Is it possible to improve upon nature’s perfect beverage?
I find that the older I get, the more appreciate clean, simple drinking water. Maybe I overdid it on the soda as a kid, and now I just want to drink something without a pound of sugar in it. Water will always be the best choice of beverage; it’s energizing, refreshing, and naturally zero-calorie. But of course, if we only ate food for utility, life wouldn’t be that interesting, which is why water enhancers and mix-ins have become more popular in recent years.
Energy companies have developed various kinds of powders to be mixed into a glass of water to provide additional beneficial effects, including increased energy, better hydration, and extra nutritional content. It’s a good idea on paper, but just like most good nutrition-related ideas, some less-savory sorts have used it as an avenue of marketing empty sludge.
For example, there are some brands of powder that turn your water into a knock-off energy drink, loaded with caffeine. The thing you have to realize about this is that just because it’s not actually an energy drink, that doesn’t necessarily make it healthier than an energy drink. It was water previously, but when you add all of the additional ingredients of an energy drink, well… then it’s just an energy drink, now isn’t it? And energy drinks aren’t very good for you.
However, there are some types of water enhancers that are okay, at least in small amounts. Electrolyte boosters are great for those with an active lifestyle who want the extra replenishment of something like Gatorade without all the added sugar. Though, you should make sure to read the nutrition block to ensure there isn’t any added sugar or sweeteners.
Water is the lifeblood of humanity, and if it takes a little something extra to get you to drink more of it, that’s fine. Just remember that all drinks were water once. It was all the extra crud that made them stop being water.
