Water "enhancers"... thoughts?!

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AlohaKeAkua
AlohaKeAkua Posts: 92
in Food and Nutrition
Hey guys! I don' know if this topic has been beaten to death or not yet, but I was wondering what the general public thought about water enhancers like Crystal Light/Mio etc... Do you think your water is the same when you use it? As in, if I drink a few bottles of water with sugar free Mio, is it the same as drinking my needed cups of water? Or, do you think your water needs to be completely chemical free in order to benefit you the way it should be?
I only drink sugar/calorie free enhancers...
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Replies

  • BarackMeLikeAHurricane
    BarackMeLikeAHurricane Posts: 3,400 Member
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    It's fine
  • MG_Fit
    MG_Fit Posts: 1,143 Member
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    Is there a reason why you add the enhancers to the water?

    I add supplements to my after for pre and post training (Scivation Xtend), but I do not count this towards my water intake. I'm usually around 120 - 200 oz of water / day though.
  • AlohaKeAkua
    AlohaKeAkua Posts: 92
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    Just for flavor.
  • dayone987
    dayone987 Posts: 645 Member
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    Your body is capable of extracting the H20 from anything that contains water, so yes it will still count as water.
  • Astacia74
    Astacia74 Posts: 166 Member
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    Try using natural flavor enhancers such as berries, lemon juice or cucumbers.
  • Colliex3
    Colliex3 Posts: 328 Member
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    I think using them for alittle taste is no big deal. I like fresh lemon in my water.
  • TotalTory
    TotalTory Posts: 59
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    Just an FYI - I would not use any of the liquid water flavors - the little packets are fine - but the MIO and others have propylene glycol in them and that is basically antifreeze. Just thought I would pass it along. Lots of other products have the same thing but I know for sure the liquid flavors do.
  • laurageist
    laurageist Posts: 4
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    You may want to True Lime, if you can find it. They are powdered, calorie free, and contain stevia, so no scary chemicals. I don't use them myself, but my husband loves them. :)
  • thisismeraw
    thisismeraw Posts: 1,264 Member
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    Just an FYI - I would not use any of the liquid water flavors - the little packets are fine - but the MIO and others have propylene glycol in them and that is basically antifreeze. Just thought I would pass it along. Lots of other products have the same thing but I know for sure the liquid flavors do.

    In Canada Mio doesn't contain propylene glycol.

    Propylene glycol is in a lot of foods as a preservative and it is used to keep things from freezing. It is also used in a lot of cosmetic products (deodorants, face creams, lotions, lipsticks) and it is also used in vaccines as well as things like cough syrup.

    There is not nearly enough in Mio to be toxic and propylene glycol is broken down by the body into harmless substances. If you wanted to avoid chemicals in your body you would have to avoid most cosmetic and beauty products, pharmacy products, and a lot of foods on the market.

    For the OP, use the mio if you like it and if it helps you get your water in. Nothing wrong with it!
  • MrsGriffin67
    MrsGriffin67 Posts: 485 Member
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    Just an FYI - I would not use any of the liquid water flavors - the little packets are fine - but the MIO and others have propylene glycol in them and that is basically antifreeze. Just thought I would pass it along. Lots of other products have the same thing but I know for sure the liquid flavors do.

    Do you realize how much propylene glycol you would have to ingest before it would be toxic. Also many things contain propylene glycol. Ever check out the ingredients on things like vanilla extract.

    Here is an article from naturalnews.com http://www.naturalnews.com/023138_propylene_glycol_products_natural.html
  • ines1961
    ines1961 Posts: 5 Member
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    I think that anyway you can get your water in if fine.
  • BerryH
    BerryH Posts: 4,698 Member
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    My favourite water enhancers are a kettle, teabag, and just a splash of milk.
  • Hexahedra
    Hexahedra Posts: 894 Member
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    I used to add mio into my water because I wasn't used to drinking non-flavored stuff. Now I'm ok with plain water as is.
  • crystalwelshroberts
    crystalwelshroberts Posts: 147 Member
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    I am actually sensitive to all those sweeteners even tho they are calorie free I tend to love the sweetness and consume too many! So moderation is my motto!
  • JustJennie1
    JustJennie1 Posts: 3,843 Member
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    Why not make a pitcher of water and put cut up lemons, cucumbers or oranges in it for flavor?
  • AlohaKeAkua
    AlohaKeAkua Posts: 92
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    I had a feeling someone would tell me I would die from it ;-)
    I don't drink it all the time, but I would not drink any at all if it wouldn't benefit me as regular water would. I'm a teacher and I don't have a place to stack bottles of water (which I like to think of myself as being a little more "green" than that anyway!) I just want to change the taste of the water fountain water at school, so I could continue to get my water in during the day. I can't carry bottles and bottles of fresh cut lemons and such, all around all day. I do that at home all the time though.
    Looks like the majority thinks it's OK, I won't be killed from it, and I'll still get the benefits of water from it!
  • SteveJWatson
    SteveJWatson Posts: 1,225 Member
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    Is a teabag a water enhancer then? :drinker:
  • Hornsby
    Hornsby Posts: 10,322 Member
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    Yes, it's fine for you. No, it doesn't count towards water intake. If that was the case, everything could count towards your water intake as most drinks start out as water.
  • AlohaKeAkua
    AlohaKeAkua Posts: 92
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    Yes, it's fine for you. No, it doesn't count towards water intake. If that was the case, everything could count towards your water intake as most drinks start out as water.

    That is where my confusion comes in and the purpose of this question.
  • SteveJWatson
    SteveJWatson Posts: 1,225 Member
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    Yes, it's fine for you. No, it doesn't count towards water intake. If that was the case, everything could count towards your water intake as most drinks start out as water.

    Yeeeees........

    So; all drinks count towards your water intake - just log the calorific stuff you put in them like cordial, milk etc........

    Your body can even use the water in food! Who knew?

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