Pitcher of health: is "smart" water a dumb idea?

Better Nutrition, April, 2003 by Joe Lewandowski

When it comes to wetting the ol' whistle, we're all being instructed to get more from our water. But should we bother? While humans have survived several million years without added electrolytes, some good stuff can be added to water to provide nutritional value. So, what are the health-conscious to do? Nutritionists say this: Understand your needs, evaluate your activities and--above all--read labels.

water works

Before talking about the array of "enhanced" drinks, let's take a look at how water works in the body. When plain [H.sub.2]O hits the stomach, it doesn't hang around; it passes through, enters the small intestine and is absorbed into the blood.

Water is the major ingredient that helps keep blood flowing smoothly. After the stomach breaks down food, nutrients pass from the small intestine to the bloodstream, which carries them throughout the body. Along the way, the blood passes through the kidneys, vital organs that eliminate unneeded solids. Without enough water to keep them moving, these solids can accumulate into balls known as kidney stones.

If you've talked to someone with a kidney stone, you know how painful these mineral deposits can be. Stones that get lodged in the urinary tract can cause infection and harm kidney function. So it's no wonder that Phil Harvey, PhD, chief science officer at the National Nutritional Foods Association, says, "Water is the most important factor in kidney health."

sugar, sugar

But what does hydration have to do with enhanced drinks? Sometimes, not much. In fact, many enhanced drinks deliver as much food as liquid. While they promise hydration, they also deliver calories. That's not necessarily bad, but if you're serious about body function, you need to take a look at what's in those bottles.

These drinks should really be viewed as dietary supplements rather than hydration products, explains Annette Dickinson, PhD, acting president of the Council for Responsible Nutrition, an organization supported by the supplements industry. "People need to be aware of what's in these drinks," she says. "Most people don't realize that there's a calorie contribution."

Many of these drinks contain a great deal of sugar--sometimes equal to the amount found in soda. That means that your stomach recognizes them as food, and your body absorbs them more slowly than water--so they don't provide hydration as quickly.

Plus, some enhanced waters and sports drinks contain as much as 70 calories per 8-ounce serving. Since most drinks are packaged in 16- or 32-ounce bottles, slamming one down can add more than 200 calories to the diet. "If you want liquid," Dickinson says, "you can get it with no calories--water--or you can get it with 200 calories."

Enhanced drinks also contain added vitamins and minerals. While there's nothing wrong with that, the amounts may be too small to provide a noticeable nutritional contribution.

Herbs--touted as energy enhancers--are also starting to show up in more beverages. While the concentrations are generally small, Steven Dentali, PhD, vice president of Scientific and Technical Affairs for the American Herbal Products Association, believes that a little is better than none at all. "Nutritionists don't say that just because celery doesn't contain a lot of nutrients, you shouldn't eat it," he says. "Every little bit counts."

be a sport

Water, fresh fruits and vegetables provide the combination of liquid and nutrients most of us need. But so-called sports drinks do have a place in a healthful diet--primarily for anyone who engages in high-intensity workouts that result in a significant loss of liquids.

These drinks are formulated to provide electrolytes--salty minerals including potassium, magnesium, calcium and sodium--that help maintain muscle function. While most people get enough electrolytes through food sources, if you work out for more than an hour, sports drinks can replenish lost minerals and provide the sugar to help you maintain energy.

"Sports drinks are well designed for athletes," says Harvey. "But they aren't designed for people who sit all day. When you're at your desk, drink water, not sports drinks."

It all comes back to understanding your activity level and knowing how to read labels, says Julie Walsh, a registered dietitian in New York City. "You need to read the labels," she says.

"Someone will see that there's 70 calories per serving, but won't understand that a bottle might contain two or three servings. Some people consume more calories in their sports drinks than they burn in their workouts."

And what about energy drinks--those trendy liquids with names such as Adrenaline Rush, Erectus, Whoopass and Red Bull? Loaded with caffeine and sugar, they might help you stay awake during that mid-afternoon meeting, but the only nutritional benefit they provide is a dose of empty calories--up to 112 in a 9-ounce serving.

Certainly it won't harm you to drink one, but afterward you might want to run a mile to burn off those extra calories.