Naturally fizzy, fuzzy, Izze
A few years ago GH and the boys were hooked on sodas like Coca Cola. Gradually it became obvious to GH that the high fructose corn syrup sweetener in the Coke was giving him an upset stomach. So GH cut back and then stopped drinking Coke and he felt much better. Alex was drinking at least two Cokes a day, the boy was seriously addicted, then he saw Morgan Spurlock’s movie Super Size Me and he gave up Cokes. Dexter was never hooked on Coke…he was a Jones Soda man. While it’s good that Jones in made with cane sugar it’s also true that its made with ALOT (it’s usually between 30-40g per 12 oz…but I can’t find the nutritional data on their website) of cane sugar. Dex didn’t give that up on his own…I’ve just refused to buy it. Our refrigerator is always well stocked with both still and fizzy waters and good orange juice in glass bottles that the milkman delivers every week. So they have lots of choices.
When I was at Willy Street Co-op yesterday I saw a drink that I’ve never noticed before. Izze is a sparkling water, fruit juice blend and it is just tasty. I really like it because it has the fizzy, fuzzy sparkle that I like but with a fruity flavor that isn’t fake and not to heavy. Dexter likes it too. So it seems as though I’ve found an alternative to sweetened drinks. Here’s a comparison of the nutritional data for fresh blueberries, Izze, Coca Cola, and orange juice:
The healthiest choice would be to eat the blueberries and drink a fizzy water with it. But if you’re looking for a healthy, flavorful alternative to soda then Izze is a good choice.
Is there a way to make an Izze-like drink so it could be more local? I can get Wisconsin fizzy water but how would I flavor it? Wisconsin isn’t really known for it’s fruit and juices. Okay dear readers, I know you’re an intelligent group…any suggestions on how to make a local fizzy juice drink? Also, what is your favorite beverage? Leave me a comment with your thoughts and ideas.
