Mike knew it was time to hit the gym. So, he had his membership done. Grabbed a pair of activewear. And reached his destination the next day. While leaving this place, he found something unlikely. The vending machine at the gym seemed usual. But all it kept were colorful bottles.
After asking a few people around, he was told it was vitamin water. The next thing he had in mind was this question: Is vitamin water good for weight loss?
Does the above-mentioned scenario sound familiar? We believe it does. After all, that’s what makes you come here. By the end of this guide, you’ll be able to know if vitamin water is backed by research to justify the cost buyers bear. And above all, if there’s a correlation between weight loss and vitamin water. So, without further ado, scroll down to read this post in its entirety.
The Logic Behind Drinking Vitmain Water
There are two types of vitamins that our bodies need for optimal performance. After being absorbed by the gut, fat-soluble vitamins are stored in the liver, muscles, and fatty tissues. In contrast, water-soluble vitamins aren’t stored inside the body and are expelled each day with urine. That’s why they have to be consumed daily through food.
Vitamin water incorporates the same idea of providing water-soluble vitamins to people but in the form of an infusion. Such infusions are made with herbs, flavors, and vitamins mixed in distilled water. Earlier, people used to drink regular water before meals to avoid unwanted calorie intake.
So, they can now have an extra dose of vitamins as they seldom get the chance to eat otherwise. A study conducted in 2014 proved this point using 50 female subjects. All of these ladies were already overweight and drank 500ml of water 30 minutes before three meals a day. This regimen lasted for 8 weeks, after which they lost body weight and fat. Additionally, their appetites were repressed.
A Peek Inside a Bottle of Vitamin Water?
Since vitamin water is typically drunk after a workout and before eating solid foods, it gets to be compared with regular water with regard to efficacy in weight loss. That is the reason why it’s important to know the constituents of commercially produced vitamin water. Following is a brief overview of the ingredients inside.
· Sugar
A vitamin water bottle, in general, contains 32.5 grams of sugar. As opposed to this, the recommended daily dose of sugar has been set as 24 grams. Research suggests people consume carbohydrates to sustain the effects of exercise. However, these researches emphasize the importance of simple sugars (carbs) derived from milk and fruits. As a matter of fact, foods with excessive processed sugars can put healthy individuals at risk of heart disease. In short, excessive sugar isn’t good for anybody, whether they are obese or otherwise.
· Vitamin B & C
These are two water-soluble vitamins that categorize this famous drink.
However, a standard bottle of vitamin water contains both vitamins in excess, i.e., more than the reference daily intake values. As mentioned earlier, any surplus vitamins leave the body eventually in the form of urine. As for weight loss, certified nutritionists do consider these vitamins vital. But they say they work indirectly as they influence metabolic functioning.
· Folate or Folic Acid
Folate, aka vitamin B9, is naturally available through food sources. However, when synthetically prepared in the lab, it takes the name of folic acid. So, the name has to do with the sources B9 is coming from.
Either of the two organic compounds has one important function that helps regulate a healthy weight, i.e., promote healthy metabolism. The folate concentration in a bottle of vitamin water is 25% of recommended daily intake. And that could cater to its deficiency in certain populations (as has been documented).
· Electrolyte Concentration
Not all bottles of vitamin water contain the same electrolytes. Variations can occur depending upon the flavor you prefer. However, there are some that are commonly present, like 1) potassium, labeled as monopotassium phosphate; 2) magnesium, labeled as magnesium lactate; and 3) calcium, labeled as calcium lactate.
The common benefit users can reap from all three of these constituents is improved muscle functioning. And that is definitely required when you’re working out to lose weight.
Some Alternatives to Vitamin Water
Although it’s more of a trend to have vitamin water for weight loss, it doesn’t make sense to have the usual bottles with all the extra processed sugars. With that in mind, the following alternatives can be looked into. These are ways to have the same effects other constituents might have had for weight loss.
· Vitamin Water Zero
After the issue of added sugars in vitamin water was publicly raised, vitamin water zero came to the market. It has all the other ingredients of the usual drink but sugars. Consumers can now see if vitamin water really works with weight loss after all these efforts made.
· Regular Water Followed by Simple Sugars
Like it has been mentioned earlier, all the assumed benefits of vitamin water could be reaped by drinking regular water followed by simple carb intake from fruit. And that has to be done post-workout.
· Homemade Vitamin Water
In case you can’t trust commercial manufacturers with sugar-free vitamin water and still want something of the sort, opting for homemade can be the best choice. To do so, add seasonal citrus fruits, mineral-rich veggies, herbs, and seasoning to your regular water.
Place your container in the fridge overnight. And consume this drink the next morning post-workout. You could chew the softened solid contents and drink the infused water separately. Or go for whichever way you like to finish everything up. Just try not to waste the fibrous residue.
