I would beg my mom to buy me vitamin water for lunch in elementary school when I noticed quite a few of my friends drinking them. One day I was in Walmart and determined to get my hands on one. I had managed to acquire $1.60 over the course of looking for change under the couch, both parents cars and occasionally out the desk of a unsuspecting teacher. I snuck away from my mom, paid for the drink and found her in the canned food isle presenting my recent purchase. She wasn’t happy of course. Nonetheless I brought my very own vitamin water to lunch and casually made conversation with my peers hinting at the new drink I bought. Taking the first sip of that water disappointed me beyond measure. I was sure this vitamin water would immediately enrich me with increased speed, intelligence, and flexibility (why I felt this way I’m not sure). Only for reality to hit me and I get gross flavored water in a bottle.
What is vitamin water? The media markets vitamin water as an even healthier alternative to regular drinking water. It is said to contain vitamins and nutrients that help your body. The truth is, is it does nothing for your body that sugar water can’t do.
What the media doesn’t say is that vitamin water contains nearly as much sugar in it as coke. What a consumer of vitamin water thinks is a burst of energy, is actually a sugar high and can be dangerous to one’s self. When you intake too much sugar, your pancreas has to increase insulin into your blood. Too much sugar in your body makes you more susceptible to diseases.
According to Authority Nutrition there is no scientific evidence that Vitamin Water benefits you health-wise.
The CSPI (Center for Science in the Public Interest) says not only do you likely have the vitamins you need, your body probably is unable to absorb the “vitamins” in the drink. It also doesn’t say whether the “vitamins” are natural or chemically altered (which they are). This fact is important in whether it affects the body or is flushed out when you urinate. The “nutrients” the vitamin water give you aren’t worth the amount of sugar in the drink.
If you want to get the vitamins and nutrients you need, eat a varied balanced diet and you’ll be fine. If you’re missing then taking a oral vitamin may help you. However further research revealed even oral vitamins may not actually be as benefitting to us as we think. Vitamins can store up in your system and could be toxic if you over do it. It is important to to have a a healthy diet. Here is a daily recommendation for vitamins to make sure you’re getting exactly what you need. Not over or under. To my peers that drink vitamin water, how do you feel now?
This article I found nutrient, talks about the two groups of water soluble, and fat soluble. Basically the two groups are classified by how the body stores them. This all relates back to excess vitamins, because that is how the extra vitamins will be stored. Check it out http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-and-supplements/nutrition-vitamins-11/fat-water-nutrient
Its funny to hear people that follow and believe in these kind of products. While yes these products may have some of the things that may claim to have in their products, however they shy away from informing you about how much sugar and other unhealthy things that you are consuming.
The propaganda tactics that companies use never cease to amuse me. A friend recently pointed out to me, at a convenience store, that American Spirit cigarettes use the phrase “100% Additive-Free” and the word additive is suspiciously close to the word addictive ( arguably cigarettes worst quality ). Marketing companies are finding very sneaky and subtle ways to mislead their target audience. I think it can and will only get worse or at least thats the obvious trend.
This post has got me thinking about the labeling of foods and drinks in America. I know there are already certain health factors and nutritional value facts that they must disclose on the label, but what about items like this? If this information is correct, it seems to me that vitamin water is just a scam on the consumer propped up by sketchy/false health claims. I have provided a link at the end of this comment that talks about how the Supreme Court has made false advertising illegal on food and drink labels. I believe it is only a matter of time before someone takes vitamin water to court. They can only toe the line for so long.
http://www.latimes.com/local/la-fi-court-fruit-drinks-20140613-story.html
Agreed!If false advertising causes consumers to make unhealthy decisions, there’s a problem. I believe everyone should be informed and able to make educated decisions. Marketers are smart though. They play with words and I’m interested in seeing what would happen if a company is sued due to claims without scientific evidence. Thanks for your comment!