VitaminWater for Your Health? Plus 10 Recipes to Make Your Own!



VitaminWater for Your Health?

‘VitaminWater’ is a widely available and best-selling beverage manufactured by the CocaCola brand. It is thought by many consumers to offer some benefits to health. Considering that it is called ‘VitaminWater’ this idea is not very surprising, both elements of the name being things that are absolutely necessary for our wellbeing. The tag line for this beverage is that you are buying a nutrient enhanced water beverage.


Courtesy Coca-Cola
Courtesy Coca-Cola

The packaging also indicates that VitaminWater is a healthy way to keep hydrated, with varieties such as ‘Focus’ which is said to promote eye health, due to the added antioxidant vitamin A, and ‘Revive’ which has potassium and B vitamins included.

It may therefore be a shock for you to learn that in court, CocaCola’s lawyers claimed that “No consumer could reasonably be misled into thinking that VitaminWater was a healthy beverage.”

What is inside?

Courtesy Coca-Cola
Courtesy Coca-Cola

The list of ingredients found on each bottle states that after water, ‘crystalline fructose’ is the next most prominent component. Sugar. 13 grams of sugar per serving. You could argue that this is quite modest when compared with other bottled drinks on the market. That is until you have a closer look. There are in fact 2.5 servings in each bottle, meaning that the total amount of sugar per bottle is 32.5 grams, which is almost the same as a can of coke.

No wonder that Vitamin Water has been described as little more than non-carbonated soda.

What about the vitamins and fruit?

The vitamins that are added to this beverage consist of very small amounts of synthetic chemical compounds that are not easily absorbed by our bodies.

You will not find fruit inside VitaminWater. CocaCola uses artificial flavourings to allow them to describe a beverage as ‘kiwi-strawberry flavour’.  There is no actual kiwi or strawberry inside the kiwi+strawberry VitaminWater.

So in fact, the product name, serving size and marketing are all designed to fool consumers into feeling like they are making a healthy choice, when in fact that is far from the truth.

Make you own vitamin water

Courtesy Eco Baby Company
Courtesy Eco Baby Company

Pre-packaged beverages have to be pasteurised, and that process strips all of the naturally occurring enzymes. Luckily it is simple to make your own mineral and vitamin infused delicious water. Juicing fruits and vegetable is one great way and you can also follow the recipes below to create tasty water that will keep you hydrated. Proper hydration is essential for good digestion, mental clarity and many chemical reactions that take place unseen within our bodies.

For all of these recipes you will need a pitcher filled with around 10 cups of water. You can use purified, alkalised, ionised water as you prefer. Once you add the ingredients and muddle the water you should cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or ideally overnight before serving.

1. Cucumber and Lemon

Courtesy Eco Baby Company
Courtesy Eco Baby Company

Thinly slice a cucumber and a lemon, add 1/4 cup fresh finely chopped basil leaves and 1/3 cup of finely chopped fresh mint leaves and mix gently with the water. Enjoy!

2. Blackberry and sage

Add 1 cup of blackberries that have been very slightly crushed and 4 sage leaves to your pitcher of water and mix. A classy tastebud explosion.

3. Faux vanilla latte

Gently crush two vanilla beans with a wooden spoon or spatula. Combine them with 2 cups whole coffee beans and mix into your pitcher.

4. Pineapple and Cherry

Stir together 2 cups of pineapple chunks, 1 cup pitted and halved fresh cherries, and three cored and thinly sliced granny smith apples into your water and refrigerate.

5. Watermelon and rosemary

Combine 1 cup of cubed watermelon and 2 rosemary stems with your pitcher of water. Prepare to be hydrated to the max!

6. Strawberry and lime

Add 6 strawberries and one thinly sliced lime, plus 12 scrunched fresh mint leaves to your jug and stir gently. Fresh!

7. Mint and Mango

Scrunch six mint sprigs to release their flavour. Combine them with 3 cups cubed mango (fresh or frozen) and two thinly sliced limes, gently muddle into your water with a wooden spoon or spatula for a tropical teaser.

8. Raspberries and basil

Courtesy Eco Baby Company
Courtesy Eco Baby Company

Scrunch 8 fresh basil leaves to release their flavour. Combine them with 3 cups of raspberries, add to the water and gently muddle with a wooden spoon or spatula. This combination is so tasty, give it a try!

9. Apple and cinnamon

Mix in your pitcher of water, 1 cup of chopped apple, 2 cinnamon sticks and 2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon. This is deliciously warming and cooling at the same time.

10. Nice and spicy

Stir together two thinly sliced cucumbers and two seeded and sliced jalapeño peppers and add to your jug. Unusual, tasty and only for the brave!

These delicious recipes will ensure that you keep hydrated, with no excuse that you do not enjoy the taste. Keep informed about the truth behind beverages that are available in supermarkets and do not be misled into making unhealthy choices!



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