Natural Sparkling Waters (the best brands)
DASH Water is a wonderful brand of sparkling water, sold in zero waste cans. You can find these cans in many stores or order online (by flavour or mixed packs). What’s best is that each flavour is made with wonky fruit, that would otherwise have gone to landfill.
40% of fruits and vegetables in the UK are thrown out, simply because they don’t ‘look perfect’ enough to sell or eat. So this company is doing wonders, by using it up to make hydrating healthy drinks. One bashed up berry, curly cucumber and lopsided lemon at a time!
Before recycling, rinse then pop the ring-pulls back over holes (and pinch tops shut) to avoid wildlife getting trapped. Never give sparkling water to to pets, it could cause bloat.
Isn’t plain water better?
Yes, for some. But the truth is that simply some people prefer sparkling and flavoured waters. And in this case, this is much better choice than sugary sodas or drinks with fake flavours and artificial sweeteners.
Flavours of DASH sparkling water
- Peach
- Cucumber Mint
- Blackcurrant
- Raspberry
- Cherry
- Lemon
- Lime
- Orange
- Grapefruit (check medication)
All drinks have zero sweeteners and calories, so a nice refreshing way to hydrate, instead of sugary sodas or artificially sweetened drinks.
Even better, the cans are made from recycled aluminium. If you drink a lot of canned sodas, you could get together with others to set up an aluminium recycling program (also for clean foil). Then you can sell it to local companies, and use the money to raise funds for community projects.
Get savings if buying online
Book monthly subscriptions online for big savings, and you always have a cooling drink to hand, when you need one. The brand also gives discounts to key workers (NHS, Police Force, Fire fighters etc) and students.
How to serve DASH sparkling water
It’s fine as it is, just serve over ice and garnish with fresh fruit. Or if you fancy something more fancy, here are some ideas from their site:
Healthy Mojito
Fill a glass with crushed ice and pour over 1 tablespoon of agave syrup, 2 shots of rum and 1 shot of lime juice. Sprinkle in a handful of fresh mint, top with Lime DASH and stir. Garnish with extra mint and a slice of lime or two.
Berry Citrus Mocktail
Muddle some mixed strawberries and raspberries in a glass, add some fresh orange juice and a squeeze of lemon. Fill the glass with ice, and top with a mix of raspberry and orange DASH sparkling water.
Cans: Sparkling Water with Real Fruits
Cans is an Austrian brand that decided to create a nice soft drink that was not saturated with sugars or artificial sweeteners. Instead, these contain just 3 ingredients:
- Alpine sparkling water
- Fruits from European orchards
- Natural flavourings
Sold in easy-to-recycle cans, they are available in three flavours. You can buy in one-flavour or mixed cans of 24::
- Apple (with lemon & elderflower)
- Cherry (with lemon)
- Lemon (with lime)
The brand is already very successful, having sold over 1 million cans worldwide, realising that there is a huge market for people who want a fizzy soda, that is not overloaded with sweet sugar.
Carbon 8 (make your own fizzy water)
Carbon 8 is a one-touch countertop water carbonator, which removes chlorine and adds mineral. Say goodbye to plastic bottles, just add your own choice of citrus flavour (lime, grapefruit, lemon) and enjoy freshly-made sparkling water, whenever you want it.
The water is purified using UV light. It’s expensive (a couple of hundred pounds) but you only then need refills (just like old-fashioned soda syphons).
Making your own flavoured sparkling water is as easy as infusion. Try adding slices of cucumber or strawberry for a fresh twist, or sprigs of mint for a cooling effect. The possibilities are endless, and personalising your water ensures it never gets boring.
