VitaminWater ~ a watery review from a watery tart

Being a student nurse/worker/mom on the go...I found myself reaching for the carbonated of the refreshing beverages more than I care to admit.

Being one formerly of the granola persuasion, I longed for something besides water....or tea....which is horrible cold. (Don't let that get out....I might get kicked out of the south)

I came upon a tantalizing beverage called: vitaminwater

Vitaminwater states that it is a nutrient enhanced water beverage. At first I was adverse. I do not like flavored waters that have a sugar as one of the first 2 ingredients. Actually this one does have a sugar as the second ingredient but I gave it points for originality.

1st ingredient ~ vapor distilled, deionized and/or reverse osmosis water.

which I figured was a neat, yet non commital, yet covering all bases way to say:

water.

2nd ingredient ~ crystalline fructose

sugar.

but despite the fact that sugar is crystalline in nature on its own....i thought having that attribute pointed out was quite lovely.

3rd ingredient ~ cane sugar

sugar.

atta boy....just tell it like it is. i am digging the honesty

SO....

Having perused the ingredients and finding nothing to terrible alarming like say 'pork snouts'.....this really happened to me once when reading hotdog labels....I decided that I might try it.

Another feature about this water is that they give it names like.....

REVIVE

ENERGY

INVIGORATE

Normally I HATE the inspirational poster. I think they are mechanisms of torture to remind one that they should be greatful to be a cube slave or a code monkey or a lettuce manager.

However.....being the ever hopeful American girl that I am.....I wanted to believe. And believe I did.

I don't know if it was the placebo effect, the fact that I walk around perpetually dehydrated....HEY I AM A NURSE....this is what we do.....dehydrated, empty stomach, full bladder...nurseitis. Any hoo....I tried the "REVIVE" and lo and behold I felt revived.

They say it is because it has Vitamin B and Postassium.

I think.....it is because I am always totally dehydrated.

Or it could be that I am a total sucker for hope in a bottle. Worse.....I love the superhero or villian stories where someone drinks something like "Chemical X" and finds that they have superpowers. (I love the Powerpuffs)

What is even more cool is they have flavors that sound all sci fi and coolio like:

VITAL - T

DEFENSE or defence for you Canadians....well I don't really know for sure if this is made in Canada but it has a frenchy company name ~ Glaceau. It is probably a marketing tool that works well on me.

FOCUS

XXX

and

CHARGE

I am so down with these names. And then guess what else. They have stories on the bottles....which is great for me....because I am an avid reader of cereal boxes and Snapple Caps.

So....I bought like the huge megapolis pack at Sam's Club. See....any beverage that makes me go to Sam's has my interest. I hate Sam's and Walmart. I would rather go to hell without the handbasket.

So I got all these cool flavors....and they are alllllll good.

Except one.

I am not liking Power-C. Granted....I drank it warm and it tasted like wilted lettuce juice.....but I think it is a personal thing. I notice that I don't like beverages with taurine. Why I don't know. Probably taurine is the secret lab word for 'wilted lettuce juice' or something.

SO.....one caveat I have to offer regarding the vitamin waters....Don't drink the Sobe one. Now I like the other Sobe stuff sorta....but it is kinda sweet. BUT I tried one of their waters and it tasted like wilted lettuce juice with table sugar. thhhpt bleh. I didn't check if it had taurine. Who knows. Be your own critic.

So lastly......I would like to recommend this water.

I cannot attest to the true healthiness of it. But it is a great alternative to soda. It tastes quite nice. Especially if you read the directions that say "For Best Results, stick it in the fridge"....but you can add ice and get the same effect. PLUS if you live in Maine or Hawaii you can redeem the bottle for 5 cents. And California as well....but the redemption value is a top secret....not revealed on the bottle.

Thank you and drink well!