Thirsty for something tastier than water?
While nutrition experts say there's room for flavored and fortified waters, much of what's bottled is chock full of sugar, artificial sweeteners and a boatload of calories. The tsunami of products already available is projected to grow from 15 to 20 percent this year, and no wonder: Americans already spend nearly $8 billion on bottled H2O every year -- that's some $27 billion around the globe.
The pitch, at least, is easy to swallow. Some waters promise healthy infusions of B vitamins, vitamins C and E, antioxidants, with exotic-sounding ingredients like guava, taurine and dragonfruit swirled in. Others brag they're fibrous and will stave off obesity and cancer and strengthen your heart. Still others promise to boost the immune system, keep colds at bay, even offer tension relief.
They come in a rainbow of colors. Nalgene-friendly packets. Cartridges that attach to the filtered pitcher already in your fridge, or even directly to the tap.
But with flavored water, are we getting all wet?
"You really need to check the label," said Susan O'Keefe, a registered dietitian at Southern New Hampshire Medical Center. "Sugar leads to extra calories, and significantly so. And while there's no solid evidence that artificial sweeteners lead to any disease, we don't really know what they'll find out in the end."
There's some evidence that calorie-free sweeteners may actually switch off the body's natural ability
to regulate calories. A 2002 Purdue University study found that rats regularly fed artificially sweetened foods ate more calorie-dense, sugary foods when they were offered.
Even fortified waters' vitamin-packed promises aren't necessarily nutritious. Emerson Hospital dietitian Ena Sandler said the excess carbohydrates, calories, vitamins and minerals in fortified waters don't replace the need to eat balanced, healthful foods.
"I've observed teens with borderline disordered eating habits who use these drinks as a barrier to eating properly," Sandler said.
So while while Coca-Cola product Dasani Plus, which promises to "cleanse and restore," has no calories, it sports a concerningly long ingredient list. A bottle of Snapple's Antioxidant Water, with two and a half times the daily requirements of vitamin C, also contains 150 calories and 31 grams of sugar. Pepsico's Aquifina Alive contains the sweetener acesulfame potassium, which, according to the Center for the Science in the Public Interest, should be avoided. SoBe's Life Water doesn't have high fructose corn syrup, but a 20-ounce bottle has 100 calories and 24 grams of sugar -- its second ingredient after water.
So what's a thirsty person to do?
As with everything diet-related, moderate the amount you drink, Sandler said. And if you're not calorie-conscious, choose natural cane or fructose-sweetened waters, avoiding anything with high-fructose corn syrup, O'Keefe advised. And unless you're pressed to buy bottled, you really don't need to look any further than the tap, squeezing in a little orange, lime or lemon for kicks.
"Instead of buying these products, go buy yourself a good quality water bottle (BPA free), fill it with water ... or homemade iced tea with or without a splash of sugar," said Sandler, "and save the money for gas and other groceries."
Copyright (C) 2008 The Sun, Lowell, Mass.
