Friday, August 26, 2011

The Vitamin Water Deception - exposes truth behind this non-healthy beverage

I guess all of you have seen the appearance of this vitamin water recently, in different colours and flavours to attract consumers' attention. It has been so widely publicised that there is a vending machine located within NTU in Can A! (near the drink stall)

How healthy is this vitamin water? Below is the video created by the non-profit Consumer Wellness Center:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z8lLp26HaZY


These are the content of the video I've collated:

Vitamin Water is marketed as good for you; which contains vitamin + water. But the predominant ingredient is fructose (contains refined white sugar). Therefore, Vitamin Water contains sugar and water, NOT vitamin and water!

Sugar content is a lot more than stated in the nutritional content. Nutritional label claims 13g of sugar per serving. Coca cola cleverly claim 1.5L of water as 2.5 servings. Calculating it logically, it means 1.5L = 32.5g of sugar = drinking a bottle of soda (carbonated drink). This is bad for health as consuming excessive sugar contributes to weight gain, obesity, diabetes.

Coca Cola claims that vitamin water is “enhanced and improve your health”. But through further investigations, Coca Cola lawyers have proven that Vitamin Water isn’t exactly healthy. Misleading advertising has been advertised widely.

For example, Vitamin A claims in focus flavor of Vitamin Water, which is an important nutrient for our eyes. But in reality, Vitamin Water contains large amount of sugar with tiny amounts of vitamins – which is synthetic chemicals such as the cheap sugar cyanocobalamin – Vitamin B12.

In general, Vitamin Water provides misleading information on multiple levels:

  • · Name
  • · Serving sizes
  • · Advertising
  • · Front label

Vitamin Water a sugar laden junk beverage, which its own manufacturer admits it isn’t good for you.

Every bottle sold on the market has been pasteurized for its long shelf life. Hence, it cannot be compared to the fresh fruits and vegetables juice we make ourselves from home.

Don’t believe in the Coca Cola propaganda! Who implies Vitamin Water is a healthy beverage with nutrients enhanced.

5 comments:

  1. @Keli: will you drink this Vitamin Water again? HAHA!

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  2. hello Lixuan! I stopped drinking after I read this article some time ago! Well, after all, natural sources like fruits and vegetables are still the best I must say. I have switched to 2+2 LOL. And I have one question for you, what about Pink Dolphin, what do you think? Will you classify Pink Dolphin under the same category as this Vitamin Water?

    HAHA! :D

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  3. Hi Li Xuan!

    I find it hard to believe that Vitamin A was actually fortified into the popular vitamin water since Vitamin A is a fat soluble vitamin. If the claim is true, it would mean that the vitamin water must consists of a substantial amount of fats or fat based substances. This would make the drink unhealthy as well. One could actually choose to drink plain water as it is definitely fat-free.

    U also mentioned that the drink has been pasteurized for its long shelf life. The temperature of pasteurization is normally within 72 degree Celsius to 85 degree Celsius, and at that temperature, some heat sensitive vitamins such as Vitamin C would have been destroyed.

    Hence, i agree that we should not be consuming vitamin water for its vitamin content since there should be little vitamin in it.
    The conventional choice of fruits and vegetables would be a lot better when it comes to nutrients.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hi Keli!

    Hi Keli!

    I was on Pink Dolphin's website (http://www.yeos.com.sg/pinkdolphin/products.php) and saw that Pink Dolphin was classified as 'vitaminised water'. It was stated as flavoured water with added vitamins (vitamin C, B6, B12).

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  5. Hello! I choose to believe that Pink Dolphin is also another vitamin water and similarly, it contains high amount of sugar or even artificial sweeteners. I used to drink Pink Dolphin because it is sweet and it satisfy my craving for something sweet. However, knowing too much sugar is bad for health (and waist) i definitely think that drinking plain water is the best and eating fresh fruits and vegetables will be the best way to obtain vitamins and fiber in our diet.

    ReplyDelete