AriZona Watermelon Fruit Juice Cocktail - Product Review

I recently discovered AriZona's Watermelon Fruit Juice Cocktail at our local Walgreens. I must admit my discovery was purely by accident. It was a warm day, I was out running errands, and desperately trying to resist the urge to drive through the nearest fast-food restaurant and order a large Coke. The Watermelon Fruit Juice Cocktail is sold in the typical AriZona "tall-boy" can (23 fl. oz.) in the refrigerated case. I also must confess that I was drawn to the can. It's a red background emblazoned with the AriZona lettering and large watermelon slice graphics on the bottom half that are visible from all sides of the can. Up to now, the only red can I've ever been drawn to is Coca Cola's Classic Coke - and that's a habit I'm in the process of giving up completely (at least that's my goal).

I was pleasantly surprised at the great taste - not too sweet, not too syrupy, and totally refreshing. It's a great drink on a summer day, and is perfect in the can, or over ice. This size can is technically three servings, but I managed to drink the majority of it over a two-hour period, while walking in my favorite park.

There are no preservatives, no artificial color, no carbonation and no caffeine - just 100% all natural flavors (and advertised as Vitamin C fortified). While it does contain high fructose corn syrup, its other ingredients include kiwi, pear, pineapple, mango and of course, watermelon juice. All the flavors seem to complement each other perfectly. Because it is caffeine-free, it's a good alternative to soda for kids and those that are watching their caffeine intake. I was also pleasantly surprised to find that it has only 10 mg of sodium, compared to Original Coca-Cola's 33 mg for the same 8 oz. serving. The Watermelon Juice Cocktail also contains 24 grams of sugars per serving.

Original Brand AriZona Beverage Company (their official name) has been making flavored teas, fortified waters and energy drinks for years, many of which I buy on a regular basis. The Watermelon Fruit Juice Cocktail is just one in their line of juice products. Other flavors include Fruit Punch, Kiwi Strawberry and Mucho Mango. Based on my pleasant experience with the watermelon juice cocktail drink, I'm looking forward to at least sampling the rest of the flavors in the line. A full list of products is available at the company's website: www.drinkarizona.com.