Kick the Soda Habit

Like lots of other people, I enjoy soda. There's nothing like the crisp carbonation or unmistakable can crack and first sip. “Ahhhh,” you're thinking. Ahhhh, indeed. But when it got to the point where I was rarely found without a soda can or bottle or glass in my hand, I decided it was time to reign in the habit. As a diet soda aficionado, I was also concerned about what, exactly, I was drinking and what the long-term effects might be. So I decided to make a switch and believe it or not, it wasn't very difficult to do.

If you're not familiar with Positively Tea's lineup of organic teas, you're missing a lot. About 70 different kinds of a lot. I had recently purchased a pound of Coco Berry Mango, which, in addition to making a delicious hot tea, also makes a gorgeous iced tea. What if, I asked myself, I used my Coco Berry Mango to make soda?

My spouse and I had purchased a home carbonation machine so I had easy, inexpensive access to some fizzy water (though at less than a dollar per liter, buying seltzer at the store is still cheap). I made one liter of strong tea (about 4 tbsp. of loose tea) using a brew basket and mixed in a spoonful of Stevia Tea for some added sweetness. Once that cooled, I divided it equally into two 1-liter bottles that I then topped off with half a liter each of sparkling water. Caps on the bottles and into the fridge until cold! You wouldn't believe how good it tastes! Fruity and refreshing with just enough sweetness - and no chemicals, no sugar, no caffeine, and absolutely no guilt!

Use any of these or make your own blends!

If you're ready to ditch soda, but maybe not caffeine, Green Tangerine tea might be one for your recipe book. Juicy orange and tangerine with a green tea kick is just the thing when you need a boost. Or maybe Ginger Spice black tea - spicy with some pineapple sweetness and fantastic as a carbonated soda with a splash of lime juice.

Got a sweet tooth? How about a soda with our Butterscotch Black or Caramel Black tea and a dollop of honey? Why not a mint-passion fruit soda with Spearmint Leaf Herbal and Passion Fruit Black? The sky's the limit! You decide how strong and fizzy you want to make your soda. Don't want to use sugar? Try it with agave syrup, honey, monk fruit, or stevia - or use Organic Stevia Leaf Herbal Tea!