Presuming vitamin water products are health drinks that enhance the benefits of drinking water is like believing that cotton candy is ok for you because it's fat free. To truly improve the benefits of drinking water, it is intelligent to search online for natural health drinks that contain live enzymes, real whole food nutrients, and alkaline ingredients.
What do those candy colored bottles of vitamin water really provide and are they health drinks? The big selling point for a bottle of kiwi-strawberry vitamin water says it will somehow enhance "focus". The first thing to focus on is that this beverage is the color of pink cotton candy. Next, it is easy to focus on what is missing from the ingredients list for these health drinks, not one mention of actual kiwi or strawberries, only "natural flavor". In fact, on this bottle of "nutrient enhanced water beverage" the label states that it contains less than 1% fruit juice. Focusing even more clearly, it is quite clear that these vitamin water health drinks are actually de-ionized waters with colorful dyes and chemically isolated vitamins and minerals.
One astounding nutrition fact to note on the label of this enhanced vitamin water is that each bottle contains 2.5 servings, which is where the total amount of sugar in one bottle can be deceiving. The nutrition fact label reveals 13g of sugar, but that is the amount per serving, not per bottle. Multiply 13g times 2.5 servings and you end up with 32.5 grams of sugar in each bottle, more than most any other drink, including sodas. The first ingredient in this particular vitamin water, after the de-mineralized water, is crystalline fructose, which might best be described as concentrated sugar. That is what this labratory produced liquid tastes like, liquid candy, only with less appeal and more of a chemical aftertaste. With just a few sips, it is easy to clearly focus on how these health drinks do not enhance the benefits of drinking water.
Further investigation reveals other issues with the so-called vitamins in these vitamin water health drinks. According to the label, each serving contains 10% of your daily requirements for Vitamins A, B3, B6, B12, and B5 plus a hefty 40% of your daily allowance of Vitamin C. The shortfall is that these vitamins are not from any whole foods similar to real strawberries or kiwis. Remember, those whole foods were not listed in the ingredients. Therefore, the live enzymes necessary to help the body absorb the vitamins are not there. Nutrition facts reveal that whole foods like fruits and vegetables contain live enzymes, which act as catalysts for vitamins and minerals to work in the body. Without those whole food properties in health drinks, vitamins are not easily absorbed and are more than likely flushed down the toilet. So, none of those vitamins in vitamin water are actually being put to use by the body.
This is why it is wise to look past vitamin water sales gimmicks and celebrity endorsements, read labels carefully, learn about health drinks with live enzymes, whole foods, and how the body absorbs nutrients. If you are serious about your fitness and want something above and beyond a vitamin water gimmick, search the web. Look for valuable nutrition facts online about whole foods and natural health drinks that absolutely will enhance the benefits of drinking water.