We've all heard how healthy water is and how we should drink eight tall glasses each day, but have you ever tried to do that? Water is refreshing ice cold after a long day of mowing or working out in the yard. It's wonderful after a salty meal or by your side as you lie next to the pool on a hot day. But try drinking those eight glasses of water and by the third or fourth one I guarantee you'll be forcing that crisp, clear water down your throat.
Crystal Light takes all that away and adds something - flavor! Crystal Light is a drink mix conveniently packaged in small packets that you simply stir into your water. Crystal Light comes in a variety of types and flavors: first, "refreshment", which is your classic flavors (lemonade, fruit punch, fusion fruit punch, pink lemonade, iced tea, raspberry ice, pineapple orange, strawberry kiwi, strawberry-orange-banana, and raspberry lemonade); second, "tea", which is pretty self-explanatory (peach, iced tea, lemon iced tea, raspberry green tea, honey lemon, red tea mandarin, and white tea blueberry); third, "sunrise", which contains 100% of your daily value vitamin C and quite a bit of calcium too (tangerine strawberry, ruby red grapefruit, and classic orange); and last "enhanced", which has added nutrients to offer further benefits (lightly lemon (hydration), wild strawberry (energy), cherry pomegranate (immunity), and peach mango (metabolism)).
My family and I recently got the chance to try Crystal Light for ourselves. After trying the natural lemonade flavor, we next tried the wild strawberry, which contains 60 mg of caffeine per serving for energy. Before even opening the packet, the first thing I noticed was that it contains aspartame. I do not like the taste of aspartame and do not buy products that contain it, so I knew instantly that this product was not for me. After opening the packet and stirring it into my water I next noticed that the smell was great. It truly did smell like strawberry, and I found that to be very pleasant. However, the taste was not nearly as nice as the smell. Not only could I taste the aspartame, but the strawberry flavor got old fast meaning that as I drank the flavored water I liked it less and less. My husband, also, did not enjoy the flavor of the wild strawberry. However, our two children, ages six and four, enjoyed it.
I used this product while at home, as did the rest of my family. However, I immediately saw the convenience of it. Carry the packets in your purse to flavor water when you're on the go - at work, at class, wherever. Crystal Light would also be great to flavor water when you're eating out. Not only would you save money by ordering water instead of a soda, but the water will also be much, much healthier.
While using the Crystal Light packets I drank no more water than usual. In fact, I probably drank less, because it was hard for me to get around that aspartame taste, so I found that I was forcing myself to drink the flavored water. I hate to mention another product in a review for one product, but for me, there is an alternative to Crystal Light and that is True Lemon (or True Lime or True Orange). True Lemon is all natural and does not contain sugar alternatives. The flavor of it is also much, much better than the Wild Strawberry Crystal Light.
I'd also like to point out that I saw no benefits to the added caffeine. I did not feel that it gave me extra energy. This says something to me because I do not drink caffeinated beverages - sodas or energy drinks - so I would think any added caffeine would definitely give me a "rush" since I'm not used to it.
Pros: convenience, only 5 calories per serving
Cons: contains aspartame, not too fond of the wild strawberry flavor
Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
The Bottom Line: This product was worth a try and was better than I expected it to be. I wouldn't buy it though, because it has aspartame in it. However, if fake sugars don't bother you, then by all means buy this product. If Crystal Light did not contain aspartame (or sucralose or any other sugar alternatives) I would most definitely use it. However, I would not buy the wild strawberry flavor. I'd go with a different flavor instead.
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Comments: 20
Great review. We got to try them too. They do taste wonderful. All of them do and they are very convient. We don't like the Aspartame though
Of the three flavors we tried we all preferred the lemonade, although I wouldn't buy any of them since they have aspartame.
Now if I was going to have caffiene, I'd be drinking my Cherry Coke....or even the Throwback Mt. Dew (tastes so much better with real sugar...don't like Mt. Dew with the corn syrup). I don't buy products with artificial sweeteners either.
I don't see why companies can't just use SUGAR! What's wrong with it? I just don't understand. I trust real sugar over all that fake stuff any day.
Because sugar is more expensive and takes up a lot of room. Check out the packets of kool-aid with sugar sometime....they are so much bigger than the ones with the artificial stuff.
Huh. I hadn't thoght about that. I should have known it would have to do with money. You'd think companies would want their customers to be healthy so that they live longer and thus can buy more of their products. Instead they're all about saving money by using cheap, unhealthy ingredients. I'll never understand this obsession with money. Crap, we have practically no money at all and we're happy, and if I had to choose between being rich or spending time with my family I'd choose to live in a cardboard box with my hubby and kids any day!
Deb J. mentioned Kool Aid singles on another of my reviews. I haven't tried them. I'll have to check'em out. At least compare them with the others to see what you mean about the sugar.
Thanks for the review, Victoria! I agree about the convenience, but I won't like it with aspartame either.
Yeah, if you want a product like this, Sue, go with True Lemon, True Orange, or True Lime. They are actually all natural with only like 3 ingredients in them, none of which are aspartame.
Great... I'll have to try the True brand flavors!
I think they'll send you some free samples if you go to their website, Sue. (www.truelemon.com) Bottom left-hand side. Click on Free Samples. You can also print off a coupon for a purchase. You can order it online or use their "Find a Store" thing to find a place near you to buy it. I highly recommend the stuff! I love it!
Thanks, Victoria! I just sent for them!
Awesome, Sue! You'll have to tell me what you think when you get them. When I ordered my samples they sent me some of all three flavors so I assume they'll do the same for you.
Thanks for sharing ,I' like the throwback Pepsi ,strong stuff !! LOL!
Another great review.
Thanks for the honest review and the link to the coupons!
Thanks for the review. Might pick some of this stuff up for hubby to take to work with him and try.
I have always drunk a lot of water BUT Crystal Light makes it easier because it tastes so much better. A lot of people say they don't drink water because it is boring. I have a friend who is always on a diet and says that she can't drink water because of that. I told her to drink Crystal Light. Her problem is that she is allergic to citric acid, which is in every flavor. I feel for her. She says that she still drinks it sometimes even though she is allergic. She just breaks out in a patch on her hand. She isn't so allergic that she goes into anaphalctic shock or anything.
I did like this flavor better when I put my bottle of water in the freezer & let it get slushy.
Thanks for your review~
I agree that the taste of the wild strawberry put me off too. I couldn't stand it. I had to add sugar to mine, it tasted so gross!
I like teh strawberry, and this is the only one that got me to try water again. I did notice the energy boost on mine while hiking on a 3 mile trail and I used to drink a caffenated soda daily for my caffiene intake, so I'm pretty used to it.
Weird how it worked differently for us.