What You Should Know Before You Drink that "Healthy" or "Diet" Beverage

Walk up and down the aisles in the average grocery store, and the odds are high that you'll see a shelf filled with so-called functional foods and beverages. The labels boost about helping you burn more calories, or relax even when you're stressed, or banish aches and pains. Head to your local health food store, and you'll probably see even more options.

It's enough to make you feel like Alice in Wonderland: sip from this bottle to sleep; nibble on that magic mushroom to feel better; gulp this concoction and magically burn pounds in a day. But are they safe? And even if they are: are they worth the money?

The answer: your mileage may vary. Here's why:

1. Not everyone will respond in the same way. Suppose you just drank an entire pot of overly strong coffee to study for a final or prep for a presentation at the office. After the final or presentation, you want to relax but you're still feeling buzzed from all that java! So you go to the store and buy a drink promising relaxation. It may contain Valerian, which studies have shown can help some people sleep or relax. But the amount of Valerian and the impact on your own body chemistry may vary dramatically: for some, the drink may make it dangerous for them to drive a car because they're' so sleepy; others won't notice any change. In other words: if you're seriously in pain, go to the doctor, not the aisles of your local health food store!

2. Don't assume that what works for one person will work for another. Celebrities often provide endorsements of products, for which they are paid. So you see your favorite actress on the bottle, looking oh-so-sleek in your designer jeans, promising you that you can look just like her if you buy that beverage. Sorry, Cinderella, but all the beverages in the world won't magically transform you into a movie star overnight! And the ingredients may consist of extra caffeine, which will rev you up, possibly causing you to move more and burn more calories...but wear off the next day. There are no magic weight loss beverages.

3. Not all ingredients are safe for everyone. Let's take a popular functional energy drink, Celsius, as an example. Celebrities who enjoy it include Mario Lopez, from Dancing with the Stars; Jessica Simpson, and the cast of The Office and 30 Rock. Some studies have shown that drinking Celsius can help with fat loss and provide increased energy. I have tried and enjoyed the green tea peach mango. While I personally enjoy the feeling of having "more bounce to the ounce" provided by the ingredients in this drink , it does contain caffeine, Guarana extract, green tea, and other items that should not be consumed by someone who is sensitive to caffeine, pregnant, is a child, or has certain medical conditions (for example, anyone with hypertension or diabetes should check with his or her doctor before consuming).