More On The Cherry Front

2007 was a banner year for cherry flavored colas (detailed here), and it looks like 2008 will bring even more products.

XS Energy Drink has recently unveiled Soda Flavors line, which includes a Black Cherry Cola flavor in addition to Root Beer and Cola. Energy drink have never been my thing (the blog isn't titled I Love Energy Drinks, natch) but I could probably be tempted by an energy drink that had the flavor of a diet soda. The new drink contains no sugar (awesome) and has only 8 calories per serving. The sweetness comes from Acesulfame Potassium and Sucralose. For those worried about gluten (and from what I can tell, that number could be in the millions), XS is gluten free.

The combination of cherry and cola; maybe better than chocolate and peanut butter.

And this might be my new favorite song, "Cherry Cola" by the Eagles of Death Metal:

The Big Game On Sunday

With the Super Bowl coming up on Sunday, the Calorie Control Council provides some tips on how to make the best of what can be a calorie and fat laden day:

"The Calorie Control Council recommends pre-planning your Super Bowl event and menu to include no-fat and low-fat dips and chips. For instance, choosing fat-free potato chips for the big game could save up to 300 calories per person. And, nationwide, fat-free potato chips, could even cut 14 billion calories and 1.8 billion fat grams from our snack attacks."

And check out some of these stats!!!

"...research reveals that potato chips, the snacking favorite, will account for 27 billion calories and 1.8 billion fat grams. These 1.8 billion fat grams nationwide are the same as 4 million pounds of fat. That 4 million pounds of fat is equal to the weight of 13,000 NFL offensive linemen at 300 pounds each."

That's a lot of offensive lineman!

Meanwhile, I have no idea who is going to win the game (I hear the Patriots haven't lost all season), but Carl from Aqua Teen Hunger Force has definite ideas on who will win. He's pulling for "Big Blue," no not IBM, but the New York Giants. Check out the video below:

For Coke Zero fans

I saw this "bottle" over at the BevNet forums. Looks pretty cool, I know I would have to get at least one.

I've seen beer in aluminum bottles before, but I think this is a first for me in terms of soda. What do you guys think?

And, as a bonus, here's a cool ad for Coke Zero from Germany:

G2 (I thought it was a TV station too!)

In the back of my head I remembered reading a few months ago that a new lower calorie version of Gatorade would be available soon, but until seeing some ads on TV recently, had completely forgotten about it.

Here is what Money magazine had to say about it back in September:

"G2, a low-calorie electrolyte beverage with 25 calories per eight-ounce serving, is designed to keep athletes hydrated when they're not training or competing, the company said."

One of the complaints I've seen about sports drinks before is the sometimes high calorie content that comes along with all that stuff you need to replenish yourself after a long workout, running a 5K, playing a game of flag football, or working construction in high heat. It appears that G2 provides that without all those extra calories. Sounds good to me!

Gatorade has a web site introducing the new drink here: Introducing G2

Check out one of the TV teasers below featuring Yankee shortstop Derek Jeter:

Best New Products

I love seeing what's new in the world of drinks (especially diet ones), even if I stick to old favorites like Diet Pepsi, Diet Coke, and Diet Dr Pepper. The very cool web site BevNet announced the winners of their Best New Products of 2007 awards. Honestly, even though I try to keep up with new products and trends, I have never heard of most of these. I have started to see Steaz Energy drink at a few independent coffee shops recently, but haven't had the chance to try it yet.

Both big and small companies had representatives among the winners. "The winner of the Best Packaging Innovation award, NOS, is owned by the Coca-Cola Co. and Mark Hall, the president of energy drink giant Monster, was named Beverage Executive of the Year. But freshman efforts like the kids’ bottled water, bot (Best Children’s Product), and fast-growing Yerba Mate tea company, Bombilla & Gourd (Best Non-Carbonated Product), also produced award-winning drinks."

So it looks like 2007 was a great year for beverages. I think the trend I liked was the proliferation of diet cherry colas that I talked about here. What new products would you like to see in 2008?

Changes For 2008

If you are like a lot of people, you made a resolution to lose some weight in 2008. Luckily, the Calorie Control Council has some tips to make your resolution a success. Forget fad diets and radical changes; moderate sustainable changes are the way to go.

Check out the trends here: Moderate Changes Are “In” For 2008

1. Convenience will be key. The schedules of Americans today are busier than ever and people are constantly on the go. Consumers will increasingly prefer convenient, healthy food options over meals that require a lengthy preparation time. When consumers were asked why they would choose to make a particular dish for a meal the top reasons were “it required little or no effort” (53 percent) and “took little or no planning” (50 percent), according to the NPD Group’s 21st Annual Eating Patterns in America Report. Food options that can be eaten on the go will also prove popular with consumers, as many products can now be eaten directly out of the container and fit in a cup holder.
   
2. Exercise will become a family affair. Families will focus on activities that allow them to interact while being more active. Finding activities that are fun for everyone and making the activities a part of the regular schedule will become a top priority in 2008. Such activities may include running/walking in the park, a friendly game of softball or soccer and going to the gym as a family.
3. Food companies will help promote healthy messages. As part of the Children’s Food and Beverage Advertising Initiative, ten major food companies in the United States have pledged to voluntarily include healthier messages in marketing to children, including incorporating “healthy lifestyle messages” into interactive online games.
4. Consumers will learn to “budget” calories. Consumers will better understand the role of reducing calories to lose weight. By incorporating low-calorie foods such as diet sodas, light juices, and light yogurts, consumers can control their calories while still enjoying their favorite foods. In fact, 86 percent of Americans (194 million) are using low-calorie, sugar-free products, according to the Council’s consumer survey. In addition, foods with a lower energy density, such as fruits, vegetables and broth-based soups, will be incorporated into a reduced-calorie eating plan.
5. Fad diets will be overshadowed by sensibility. Although numerous diet books on the latest quick fix to lose weight will continue to be published, Americans will grow wary and instead opt for sensible, lifestyle choices. The Council’s consumer survey indicates that only six percent of dieters follow restrictive weight loss plans as a means to control weight.

So, budget your calories and start working out with the family. These trends for 2008 can lead to some real results.

Rare(?) Sodas

A comment on my last post made me think of some sodas that I've only seen in certain regions or in certain stores.

Delaware Punch - Apparently this non-carbonated grape-flavored fruit punch is available in areas of Louisiana, Arkansas, and Houston.







Canfield's 50/50 - A grapefruit, lemon-lime soda kind of like Fresca or Squirt





Cheerwine - I have a friend from North Carolina who swears by this effervescent cherry soda









Personally, I find red cream soda to be pretty gross (I can't like everything), but Big Red has a pretty loyal fan base.



So what is your favorite regional or rarely seen soda?