The Delicious Fizzy Drinks That Helped Me Cut Back on Cola — They Come in So Many Fun Flavors!

Nowadays, when people say they’re drinking a soda or ask me if I’d like one, I never quite know how to respond. They could be referring to something like LaCroix, a bubbly yet biting beverage that has hints of fruit but just tastes bitter overall (sorry, sparkling water-lovers). In such cases, I reply with a simple, “I’m good, thanks.” Or, they could be talking about soda in the truer sense of the word and referring to something like Coke. In that case, yes, I would like one — in fact, I can’t get enough of the brown sugary liquid. I’ve tried to swap it with something else (my local supermarket has a seemingly endless selection of pop alternatives), but nothing has ever come close to the real stuff.

Then, at a function, I got offered to try a United Soda. Here we go, I thought. I braced myself for the bitterness and took a sip but was only met with a pleasant, fizzy blueberry taste. It was actually good — really good! I knew I wanted to try more flavors, and as luck would have it, I got to try United Sodas’ variety pack shortly thereafter. The beverages taste just as sweet and satisfying as my former soda of choice, but without the subsequent sugar crash and stomachache.

If you’re new to United Sodas, the variety pack is the best way to try their wide breadth of flavors. Specifically, it comes with 12 cans, each of which allows you to experience a different fruit. But what I like is that you don’t get the typical grape, orange, or strawberry. Each flavor has an additional note of something else — a twist, if you will. The strawberry basil, for instance, is more complex than your average can of Fanta, not to mention lighter and more refreshing. There are also flavors like pear elderflower and toasted coconut, which I had never tried in soda form before.

Aside from the variety, United Sodas also delivers on ingredients. Gone are the artificial sweeteners and excessive calories. Instead, their sodas are formulated with only organic sweeteners, and there’s far less of them inside a United Soda compared to popular sodas like Coke.

As I just mentioned, United Sodas nailed the flavors in its variety pack. I love choosing a different one each time; it was almost like a fun game trying them all for the first time and deciding which one I was going to drink next. And although summer has passed, these made for the perfect warm-weather beverages, especially after I chilled them in the fridge. (That won’t stop me from drinking them year-round, though.) But what I love most of all is that I’m not left with that icky, bloated feeling that super sugary sodas give me. The United Sodas are just a sweet treat with no drawbacks. They’re also perfect for entertaining, regardless of whether you hand a can to a friend as is or mix some lemon verbena into a cocktail.

If you’re looking for a better fizzy beverage alternative or you just enjoy drinking soda, you can’t go wrong with this variety pack. Try each flavor, and tell me what your favorite is in the comments. (I’m still a sour blueberry kind of girl, myself.)

Buy: Variety Pack, $34.99