VitaminWater Vs. Life Water

Energy Brands' Glacéau has been around since 1996, when founder J. Darius Ruckoff created the enhanced water idea during a reported NY "water scare." People are turning to enhanced waters, more than ever.

More and more research is coming out about the importance of antioxidants. According to the National Cancer Institute, antioxidants (found in vitamins C, E, A, lycopine, beta-carotine and some other substances) are suggested to combat carcinogenic free radicals in the body. Put it this way: free radicals are the junk caused by your cells breaking down and environmental factors that attack healthy cells and can cause cancer. Ingesting antioxidants may combat this.

Thirsty, active consumers are looking for beverages that offer more taste than plain bottled water, less sodium than Gatorade, and that have less calories than sodas. Flavored waters have hit a boom in America, where people balance fast food consumption with wanting instant health.

And with a great chunk of that upturn coming from converted carbonated soda drinkers, the soft drink companies are wanting on the bandwagon with their own enhanced energy drinks. PepsiCo, owner of Sobe's line of beverages even settled a suit in early 2006, that charged them with blatantly copying the VitaminWater label for their LifeWater product line.

As of spring 2007, Coca-Cola, based in Atlanta, Georgia, is trying to buy the successful Whitestone, NY Glacéau - which nearly doubled sales in 2006. According to Beverage Digest, an industry newsletter that earlier reported the talks, it isn't clear whether Coke wants to own Glacéau outright or just purchase a substantial stake.

I alternate between being an active adult, dancing, hiking, and traveling, with projects that often leave me sedentary for hours at a time. I sit for hours, working on articles, websites, coaching clients by phone and Skype. It's often too easy to either eat high in calorie, low in nutrition junk food, or for get to eat at all. With my lifestyle, I want to find convenient ways to add a bit of health into my day.

In this article, I compare Glacéau's VitaminWater with Sobe's Life Water and evaluate how they fit into my life, and might be appropriate for your lifestyle, as well.

VitaminWater & Life Water product line.

Both VitaminWater and Life Water are sweetened with natural crystaline fructose, so they don't have that artificial sweetener taste like Propel Fitness Water by Gatorade.

Both lines also are available in 20 oz bottles, with 2.5 servings in each. This is important to note, for those who are counting calories - the approximately 50 calories listed on the ingredient fact sheet is PER SERVING. Multiply that by the number of servings in the bottle and voila - about 125 calories in either bottle.

Life Water by SoBe has five flavors which are each enhanced with the same complex of antioxidant vitamins. Blackberry Grape, Passionfruit Citrus, Strawberry Kiwi, Pomegranate Cherry, Orange Tangerine all boast Vitamins: C(250%/100%), E(50/20%), B3,5,6,12. According to Sobe Life Water the drinks also contain very low levels of sodium for smoothness & flavor.

VitaminWater by Glacéau currently boasts a product line of 15 flavors (Focus, Power-C, Revive, Vital-T, Energy, B-Relaxed, Essential, Rescue, Charge, XXX, Multi-V, Formula 50, Balance, Defense, Endurance). They all have antioxidants, vitamin & mineral supplements. The difference here, is each of the flavors are titled and enhanced for a specific result. Power-C (dragonfruit flavor) is enhanced with vitamin C & Taurine to aid the body in converting food into muscle fuel. Revive is fruit punch flavored and is enhanced with potassium and B vitamins to help the body recover. Defense aids the immune system in staying well, with vitamin C & zinc, and goes down easy with a tasty raspberry-apple flavor. Each of the varietals are designed with specific enhancements in mind.

I must admit my history with VitaminWater has been very positive. A few years ago, when I would go to swing dance events and dance about 50 hours in a 72 hour weekend, I started to get blood vessels bursting, unexpectedly. As with any intense workout, the adrenaline and endorphin levels run so high, that I'd not feel like eating (on a regular day that would not be a problem). Incorporating Revive into my routine allowed my body to replace electrolytes, and nourishment enough to sustain my hyper-active weekends. And in the first days of 2007, I was struck ill by the worst flu I've had in my life. Nothing would stay down. A brave and caring friend brought me a few of the VitaminWaters to sip on, and gradually my body was able to absorb the vitamins it needed to get well.

In the instance of my flu, Life Water could have done the same trick. Get the vitamins in, even when food and pill-form vitamins are rejected. But in the instance of my dance incidents, Revive's potassium repairs the stress I put on my muscles.

Slightly Scientific Taste-Test

And now for a current taste test. Both VitaminWater and Life Water have strawberry - kiwi flavors, so in the interest of thirsty unscientific research, I'll report my findings.

In the interest of being slightly-scientific, I asked two volunteers to taste test the beverages also.

Volunteer one, in a blind taste test said they tasted about the same but preferred Life Water, citing it had a bit more flavor than "the other one." Volunteer two likened them both to Gatorade's early days, when there "was just enough flavor to make you think there was flavor." V2, however, picked VitaminWater's "Focus" over Life Water.

As for myself, I felt the Life Water felt more syrupy or thicker than focus. The flavor is about the same. I enjoy reaching for a VitaminWater with supplements aiding whatever activity, ailment or craving I have, and with fifteen flavors to choose from, I've not gotten bored yet.

My overall thought is that if any of the flavors from either line helps you to get more of what your body needs, then go for it.