Zevia Soda Review: Excellent, Natural Soda

I’ve always been skeptical of sodas that are zero calories, zero sugar, and caffeine free but are “naturally sweetened.” It seems like they should taste like plastic or Seltzer; soda that’s not even worth having. But recently I took the plunge into new carbonated beverages from Zevia and was actually surprised.

Zevia zero calorie soda comes in several flavors including classic cola but I wanted to buy the ones I though most resembled sodas I love: Dr. Pepper and Cream Soda. They’re naturally sweetened with Stevia and Monk fruit extracts with no artificial flavors, calories, sugars, or caffeine. Sounds too good to be true, right? A soda you can enjoy without all the normal hazards?

But it’s actually a truly great soda. It tastes just as sweet and sugary as regular soda without all the junk. I loved the Cream Soda and to me, it tasted exactly like regular Cream Soda. I couldn’t tell any difference. Zevia’s Dr. Zevia, I’m assuming this is supposed to taste like Dr. Pepper from the name, is a little quirky. It tastes like a Lil Wayne cocktail: as if cough syrup and Dr. Pepper were combined into a drink. I can see how others would like it, but I’m not a Robitussin fan. It makes me feel as if I’m staying home in third grade with the flu, holding my nose closed trying to take the medicine.

Zevia’s attempt to recreate Cream Soda is definitely a hit but Dr. Zevia takes some getting used to. I started to like Dr. Zevia after a little while but felt like the sugar was overwhelming. They have carbs listed on the label at 4g but it tasted way more sugary than Dr. Pepper. I would certainly recommend these sodas to anyone who’s looking for an alternative or looking to cut back on their soda intake.

I would say the overall soda experience is also a little different. The mouth-feel of the sodas is more thin and carbonated. It doesn’t have the thickness and doesn’t coat your mouth when you drink it. Normally I feel as if the soda puts a coating around my teeth but with Zevia, it doesn’t feel like anything. It’s light, bubbly, and more like carbonated water that happens to have great sugary flavoring.

A warning also: I picked up a few of these six-packs in the store, and every time at least one soda fell out of the plastic rings. I’m not sure if this is a packaging issue or maybe the rings were stretched a lot during the whole shipping process but I dropped one on the floor and it almost exploded. If you want to avoid a clean up on aisle 12, make sure to use two hands when grabbing a pack.

Zevia is an excellent alternative to regular soda. It doesn’t make your teeth feel like their rotting or you need to see the dentist, it doesn’t sit as heavily, doesn’t make you burp as much, yet tastes just as great and just as sugary-delightful as a typical soda. Additionally, it’s vegan, Kosher, and gluten free for all you health nuts out there. After trying Zevia, I’ll definitely be picking up another six-pack in the near future.

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Mandy Ellis

I am in deep-fried love with food and travel. With Italian roots, I have a weakness for bread, marinara, and mozzarella. I’ll try anything once and am constantly searching for intriguing places to visit. When I'm not savoring the last bite or organizing my next trip, I'm indulging my inner bookworm and writing about my adventures. If you turn on college football and give me a local craft beer, you’ll see the happiest Hokie on the West coast.