How to Get Fat by Drinking Water
Is such a thing possible? Sure…if the water in question is “Vitamin Water.” Despite the sophisticated-looking bottles and claims that “…each one of our grab-health-by-the-horns varieties offers a unique blend of nutrients…” the reality is that it’s just “value added” sugar water. You get a few random vites and electrolytes for show, but that’s about it. It’s just another “dysfunctional food” that serves more as a source of calories than nutrition.
Let’s take a look at the ingredients and nutritional info, shall we?
Vapor distilled, deionized water and/or reverse osmosis water, crystalline fructose, citric acid, monopotassium phosphate (electrolyte), ascorbic acid (vitamin C), natural flavor, dipotassium phosphate (electrolyte), magnesium lactate (electrolyte), gum acacia, calcium lactate (electrolyte), niacin (B3), ester gum, pantothenic acid (B5), pyridoxine hydrochloride (B6), b-carotene (color) cyanocobalamin (B12)
Nutrition Facts:
Serving size: 8 fl oz, Servings per container: 2.5; Amount per serving: Calories: 50; Total fat: 0g, Sodium: 0mg; Potassium: 60mg; Total carbohydrates: 13g; Sugar: 13g; Protein: 0g; Vitamin C: 40%; Vitamin B3: 20%; Vitamin B6: 20%; Vitamin B12: 20%; Vitamin B5: 20%; Potassium: 150mg per bottle
Now the thing to look at is the servings…there are 2.5 servings in one bottle. But do you know anyone who who actually pours out exactly 8 oz. of the stuff? Me neither: anyone who buys a bottle small enough to hold in their hand typically drinks the whole thing. 13 grams of sugar (fructose) doesn’t sound like so much when you’re talking about a single serving, but it’s roughly 1 tablespoon…multiply that by 2.5 and it comes to 32.5 grams…more sugar than than a bar of Hershey’s Milk Chocolate (22 g). In return, you get modest amounts of 5 vitamins (out of a total of 13) and about as much potassium as a 1/4 cup of orange juice provides.
There’s less sugar (12 g) and more nutrients (11 vites and minerals) in a bowl of Frosted Rice Krispies.
Liquid calories can be the ones that break a diet. Although not all studies show this effect, there’s evidence to show that liquid carbohydrate calories are not as satiating as those from solid sources. In addition, excess fructose consumption is linked to the obesity epidemic.
People need to be eating – and drinking – less sugar, not more. Ok, the occasional sugared drink won’t make you fat, assuming you’re not consuming too many calories in general, but the temptation to assume a drink like “Vitamin Water” is low in calories (as implied by the small serving size), and rich in essential nutrients: the very definition of something that’s “healthy.” NOT: Vitamin Water is strictly a gimmick – the fact that the manufacturer, Glaceau, was bought out by Coca Cola should tell you something right there. It may be slightly better than drinking Coke, but not by much.
June 24, 2008
Not all are that bad. I get the Kirkland Brand of “VitaRain” from Costco. According to the label it’s 0 Cal, 0 Fat, 0 Sugars, 0 everthing.
I’ll agree it’s not as good as water on it’s own, as it has some additives, obviously. But it’s a nice break once in a while. Certainly better than Gatorade after a workout.
I did see the one’s you’re talking about, though and stayed away! Pays to read the label.
June 25, 2008
Well, I’ve never picked up either one; but a friend brought us a can of “diet” Rockstar Energy Drink with taurine, guarana and ginseng. It’s got 4 vitamins listed. No sugar, but sucralose! No thank you. To top it off, the artificial flavour is sickening, and the overly sweet taste as well.
Know what? I never saw a brook or fountain in nature with this stuff coming out of it!
Water please!
Oh, and why, when people ask you what you want to drink and you say water, do they then ask you “now, what can I get for a real drink” when they bring the water?
June 26, 2008
Yikes! Sounds scary!
Fructose is a problem – it doesn’t stimulate insulin in the same way that glucose does. At first glance this seems like a good thing, but when your insulin level goes up it’s one of the signals the brain gets that you’ve had enough calories. So it’s possible that all that fructose will not satisfy your appetite.
And fructose (like other sugars) holds on to water so could make you more thirsty.
And if you use an artifical sweetener instead your brain gets confused over whether you’re getting calories or not (normally the brain would associate a sweet taste with calories). So that may also mess up the appetite control centre!
Best stick to water.
July 24, 2008
I’m a little confused…I’m pretty sure that citric acid contains calories (I calculated it to be about a calorie per gram). Why are the food companies not required to list the citric acid content and/or qualify them as calories? Does your body not absorb citric acid or something? Well if it does then it feeds right into the citric acid cycle and you start turning it into calories.
July 24, 2008
The amount of citric acid used as an additive in processed foods/beverages is quite small, as noted in this table.