Izze isn’t juice, although they contain 70% fruit juices, and they’re not soda, though they do contain sparkling water for a bit of fizz.  They’re fortified, though I kind of ignore that fact (again, avoiding the hype).  Though they have 20 grams of sugar in a small 8.4 ounce can, the first ingredients are juice derived, which I like.  (Izze is also available in larger bottles now).

Better yet, the taste.  They taste like fruit, but they’re lightly carbonated and oh-so refreshing.  I’ve tried several flavors, but my favorites are clementine, pomegranate, and blackberry.  They contain a blend of juices, so the pomegranate, for example, might contain apple and white grape juices, but it tastes like what it’s labelled as unlike many juice drinks and flavored sodas. 

Given the high juice content, I feel Izze is healthier than many “juice drinks” on the market that contain little or no juice.  Case in points – V8 Splash drinks which contain 10% juice, and Jones Soda’s Naturals line that masqueraded as juice but contained little to no juice (and tasted horrible, to boot).

It might be an irrelevant side point, but I also like the cute cans that Izze comes in.  I guess I’m a victim of good marketing, but Izze is good, isn’t it?