Is vitamin water good for weight loss and health?

Vitamin water does not aid weight loss

Many people battling with overweight are turning to vitamin water in an effort to fight obesity. There’s no question that vitamin water is better than carbonated soft drinks, but it’s a whole lot worse than drinking plain water.

Kristeen Cherney (Livestrong.com 20 January 2014) says that “the health benefits of vitamin water don’t compare to plain water. In some cases, vitamin water can wreak havoc on your diet ...”.

Misconceptions

Vitamin water is sometimes marketed as a drink to complement a weight loss regime. Unfortunately the opposite effect can occur, particularly if you choose vitamin water that has added sugar, carbohydrates and calories. According to a report from Yale-New Haven Hospital, “some brands of vitamin water are made with sucralose and aspartame, which can cause gastrointestinal side effects such as nausea and diarrhoea”.

Even no-calorie vitamin water may not be healthy, due to the artificial sweeteners added for taste.

“The Dark Side of Vitamin Water”

John Robbins, in his article “The Dark Side of Vitamin Water” (Huffington Post 8 May 2010) writes as follows: “How many people with weight problems have consumed products like vitamin water in the mistaken belief that the product was nutritionally positive and carried no caloric consequences? ... The very name "vitamin water" suggests that the product is simply water with added nutrients, disguising the fact that it's actually full of added sugar [and chemicals].”

Vitamin water Ingredients

Vitamin water comprises vitamins as well as syrups, sweeteners and flavours that mimic the taste of some fruits. Some types of vitamin water also contain caffeine, and therefore child health organisations warn against using vitamin drinks for children.

According to the Vitamin Water website, there are around 120 calories [and up to 33 grams of sugar or cane syrup] in a 600ml serving of vitamin water.

“Sugarwater” might be a better name

“If vitamin water were accurately named, it would actually be called ‘Sugarwater’. Its first two ingredients are, not surprisingly, sugar and water (the sugar coming in the form of crystalline fructose, a processed sweetener that has been linked to [obesity and other] health problems),” writes Mike Adams, the Health Ranger Editor of NaturalNews.com (10 August 2010).

Alternatives to vitamin water

Plain water is your most intelligent choice and the healthiest alternative to vitamin water. Aside from flushing out your system, water assists in the transportation of nutrients within the body. The health benefits of plain water far outweigh those of vitamin water. It’s important to get your body used to drinking plain clean water.

Information sourced and condensed from the following websites:

http://www.livestrong.com/article/460751-vitamin-water-health-facts/

http://www.naturalnews.com/029425_vitamin water_Coca-Cola.html#ixzz3AVwrySrT

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/john-robbins/the-dark-side-of-vitaminw_b_669716.html\John Robbins

http://www.theage.com.au/national/the-bittersweet-truth-about-vitamin-water-20080920-4kne.html

1. Prev:Could your travel to work help you lose weight?
2. Next:How to make healthier nachos