COKE/PEPSI
These kings of cola have sparked controversy lately for funding questionable research that says their products don’t cause obesity. But there’s no denying that all those sugary soft drinks aren’t good for anyone, including the planet – particularly when they’re chock full of high-fructose corn syrup, which in North America is mostly derived from heavily sprayed Roundup Ready corn (including Pepsi Next, which can have a blend of corn syrup, cane sugar and herbal stevia). FYI: conventional cane sugar is often marketed as healthier “real sugar,” but it’s still a polluting crop, and Big Cola’s cane sugar has been tied to rampant land-grabbing from the world’s poorest people, according to a 2013 Oxfam report. Both brands have pledged to stop the land grabs as well as using dodgy brominated vegetable oil and draining water tables around the globe, but that doesn’t make these drinks healthy, natural or sustainable.
SCORE: N
BLUE SKY
If you’re looking for soft drink alternatives in the health store, you may have come across California-based Blue Sky. Its “natural” line of fizzy drinks is free of corn syrup but sweetened with vaguely labelled “real sugar.” The company used to use a controversial blend with conventional beet-derived sugar (which is frequently genetically modified) but now says it sticks with conventional cane sugar. Sugar cane may be non-GMO, but as we saw with Coke and Pepsi, it’s riddled with environmental and ethical issues of its own. Too bad it’s not fair trade. It’s also a shame the company’s organic and stevia lines aren’t available in Canada. (Those would score an extra point.) Health-wise, Blue Sky is free of the phosphoric acid in regular cola that’s tied to bone mineral depletion and questionable sodium benzoate. But it does contain caramel colouring and its cans are still lined with BPA. Owned by Monster Beverage Corp.
SCORE: NN
ZEVIA
Another Cali-based company, this time offering nothing but sugar-free drinks sweetened with herbal stevia, monk fruit and erythritol (a sugar alcohol from fruits and veggies). Besides sugar, they’re free of pretty much everything conscious drinkers worry about: artificial sweeteners, caramel colour, phosphoric acid, synthetic caffeine and the brominated vegetable oil long added to mainstream citrusy pop brands. It’s not organic, and like Blue Sky, uses synthesized “natural flavours.” But it’s all Non-GMO Project-verified. It comes in a wide variety of flavours beyond cola, including ginger ale, tonic, lots of fruity options and some interesting replica drinks, as in Dr. Zevia and Mountain Zevia. The main downside: the company admits its can linings contain trace amounts of BPA.
SCORE: NNN
Q DRINKS
This Brooklyn-based hipster brand makes all kinds of premium mixers designed for the cocktail crowd, all sweetened with certified organic cactus-derived agave and packaged in glass. Q’s got a lovely line of ginger ale, ginger beer and cola, all made with natural (though not organic) spice extracts, as well as club soda with a dash of cocktail-enhancing Himalayan pink salt. The cola does contain phosphoric acid and caffeine but has none of the artificial colours, synthesized flavours or sodium benzoate you’ll find in some other indies like Boylan’s or Jones sodas. Besides, most of us aren’t going to be guzzling large quantities of these drinks at $12 for a four-pack or $9 per 750ml bottle at places like Big Carrot and Whole Foods. During the holiday season you’ll also find Q at Loblaws and Sobey’s. qdrinks.com.
SCORE: NNNN
DIY COLA
Make your own damn cola if you really want to impress your party guests. For real. Crafty home bartenders and playful flavour hunters should definitely give this a go. Start with 2 cups of organic fair trade white sugar and 2 tablespoons of brown. Stir in 2 cups of water and the zest of 1 large lemon, 1 orange and 1 lime (all organic – you don’t want pesticide-laced rinds). Add 2 teaspoons of crushed coriander seeds, ¼ teaspoon of nutmeg, ½ teaspoon or so of dried lavender flowers, 1 or 2 star anise seeds (crushed), 1 vanilla pod (split), 1 cinnamon stick or 1⁄8 teaspoon of cinnamon, 1 or 2 teaspoons of minced ginger, ¼ teaspoon of citric acid, bring to a boil and simmer for 20 minutes. Then cool and strain. Add ¼ cup of your talk-of-the-town cola syrup to 1 cup of soda water and you’re good to mix with whisky, rum, etc, or to proudly enjoy on its own.
SCORE: NNNNN
