The Dirt:
The Healthy Beverage Company entered the business of tea-based beverages ahead of the pack with its Steaz brand, before green tea was a household name. Releasing its first product in 2003, the company added a diet bottle soda to the mix in fall 2007 and this January, added a canned soda variety suitable for use in public schools.

Though the company is not alone, with competitors including Zotu Soda and Blue Sky Beverage Company, Steaz has gained a following through its approach, packaging and of course, flavors. The first release was the Steaz Green Tea Soda, whose raspberry flavor is entirely satisfying with a touch of the sugary taste of cream soda. The USDA certified organic product contains 135 calories, about 34 grams of sugar derived from cane juice and 30% of RDA vitamin C. However, we recommend the diet variety, which has a cleaner taste because less cane juice means the sugar is not overpowering the tea and the texture of the carbonated water. The diet orange flavor has 60 calories, 13.5 grams of sugar from organic cane juice, 30% RDA vitamin C and 60% RDA vitamin A, and also comes in raspberry, black cherry and blueberry pomegranate.

The Steaz brand also includes a regular energy drink and a diet version, the former which comes in berry, orange and lime flavors. The difference in calories and sugar parallels the sodas, though the amount of vitamin C is the same for both—about 90% of RDA. The energy drinks leave out all the so-called amino acids and unfamiliar ingredients found in most energy drinks, and instead include recognizable organic ingredients, most of which come from the Amazon: Sambazon acai juice, Ceylon green tea, guarana extract and Guayaki yerba mate extract.

It’s worth noting that cane juice, though a wildly popular alternative to processed sugars like corn syrup, is still a caloric sweetener, just a natural one, according to the National Institute of Health medical encyclopedia. Nevertheless, we think the new cans in raspberry, orange, root beer and green tea with lemon will serve a great purpose: they will help wean Americans, especially kids, off corn syrup, which is in everything from soda and juice to ketchup. The cans may have the longest legs because they are a great size, have nearly a quarter of RDA vitamin C, are free of refined sugar and caffeine, and they actually taste good. Furthermore, we think the influx of $11 million in venture capital funding the company just secured might help fuel its continued expansion.

Bonus:
The Fair Trade certified company focuses on helping to rebuild Sri Lanka and gives 2% of net profits to “social betterment programs.”

Where:
Steaz products range from about $1.59 for the 12oz. glass soda to about $2.15 for the 12oz canned energy drink. For availability information, use the online store locator.