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Don't
put much stock in fancy waters
June 21, 2007
Suzanne Havala Hobbs
How
much do you expect from a bottle of water?
Apparently for many people, getting hydrated is no longer
enough. They want a hit of vitamin C or a splash of zinc when
they take a sip. They want their water to have “valued
added.”
The appeal last year was great enough to make the “functional
water” industry generate more than a billion dollars
in business. Like functional foods, which I’ve discussed
in a previous column, functional water is an ordinary product
made extraordinary by added ingredients touted for their health
benefits.
Brands include Glaceau Vitamin Water, SoBe Life Water, Propel
Fitness Water, a newcomer – Dasani Plus – and
others. The bottled waters are fortified with added vitamins,
minerals and, in some cases, fiber.
Even soft drink manufacturers looking to improve the image
of their products are getting into the fortified drink business
with vitamin- and mineral-fortified Diet Coke Plus and Pepsi
Tava.
So what do fancy waters and other beverages deliver to justify
a cost of $1.50 to $2.00 per 20 oz. bottle?
Not nearly enough.
Most brands of fortified bottled water contain a smattering
of B vitamins and perhaps a bit of vitamins C or E, zinc or
magnesium. None contain the full spectrum of vitamins and
minerals we need to support health, and most contain only
a small amount of those nutrients they do include.
There are others reasons these fortified drinks are a poor
value:
* They contain undesirable extras. Many contain calories from
added sugars. A couple of 50- to 100-calorie drinks each day
can add up to pounds quickly. Drinks that have no calories
often contain artificial sweeteners. Others contain caffeine,
which you might expect from a cola drink but could take you
by surprise from a bottle of water.
* Vitamins break down over time. Some brands when tested contained
less vitamin C than was listed on the product label, according
to Consumer Lab, an independent product testing organization,
and one brand contained less than 20 percent of the amount
claimed.
* Vitamin supplements are of dubious value in the first place.
In general, nutrition research shows that the full range of
vitamins, minerals, and other phytochemicals and nutrients
we need from foods confer the most health benefits when they
come from whole foods. Individual nutrients likely work best
when they’re eaten in combination with other nutrients
as they occur in nature, and it’s likely that foods
contain many more important nutrients we haven’t even
discovered yet.
* They create waste. Think of all the plastic being sold to
package single-serving drinks of water.
Save your money. Fortified bottled water isn’t worth
the cost. Instead, drink filtered tap water or buy less expensive,
standard bottled brands and recycle the containers. Better
yet, fill a reusable water bottle at home.
And get the nutrients you need by eating whole, unprocessed
foods. You can’t get enough of what you need by drinking
fortified bottled waters – not even if you drink a six-pack
every day. If you feel the need for some extra insurance,
pop an inexpensive multivitamin and mineral supplement a few
times a week. (As for me, I don’t take any supplements
at all.)
As for all the money you’ll save by not buying fortified
water? Use it to buy locally grown, organic produce this summer.
Now, that’s a good value.
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