Zevia is a zero-calorie soda brand that's marketed as a healthier alternative to regular soda. The brand describes itself as "naturally sweetened" and "Zero Sugar Soda That's Good For You."
But what's actually in Zevia, and how does it taste so sweet without sugar? Is Zevia actually healthier than regular soda? Does the brand use any unhealthy ingredients? And what was our honest experience testing Zevia?
In this article we'll answer all of these questions and more as we analyze the ingredients in Zevia based on medical studies to give our take on whether the drink brand is healthy or not.
We'll compare Zevia to Coke to see if it's a healthier option, and feature a dietitian's review and taste test of Zevia drinks.
Key takeaways:
- Much healthier than traditional soda
- Contains some ingredients we consider unhealthy
- We do not consider Zevia to be healthy overall
Ingredient Analysis
The ingredients in the Cola flavor of Zevia are shown below:
image source: https://zevia.com/
Stevia leaf extract is a natural sweetener derived from a plant called Stevia rebaudiana, which we consider to be a significantly healthier option than refined sugar.
A 2020 medical review on the health effects of stevia reported that the plant exhibits antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and hypotensive (blood-pressure-lowering) properties.
The researchers noted that stevia has been shown in some studies to have a reversible anti-fertility effect, so it may not be the best option for couples trying to conceive.
Zevia also contains some inactive ingredients that we consider to be unhealthy.
Citric acid is a preservative and flavor enhancer that was shown in a medical review published in the Toxicology Reports journal to cause inflammatory reactions in some patients that require medical intervention.
Natural flavors is a healthier option than artificial flavors, but some clinical studies suggest toxicity concerns related to some flavoring additives and their metabolites, as we documented in our review of Sparkling Ice.
Overall, we do not consider Zevia to be healthy due to the inactive ingredients highlighted above, although we consider these to be relatively minor considerations.
Is Zevia Healthier Than Coke?
The ingredients in Coke are shown below:
image source: https://www.coca-cola.com/
High fructose corn syrup is one of the unhealthiest processed food ingredients on the market in our opinion.
Not only is high fructose corn syrup intake associated with unfavorable health outcomes like obesity and diabetes, it may be even less healthy than other caloric sweeteners like cane sugar according to a recent meta-study published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition.
The study authors found that high fructose corn syrup intake increases risk of obesity and diabetes.
Phosphoric acid may have negative effects on bone health depending on the dose and the number of sodas consumed, based on the results from a 2013 medical review.
Both drinks contain natural flavors which we recommend avoiding.
A 12-ounce Coca-Cola contains 140 calories, while Zevia contains zero, making Zevia a better option for consumers seeking weight loss.
Overall, we consider Zevia to be a much healthier option than traditional soda brands like Coke and Pepsi, primarily due to its lack of high fructose corn syrup and lack of calories.
We Tested Zevia Ourselves
As the author of this article, I wanted to try Zevia myself to share my thoughts on the taste and overall product experience:
I bought the Root Beer flavor at my local Whole Foods to go with a big meal of grass-fed cheese and crackers.
The drink tasted impressively similar to regular root beer, but the aftertaste tasted to me like stevia, which is my issue with most stevia-sweetened drinks.
It is nice that the drink had zero calories, and I would consider purchasing it in the future if I had a craving for root beer. It's the best-tasting "healthy" root beer I've had.
I didn't experience any bloating or other minor negative effects that people sometimes report when drinking soda.
I think the drink does taste good with salty food, and I liked the larger, narrower can more than the shorter, wider ones.
Overall, I'd rate this product 7/10.
Does Zevia Cause Side Effects?
Zevia doesn't appear to have been studied in any clinical trials (most food products aren't), so it's challenging to say for certain whether or not the drink causes side effects.
However, we can make an educated guess based on the ingredients in Zevia.
A medical review published in the Microorganisms journal found that stevia can disrupt gut function, however most of the clinical trials analyzed were in vitro (test tube) studies, rather than in vivo (human) studies.
We have not come across any convincing evidence that stevia causes gastrointestinal disturbances in humans.
Overall, we consider Zevia unlikely to cause side effects in otherwise healthy adults.
There is no mention of potential side effects on the brand's website.
Our Healthy Soda Pick
Olipop is our healthy soda pick.
This natural soda uses no flavoring additives or refined sugar, and is instead flavored with nutritionally-rich botanical ingredients like mandarin juice (which is clinically shown to be a potent antioxidant), nopal cactus and calendula flower.
The cans have only 2 to 5 g of added sugar from natural sources like cassava root syrup and apple juice.
