Water "enhancers"... thoughts?!

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Replies

  • cressievargo
    cressievargo Posts: 392 Member
    Try using natural flavor enhancers such as berries, lemon juice or cucumbers.

    ^^This.

    Aspartame is the devil. =)
  • 3foldchord
    3foldchord Posts: 2,918 Member
    sometimes I use water fkvors from Trader Joes or Starbucks. Cane Sugar and natural flaovors. when I am on a hike or working out sometimes I need the little sugar boost.
  • ayedemi17
    ayedemi17 Posts: 12 Member
    I have tried the Crystal Light as well as the Mio. The Crystal Light made my joints hurt...I am not sure what made them do that, but as soon as I quit drinking it...it stopped. However, I LOVE MIO! I really like the energy kind for the caffeine. It has helped me cut out soda and coffee completely. They also make other flavors that I have been able to find for pretty cheap on EBAY. Just a thought...hope it helps :)
  • tubbytuker
    tubbytuker Posts: 15 Member
    Sometimes I add a little cranberry juice to water for flavour - can you keep a bottle of cranberry juice cold and then just add enough to colour it! It tastes great and is also good for you! Re Crystal Light, watch the chemicals! A few sprinkles of it in your water will give flavour and not too many chemicals - aspartame is not good for you!
  • BrattiAtti
    BrattiAtti Posts: 9
    I was previously involved with two medically supervised weight loss programs and both stated that any decaffeinated drinks can count towards daily water intake. I can't handle the taste of plain water so drink Crystal Light all the time. ~

    I [ab]use the energy drink packets that do contain caffeine plus stuff, so I do not count them in my water intake. I drink enough tap, though, that it really doesn't matter. I counted in the flavored water when I lived in an area with horrible pipes, but I feel "cleaner" now that I get to consume lots of plain old water in addition to my treats.
  • aNewYear123
    aNewYear123 Posts: 279 Member
    I thought as long as it was sugar free and caffeine free it was okay to count it as water. I might suggest you get one of those sports bottles that have their own water filter (britta, bobble). Would that clean up the taste from the water fountain enough? Then you don't have to worry about whether or not adding the flavoring counts.
  • metacognition
    metacognition Posts: 626 Member
    I think the sugar free drinks like Crystal light were linked to weight gain. I try to avoid them but they're probably fine. The 5 calories surely won't make a difference.
  • cressievargo
    cressievargo Posts: 392 Member
    I have tried the Crystal Light as well as the Mio. The Crystal Light made my joints hurt...I am not sure what made them do that, but as soon as I quit drinking it...it stopped. However, I LOVE MIO! I really like the energy kind for the caffeine. It has helped me cut out soda and coffee completely. They also make other flavors that I have been able to find for pretty cheap on EBAY. Just a thought...hope it helps :)

    What's so bad about coffee (just curious). It's natural. Mio contains ingredients you can't pronounce, and food coloring (which if you look up how they make food dyes...nasty!).
  • cressievargo
    cressievargo Posts: 392 Member
    I have tried the Crystal Light as well as the Mio. The Crystal Light made my joints hurt...I am not sure what made them do that, but as soon as I quit drinking it...it stopped. However, I LOVE MIO! I really like the energy kind for the caffeine. It has helped me cut out soda and coffee completely. They also make other flavors that I have been able to find for pretty cheap on EBAY. Just a thought...hope it helps :)

    The joint pain probably comes from the aspartame. It does that to me, too.
  • belgerian
    belgerian Posts: 1,059 Member
    My favorite water enhancer is Ice cream, Woops oh wait a minute,
  • web816
    web816 Posts: 10 Member
    I personally do use some Crystal Light and diet soda. However, I only log plain water as "water" on MFP. I like to limit my use of artificial sweeteners, so aiming to get 8+ cups of plain water daily helps me keep the other drinks in moderation. Also, I figure that if their is any bad effects of artificial sweeteners, all the plain water I'm drinking surely helps flush some of that out! lol I typically get 10-12c plain water daily along with 1 can diet soda and 8-12oz Crystal Light.
  • lemonmon1
    lemonmon1 Posts: 134 Member
    Watch those powder packs; they are often full of artificial sweeteners and other chemicals that are really bad for you. The only water additives I use are tea bags or a tsp of lemon juice in the glass of water I have first thing in the morning. It's so refreshing and good for you!
  • MisterDerpington
    MisterDerpington Posts: 604 Member
    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.

    Was waiting for someone to show up and say it's comparable to anti-freeze. lawl!
  • laurajo521
    laurajo521 Posts: 91 Member
    Jumping in here. Never used the forums before...

    One of my friends got me on to these liquid water enhancers, and I like them because they really do help me drink more water, which is apparently something I do less of in my old age. Who knew? After I workout, I gulp it down, but just during the day to keep from getting hungry? Not as good at it.

    Many years ago, a doctor told me Crystal Light is not water, so I am not sure a) why he said it and b) if the same rules apply today. And, I checked the ingredients on the one I have (Dasani brand) and it has neither propelyne glycol nor stevia, which is good because I have a sensitivity to stevia.

    I think if it helps me get water in my system it's going to have to be ok. But I did buy some fresh lemons, so I can do that at home. It is just a pain to slice up lemons at work.
  • wild_wild_life
    wild_wild_life Posts: 1,334 Member
    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.

    Antifreeze is ethylene glycol. Propylene glycol is totally different and is a very common additive as posters above pointed out.
  • laurajo521
    laurajo521 Posts: 91 Member
    Dasani doesn't have it. Or if they do, it's masquerading by a different name. Honestly, it doesn't look like anything too harmful, just non-nutritive food additives and some food color.

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