The trend is now unmistakable. We’ve seen it here at Syfo and recent data confirms it — more and more people are turning to healthy beverage choices as sales flow away from soda and other sugary soft drinks.

The market research firm Mintel reported that sales in the sparkling/mineral water/seltzer segment grew a whopping 75% last year. Mintel also found that 48% of bottled water drinkers in the United States said they are drinking more flavored waters to replace sugary drinks. The entire bottled water category, which includes sparkling water, is expected to grow at a 35% clip through 2020.

To further underline this trend, The Beverage Marketing Corp. reported that sales volume of soft drinks in the United States fell 1.5% in 2015, dropping their market share of liquid refreshment beverages below 40%. And the main concern driving consumers from soda appears to be sugar. Sugar content influenced the purchasing decision of soft drinks for 57% of consumers in the United States, according to a 2015 survey from Innova Market Insights.

Syfo has been ahead of this trend for many years. Our Original Seltzer and Naturally Flavored Sparkling Waters contain no sugar or artificial sweeteners and never have. Made from 100% purified water with no sodium, preservatives or other additives, Syfo is the healthy choice consumers have been turning to since 1949.

Grocers, click here to find out how you can carry Syfo in your store.

The overwhelming majority of health studies in recent years (60 in all) have shown a clear link between sugary soft drinks and obesity as well as Type 2 diabetes. Still, people in the soda industry point to a minority of studies (26) that have established no link. The sponsors of those studies? The soda industry itself.

According to the New York Times, these studies were all carried out by researchers with financial ties to the beverage industry. The findings were published recently in the Annals of Internal Medicine.

The report’s findings are the latest evidence that the beverage industry has supported research to downplay the health hazards of sugary drinks. Nutrition experts say that the studies financed by the soda industry have been used to influence public policy and nutrition recommendations.

The industry has also used other tactics to influence legislation and public opinion. In an earlier article, the New York Times outlined how Coca Cola and PepsiCo have contributed to organizations that promote health and nutrition while simultaneously lobbying vigorously against healthy diet initiatives in Washington.

The best thing that consumers can do is to read as much independent information as they can to make smart beverage choices. Syfo Naturally Flavored Sparkling Waters are made with 100% purified water and don’t have any preservatives, artificial sweeteners, sugar or sodium. That makes Syfo always a good choice.

Here’s something to consider. As awareness has grown of sugar’s negative health effects, many people have turned to diet soda as a healthier alternative to sugary beverages. But as we’ve pointed out in earlier posts, the artificial sweeteners used in some diet sodas have been linked to weight gain, belly fat, diabetes and heart disease. And now a new study has linked Splenda, the ingredient in diet sodas like Diet Pepsi, to cancer.

The study, published in the International Journal of Occupational and Environmental Health, found that mice who were fed sucralose (the main ingredient in Splenda) daily throughout their lives eventually developed leukemia and other blood cancers. The results of the study prompted the Center for Science in the Public Interest to formally recommend that consumers avoid the artificial sweetener. Up until 2013, it still deemed Splenda safe.

But if you want to stay clear of soda, all is not lost. You still have a healthy beverage alternative with Syfo. Our Naturally Flavored Sparkling Waters are made with 100% purified water and don’t have any preservatives, artificial sweeteners, sugar or sodium.  Syfo is just delicious, pure refreshment.

You can read more information on the study here and for more reasons not to turn to diet soda, click here.

Coca Cola recently announced that it’s investing in the organic aloe water beverage Aloe Gloe, complementing the two other products in its Emerging Brand units – Honest Tea and Zico coconut water.

Aloe Gloe is Coca-Cola’s latest foray into functional and health-oriented beverages. Aloe Gloe’s website claims many health benefits, including benefits to the skin and cardiovascular health. However the health benefits and risks of beverages that contain aloe vera are still being debated.

All of this is part of an emerging trend. Because of the documented health risks of sugary sodas (and diet sodas) Coca-Cola and its main competitor PepsiCo are investing big in beverages like tea, juice and bottled water that consumers perceive as healthier — even if some of those options, such as energy drinks, have just as much sugar and calories as many sodas. Don’t be fooled by the marketing hype and health claims.

It’s easy to make a clear choice with Syfo because Syfo Original Seltzer and Naturally Flavored Sparkling Waters are simply healthy. Since our products are made from 100% purified water and contain no sugar, sodium, artificial sweeteners preservatives or other additives, you don’t have to sort through health claims or read between lines. Syfo is just naturally pure refreshment.

Check out our testimonials to read how Syfo has helped our customers to lead healthier lives.