Are Enhanced Water Drinks Worth The Price?
CHICAGO (CBS) – On store shelves these days, there is water to help you sleep, water to keep you awake, water to lose weight, water to provide important vitamins we all need.
WBBM-TV in Chicago's Kris Gutierrez asks: Are these special waters really worth the money?
And, what's wrong with regular water?
"To be honest, there's nothing wrong with regular water," Clinical Nutritionist Heather Rasmussen of Rush University Medical Center said.
Some bottled waters cost as much as $3.
"That's crazy, why do that?" consumer Jane Fitzpatrick says.
A 2.5-ounce container of Dream Water claims to help people sleep by mixing the compounds GABA, melatonin and 5-HTP.
Rasmussen says melatonin supplements may help you sleep better, but there's nothing to support the idea that using all three compounds together is effective.
"Rather than relying on this, which is going to be $2 to $3 a bottle, it makes more sense to change other factors in your life that are going to be helpful as well," she says.
Her suggestions: Exercise, or eliminate distractions while trying to rest.
Then there's VitaminWater. The popularity seems to be growing.
But regular VitaminWater has 120 calories and 32 grams or 8 teaspoons of sugar. The "Zero" option has natural sweeteners and no calories. Both have Vitamin C, B vitamins, manganese and electrolytes.
But all are nutrients you could get in a healthy meal.
Skinny Water has Citramax but there's no solid evidence, says Rasmussen, that it impacts cravings to help curb your appetite.
Then, there's coconut water, usually around 60 calories a serving.
Rasmussen says it's okay, in moderation.
Other waters have potassium added because it's an electrolyte and could be helpful to people who work out.
"If you are exercising for about an hour at a time at moderate intensity, then it may be useful to have some sort of beverage that has electrolytes added," Rasmussen says.
Caffeinated water is like drinking coffee, but you don't get coffee's beneficial phytochemicals.
So is this bottled-water craze really worth it?
"I would say that tap water, filtered water, is the number-one best thing for people," Rasmussen says.
The makers of Dream Water said that each of its three ingredients have been individually studied and cite 354 studies.
They also say the product has helped tens of thousands of people with rest and relaxation.
Avitae, the caffeinated water company, claims it is not a coffee substitute, but a healthy, energizing alternative to sugary beverages.
Skinny Water conducted its own study that shows Citromax is effective and they don't claim it's an appetite suppressant. The company's goal is inspire consumers to make healthier choices throughout the day.
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