Everyone knows they need to drink water. But sometimes a boring glass of tap H20 is hardly tasty. Realizing people want something more for their mouths, smart marketers have enhanced bottled water with everything from nutrients to flavors, hoping to lure more drinkers.
Good news first. If you’re drinking water of any kind, you’re getting hydrated.
“We all need to be aware of our hydration and the older we are, the less aware we are of our thirst,” says Liz Applegate, director of sports nutrition at the University of California at Davis and author of Eat Smart, Play Hard (Rodale Books, 2001).
That said, there are things to look for before you blindly pop open a bottle. Beware, for example, of sweeteners, caffeine and too much fortification.
The vitamins and minerals promised by fortified waters really do count for your daily nutrient intake. The question is whether you really need them and whether you can actually end up overdoing the nutrition.
“Few Americans are short of the vitamins used in fortification and the people likely to buy these products are the ones who need them the least,” says Marion Nestle, a professor of food studies and public health at New York University.
Plus, if you combine a few bottles of fortified water with fortified breakfast cereal, a multivitamin, an energy bar and other vitamin-enhanced foods throughout your day, you could exceed what you need. “It’s not that one bottle of enhanced water is a problem. It’s in the scheme of that person’s daily intake of nutrients that it’s a problem,” says Applegate. “It can be like you’re taking five or more vitamin pills a day.”
Other concerns include the addition of sweeteners and caffeine. If an enhanced water is sweetened, you have to add that to your caloric intake for the day. Knowing calories are a concern for so many shoppers, beverage manufacturers have gravitated toward artificial sweeteners including the newly approved natural sweetener, stevia. Also, be aware that some bottled waters contain caffeine or natural equivalents such as kola nut and guarana.
“Some bottled waters are great choices,” says Applegate. “Just be a savvy consumer and check the label.”
Ready to taste test? Here’s a look at some of the enhanced waters on the shelves:
Metromint: Mintwater with no sugar or sweeteners that comes in six flavors ranging from peppermint to chocolatemint. The added mint is said to soothe your stomach and freshen your breath.
Hint water: Water accented with a touch of natural flavor and no sugar or sweeteners, it comes in 13 trendy flavors such as honeydew hibiscus, cucumber and blackberry.
Totally Organica: Zero-calorie sparkling water that is produced from organic essences without sugar or artificial flavorings. It comes in eight flavors ranging from mint to melon.
Vitaminwater and Vitaminwater10: The regular and 10-calorie version of vitamin-fortified drinks that come in 19 flavors, each with a special mix of nutrients promising outcomes such as “focus,” “defense” or “balance.”
Leave a Comment