Is Vitamin Water Good for You? Try Infused Water Instead

I used to drink vitamin water a lot, especially after a workout or long walk. I liked the different flavors and the idea of extra vitamins and minerals in my drink. I thought it was a better choice than soda or juice, which has too much sugar and calories. But I discovered that vitamin water isn’t as healthy as it sounds. There might actually be more disadvantages than advantages. Before grabbing a bottle of vitamin water, here are some things to know, and some alternatives to try.

What Is Vitamin Water?

Vitamin water is a store-bought drink with vitamins, minerals, electrolytes, and flavors added to water. It’s marketed as a functional beverage that provides hydration and nutrition. Some of the popular brands of vitamin water are Glaceau Vitaminwater, Propel Vitamin Boost, and Bai Antioxidant Water.

What Are the Pros of Vitamin Water?

Like many others, you may find yourself drawn to vitamin water for its claimed health benefits. To determine whether it lives up to the hype, let's look at some its advantages.

1. It Tastes Good Vitamin water comes in various delicious flavors, such as lemonade, dragonfruit, strawberry, and orange. Many people opt for vitamin water because it encourages them to drink more fluids and stay hydrated.

2. It Contains Some Nutrients Vitamin C, vitamin B, zinc, and magnesium are just some of the nutritional benefits you can get from vitamin water. These support muscle function, immunity, energy, and healing. It also contains electrolytes, which are minerals with an electric charge and help regulate your body’s fluid balance, nerve impulses, and muscle contractions.

3. It Has Fewer Calories Than Soda or Juice With about 50 to 120 calories per bottle (depending on the brand and flavor), vitamin water has fewer calories than soda or juice, which has around 140 to 200. So drinking it instead of pop or fruit juice can help you cut down on your calorie intake and manage your weight.

What Are the Cons of Vitamin Water?

Vitamin water has some drawbacks that may cancel its benefits. Here are some of them:

1. It Has Added Sugar Did you know that store-bought vitamin water often includes added sugars like fructose or cane sugar? This suggests a greater risk of health issues than just drinking water, including diabetes, obesity, heart disease, and tooth decay. A single bottle of vitamin water contains 32 grams of sugar - slightly less than a soda can or a candy bar.

2. It May Have Artificial Ingredients Certain types of vitamin water brands incorporate artificial sweeteners, colors, flavors, or preservatives to improve their taste and aesthetic appeal. However, these components might harm your health. According to Mayo Clinic, some artificial sweeteners may cause headaches, allergic reactions, digestive problems, or even cancer.

3. It May Not Provide Enough Hydration or Nutrition Vitamin water isn’t a substitute for plain water or a balanced diet. To stay hydrated, it's still vital to drink plenty throughout the day, especially if you exercise or sweat a lot. And eating foods with balanced nutrients is essential for optimal health.

Make Infused Water Instead!

You can make your own “vitamin water” by adding fresh fruits, vegetables, herbs, or spices to regular tap water. This is a natural way to flavor your water and get healthy nutrients without sugar or artificial ingredients. To make infused water, simply soak fresh fruits, vegetables, herbs, or spices in cold water for several hours or overnight. Here's why I love it:

1. It’s Hydrating Water is essential for your body to work well. It has many important benefits for your health, such as:

Fruits and vegetables are rich in water and nutrients, so infusing them into your beverage can enhance its hydration even further.

2. It’s Nutritious By incorporating fruits, vegetables, herbs, or spices into your beverage, you benefit from their vitamins and minerals. This will depend on your selection. For example:

• Lemon water is a beneficial drink to aid digestion, detoxification, skin health, and immunity.
• Strawberries are known to help with blood sugar control, inflammation reduction, antioxidant protection, and collagen production.
• Mint water relieves nausea, reduces bloating, freshens your breath, and improves mood.
• Adding ginger to water can relieve pain, prevent infection, boost metabolism, and reduce inflammation.
• Cucumbers can help with hydration, weight loss, skin health, and kidney function.

• A large pitcher or jar with a lid.
• Water (filtered or purified ideally).
• Fresh fruits, vegetables, herbs, or spices of your choice.
• A wooden spoon or muddler.

• Wash and chop the fruits, vegetables, herbs, or spices into small pieces.
• Place them in a pitcher or jar filled with water.
• Use a wooden spoon or muddler to gently mash the ingredients to release their flavors.
• Cover the pitcher or jar with a lid and refrigerate it for at least 4 hours or overnight.
• Enjoy for 2 days and discard any leftovers.

• Use organic produce to avoid pesticides and chemicals.
• Use cold or room temperature water instead of hot water to preserve the nutrients and flavors of the ingredients.
• Use more ingredients for stronger flavors or fewer ingredients for milder flavors.
• Experiment with different ingredient combinations to find your favorites.
• Add ice cubes before serving for extra refreshment!