Is Vitamin Water Good For You?
Vitaminwater, a beverage brand from the Coca-Cola company, is often marketed as a healthy alternative to soft drinks.
But is it really that good for you?
Many critics have pointed out that the drinks are high in sugar, and that most of the nutrients contained in Vitaminwater are nutrients we’re typically already getting enough of in our daily diets.
Vitaminwater contains almost as much sugar as your average soft drink, and the “zero” versions of Vitaminwater – low-calorie sugar-free alternatives to “regular” Vitaminwater – contain artificial sweeteners which can be just as destructive as sugar(1).
Just As Bad As Coca-Cola
One bottle of Vitaminwater contains about half as much sugar as a bottle of regular Coca-Cola. However, in the United States, Vitaminwater is sweetened with a sugar substance known as crystalline fructose – not cane sugar, which is a 50/50 mix of glucose and fructose and what most Coca-Cola beverages are sweetened with.
This means that one bottle of Vitaminwater contains roughly as much fructose as a regular bottle of Coke.
When it comes to added sugar, fructose is what you need to be most wary of – too much fructose without fiber to slow it down can decrease insulin sensitivity(2) and have other adverse metabolic effects(3).
The Dangers Of Sugary Beverages
When it comes to your weight, what you drink can be equally as important as what you eat.
Many people who consume calorie-heavy drinks do not compensate by restricting their calorie intake from solid foods. This leads to calories from sugar-sweetened drinks being added on top of everything else they eat – which can lead to weight gain.
But that’s not all. Sugary drinks in particular are associated with elevated risk for type 2 diabetes(4), obesity(5), and other diseases, especially in children(6).
Added sugar in drinks is also associated with cardiovascular disease(7), and of course tooth decay(8). There’s no doubt about it – drinking sugary beverages, even the ones that are marketed as “healthy”, is bad for you.
We Don’t Need The Nutrients In Vitaminwater
Vitaminwater contains added B-vitamins, as well as vitamin C. Some types also contain vitamins A and E, along with potassium, magnesium, manganese, zinc and chromium.
However, vitamins B and C are vitamins that most people typically already get enough of, especially if they’re eating a balanced diet(9).
On the off chance that you are lacking in some of these vitamins – like vitamin B12, for example – it makes more sense to take supplements than it does to get these vitamins from a sugary beverage.
Bottom Line
While it can be hard to resist the marketing of Vitaminwater, just because it’s presented as good for you doesn’t mean it is. In fact, research on sugary drinks like Vitaminwater show that it is likely actually very bad for you.
If you’re thirsty and craving sugar, try going for a natural fruit juice instead.
[mks_toggle title=”sources” state=”close “]- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2892765/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2673878/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23594708
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24932880
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19087367
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11229668
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21220734
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14522753
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19888270
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17327526