddler years in which I am grasping my mom’s Diet Pepsi can, with a soda stained grin across my face. Clearly, my love affair with the “non-caloric nectar of the gods” has been years in the making. However, my devotion to health in the past few years convinced me that it was time to adjust my beverage choices.

While it is nearly unanimous that eliminating regular soda and its refined sugars from your diet is optimal for overall health, some uncertainty still exists regarding the effects of the artificial sweeteners that are found in diet sodas. Rather than risk their health in the artificial sweetener gamble, many are now turning to a different sugar alternative: stevia.

Stevia, a Calorie-free herb, was not approved by the FDA for use in food products until recently; previously it was only permitted to be sold as a dietary supplement due to concerns about its effects on reproductive health and potential role in cancerous mutations. However, recent research indicated that it may be safely used as a sweetener, hence the FDA’s approval.

Zevia sodas now provide a solution for diet soda drinkers who wish to avoid artificial sweeteners. Zevia is currently available in 6 flavors: cola, orange, ginger ale, black cherry, twist, and root beer. All are Calorie-free, and all but the cola are caffeine-free as well. Upon first taste, there is no mistaking these sodas for a normal diet soda. There is subtle hint of the licorice-like bitterness, a flavor that causes many consumers to dislike stevia-infused products.

The black cherry was superior to all other flavors; both its sweetness and unique flavor made for an enjoyable taste experience. I also liked that Zevia did not  add artificial (teeth-staining) color to this variety–nasty red dyes are not necessary for consumers to realize that the soda is cherry-flavored!

Sadly, my taste buds came to this conclusion immediately: Coke Zero>Zevia Cola. The root beer, orange, and cola varieties were drinkable but hardly comparable to the more traditional diet versions of these beverages.

The natural twist and ginger ale produced the most bitter aftertaste of all the flavors. Perhaps they would be better if combined with fruit juice?

These sodas signify noteworthy progress in the beverage market in that health is now a valued characteristic of the products consumers choose to drink. However, the fact that the taste has not yet been perfected, and the price tag (about $1 per can) indicate that there is still room for improvement in the world of stevia-sweetened sodas.

Filed under: Product Review