Originally published July 31 2005
Consumers should be wary of the beneficial claims of "health drinks," health writer says
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
There are a multitude of drinks on the market that claim to do everything from boost energy to make up for unhealthy eating, but Washington Post health writer Sally Squires says that consumers should read the labels of these drinks rather than accepting their benefits at face value, and she also reviews some common ingredients of these drinks.
From Naked "Food-Juice" Superfood Green Machine to Red Bull, a growing number of specialty drinks are offering to quench more than consumers' thirst.
Often billed as "health" drinks, these new beverages contain a wide range of ingredients, from the Brazilian berry acai (pronounced AH-sigh-EE) to taurine, an amino acid.
In many cases, "the amount is usually going to be pretty negligible," said Leslie Bonci, director of sports nutrition at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.
"Otherwise you'd be paying a ton, and it probably wouldn't taste that good."
Even so, the drinks can take a bite out of your wallet, often running about $2 per can or bottle.
They're also not low-calorie, often rivaling or exceeding calories in soft drinks.
Even Think, an Enhanced Water Beverage, has 125 calories per 20-ounce bottle.
As for sipping a diet Red Bull or diet Rock Star energy drink before a workout, Bonci says a healthy snack - say a bowl of vegetable soup, whole-wheat crackers with a little peanut butter or low-fat yogurt with fruit - is a better idea.
Acai: Commercial purveyors of drinks with these palm berries claim they contain high levels of antioxidants and other ingredients that could have wide-ranging health benefits.
But Germany's respected Commission E is silent on this ingredient and the National Institutes of Health's Office of Dietary Supplements lists only two studies on acai, neither of which look at health effects.
Omega-3 fatty acids: These healthy fats are good for your brain, your heart and your joints.
A 15-ounce bottle of Odwalla's Berries GoMega delivers 1,300 milligrams of alpha-linolenic acid, enough to slightly exceed the daily adequate intake (AI) set by the National Academy of Sciences for women and nearly meet the AI for men.
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