Memorial Day is a chance to remember all the service men and women for their sacrifice, and it’s become one of America’s favorite holiday weekends. For many Americans this weekend also heralds the start of summer — with school ending, vacations beginning, beaches opening and plenty of camping, barbecuing and outdoor recreation ahead.

So while all this summer fun is going on, it’s important to be mindful of your health, eat well and stay hydrated. When heading to the beach, pack that sunscreen to offset the hot sun. At your next cookout — in addition to all the meats – add shrimp, a green salad and fresh fruit to help balance the meal. And with any of your outdoor activities, it’s important to have plenty to drink to stay hydrated in the heat.

And not just any liquid. Soft drinks, energy drinks, iced tea, alcohol and similar beverages can actually dehydrate you. This especially true for sugar-laden drinks, where research has shown that the sugar in these drinks removes water from the body.

That’s why water is the perfect beverage choice for all the summer fun ahead and Syfo Beverages can give you the best of both worlds. Our Naturally Flavored Sparkling Waters and Original Seltzer are made with purified water and contain no sugar, sodium, artificial sweeteners, preservatives or other additives. The effervescence is refreshing, the water hydrating and our all-natural flavors make Syfo the perfect complement for any summer activity, get-together or meal. For the perfect summer treat, try our new Peach-Pear Naturally Flavored Sparkling Water!

So enjoy all of your Memorial Day weekend activities while remembering our brave service men and women. And be sure to have plenty of Syfo on hand for those summer days ahead.

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Worried about sugar in soft drinks? That’s understandable given the health concerns of obesity, Type II Diabetes, cardiovascular disease and tooth decay. The growing awareness of these negative health effects pushed soda manufacturers into promoting their drinks with artificial sweeteners, but many of those have been shown to have health risks too. Now many brands, including PepsiCo, have turned to the sweetener sucralose as an alternative, but a recent study indicates this substance may carry risks as well.

The study published in the International Journal of Occupational and Environmental Health shows a possible link between sucralose and cancer. In this study that was led by Italian researcher Morando Soffritti, mice were given four different doses or no dose of sucralose in their feed from prenatal life to death. Consumption of sucralose was associated with an increased rate of malignant tumors in the male mice. The researchers concluded that the relationship between sucralose dose levels and cancerous tumors in male mice was significant. Also, results among female mice showed an increased rate of benign tumors in the stomach, ovaries and uterus.

The authors of the study called for more research to be completed in order to further assess the safety of sucralose as an additive for foods and beverages. The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), an independent non-profit consumer advocacy group that promotes safe nutritional policies, changed their rating of sucralose from “caution” to “avoid” in response to Soffritti’s study.

Given all these risks of sugar and artificial sweeteners, it makes more sense than ever to make the safe healthy choice. Syfo Naturally Flavored Sparkling Waters are delicious and refreshing, and contain no additives, sugar, artificial sweeteners, preservatives, or sodium. Check back with us often for more health news and delicious beverage recipes.

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Grocers and retailers everywhere are finding sparkling water very good for business. Sales of sparkling water have doubled over the last five years to $1.5 billion, far outpacing the sales of plain bottled or flavored water and so-called functional waters such as Glaceau Vitaminwater.

And experts expect this trend to continue, predicting sparkling water sales to double again in the next five years. Concurrent with this trend is the continued decline in the sales of soft drinks over the last 10 years and it’s easy to see why.

Sparkling water has captured some of the past demand for soft drinks as discerning consumers continue to steer away from high-calorie sugary drinks and diet sodas for health reasons. The negative health effects of sugar — including obesity and diabetes — are well known, and now awareness has been growing about the health impact of the artificial sweeteners used in many diet soft drinks.

Aspartame has been linked to possible causes of headaches, type 2 diabetes, increased belly fat, and other digestive issues. Sucralose or Splenda another artificial sweetener commonly used is coming under increased scrutiny for a possible link to cancer.

So it’s little wonder why more and more people are turning to sparkling water like Syfo for a healthy and refreshing beverage. Our sparkling waters are naturally-flavored and contain no sugar, artificial sweeteners, sodium or any other additives. Made with 100% purified water and flavored with PG-free natural fruit extracts, Syfo sparkling waters are perfect for the growing market of people who are active and health-conscious.

If you’re a grocer, visit our Grocers page to learn how Syfo can be healthy for your business.

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It’s always upfront and crystal clear with Syfo. Our labeling is clean and true with our 100% purified water, all-natural flavors and lack of any preservatives, artificial sweeteners, sugar or sodium. Judging by the recent article in Food Business News, that’s not always the case in our industry.

An advertising dispute between yogurt makers Chobani and Dannon has been brewing over the use of artificial sweeteners in a product that Dannon implies is healthy. In an ad campaign, Chobani highlighted Dannon’s use of sucralose, also known by the Splenda brand name. Sucralose is made synthetically in a lab by the chlorination of sucrose (regular sugar). Dannon fired back a cease and desist letter regarding the campaign, saying it misleads the public about the health safety of their product. Chobani countered with a suit stating that their ad campaign was not misleading and that consumers had a right to know what’s in the products they’re consuming. This battle is part of a larger trend of “clean eating” and “clean labeling”, with consumers clamoring for the right to know what they’re putting in their bodies.

With Syfo, consumers don’t have to worry; it’s clean, healthy and pure refreshment. Syfo is simply the purest, best tasting sparkling water and seltzer on the market.

For more information on product labeling, read our It’s Important to Read the Label article.

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Today the effects of too much sugar are more commonly known. Increased amounts of sugar consumption have been linked to obesity, high blood pressure, cavities and diabetes. Many consumers look to artificially sweetened beverages in an attempt to make a healthier choice. However, choosing beverages containing artificial sweeteners may do you more harm than good

In a study published earlier this year in the British Medical Journal (BMJ), researchers evaluated the effects of sugary beverages, artificially sweetened beverages and fruit juices on the incident rates of type 2 diabetes. The study confirmed that a higher consumption of sugary beverages, measured by just one more than the recommended serving per day, was associated with a 13% greater incidence of type 2 diabetes. This amount was adjusted in order eliminate incidence rates of diabetes due to obesity.

What may be surprising to those who have turned away from sugary sodas to avoid the risk of diabetes, the study also reported that a higher consumption of beverages containing artificial sweeteners was associated with a 25% greater incidence of type 2 diabetes (see our earlier post on why artificial sweeteners may affect glucose intolerance). After adjusting for obesity, artificially sweetened beverages were associated with an 8% greater incidence of type 2 diabetes. It may also be important to note, as previously mentioned in our post Diet Soda and Belly Fat, artificial sweeteners may also be linked to more fat around the abdomen.

So if sugary sodas are no good, and artificially sweeteners can be harmful, you may be thinking, what about juice? Researchers in the study also found that increased consumption of fruit juices also increased the likelihood of developed type 2 diabetes.

There is another option. When looking for a healthier choice, try Syfo Naturally Flavored Sparkling Waters. Our sparkling waters are delicious and refreshing, made with purified water without additives, sugar, artificial sweeteners, preservatives, or sodium. Visit our health and recipe sections for more information and recipes.

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