Photo: graciepoo / Flickr

Do you consider Vitamin Water to be a drink that’s good for your health, or just another soft drink to refresh? Coca-Cola, the company behind the product, say that they don’t market Vitamin Water as an especially healthy drink, but the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) say that the brand has a health drink’s image – and that it’s an undeserved one. CSPI plan to sue Coca-Cola, but do they have a case?

What’s the problem?

Vitamin Water contains around 33 grams of sugar in each bottle, which the CSPI has pointed out is far more than could be considered healthy. So, why’s this a problem if Vitamin Water isn’t technically marketed as a health drink? Well, the CSPI says, the beverage is associated with a healthy lifestyle thanks to endorsement by sports stars such as Lebron James, and that’s misleading enough.

But what about the vitamins?

Photo: brandon king / Flickr

The fact that Vitamin Water does indeed contain the vitamins for which it’s named doesn’t really do much for its health factor. The vitamins in the drink are synthetic, but more to the point, the good that they do is outweighed by the damage caused by consuming all that sugar.

Water – the healthy drink to choose

If you want to really refresh your thirst and stay healthy, water is still the best way to go, but don’t choose the flavoured, sweetened kind. Keep a water filter in your fridge and a glass bottle or jug full of filtered water on your desk at work to keep yourself well-hydrated. You’ll be amazed at how much better you look and feel when you’re drinking enough, and if you don’t let yourself get too thirsty you’re far less likely to be tempted by sugary drinks.

Tags: healthy lifestyle, water filter