The Truth About Functional Beverages

Beverages

 

The Truth About Functional Beverages

 MensHealth.com

10. The Truth About Function: Urban Detox: 

 

100 calories, 0 g fat, 24 g sugars


Researchers in New Orleans found that subjects given prickly pear extract, one of the compounds at work in this bottle, experienced fewer hangover symptoms after a night of heavy drinking. Among the dose of B vitamins found in this bottle is four times your daily value of B6, a vitamin that tends to suffer depletion at the hands of a long night of drinking. However, water still remains the best antidote for a hangover, and it doesn't carry the 100 calories this drink does.

9. The Truth About Glaceau Vitaminwater Defense Raspberry-Apple : 

 

50 calories, 0 g fat , 13 g sugars


Any boon this bottle provides to your immune system is coming from two primary ingredients: vitamin C and zinc. Vitamin C has a reputation for fighting the common cold, but studies don't fully support the claim. Zinc, on the other hand, might be a little more promising. A recent study found that daily zinc supplementation could increase the body's production of T cells, which help the body fight viral and bacterial infections. Problem is, the study used a daily dose of 15 milligrams—about four times as much as you get from a bottle of Defense.

 

8. The Truth About SoBe Lifewater Strawberry Kiwi Bliss : 

 

40 calories, 0 g fat, 10 g sugars


Aside from the standard B vitamins that lace nearly every functional beverage on the market, this one has the added bonus of two extracts: lemon balm and hibiscus. The good news is, one of these herbs has a high likelihood of reducing stress. The bad news? There's probably not enough of it in this bottle for you to notice. As for hibisucs, its only real value is in its ability to fight hypertension, but again, positive effects have only been found using doses much larger than what's provided here.

 

7. The Truth About Zico Pure Coconut Water: 

 

60 calories, 0 g fat, 14 g sugars

Coconut water offers the electrolytes of Gatorade with less sugar and no artificial add-ins.

 

6. The Truth About Propel Berry : 

 

30 calories, 0 g fat, 6 g sugars


The original functional beverage is also among the best. It's low in sugar, contains no artificial coloring, and carries a bevy of antioxidents.

 

5. The Truth About Gatorade G Orange : 

 

80 calories, 0 g fat, 21 g sugars


Gatorade is loaded with artificial coloring & sugar! While G2 used to contain high-fructose corn syrup, the company has recently revised their formula to eliminate the inexpensive sweetener. But the HFCS was, of course, replaced with another type of sugar. Gatorade is perfectly fine as an fast energy source before, during, and after hard exercise, but like any other sugary beverage, it can lead to weight gain if you’re a couch potato who’s guzzling it by the gallon.

 

4. The Truth About Gatorade G2 Glacier Freeze : 

 

45 calories, 0 g fat, 12 g sugars


Fewer than half the calories of traditional Gatorade, but with all of the same electrolytes to encourage full hydration.

 

3. The Truth About Glaceau Smart Water : 

 

0 calories, 0 g fat, 0 g sugars


Zero sugar, zero calories. Just water and electrolytes. Now that's refreshing.


Replace half of what you drink with water and you'll save 23 pounds per year! Start by avoiding everything on this list of The 20 Worst Drinks in America.

 

2. The Truth About Function: Light Weight Blueberry Raspberry :

11 calories, 0 g fat, 2 g sugars


The bottle boasts both EGCG and resveratrol, the star nutrients from the world of tea and wine.

 

1. The Truth About SoBe Lifewater Blackberry Grape Enlighten :

90 calories, 0 g fat, 23 g sugars

Any "water" with more than 20 grams of sugar has no place in your diet.