There’s no doubt that water is good for you. Water improves health and energy levels and helps skin to look younger and more hydrated. Getting the recommended 8 glasses of water per day however is a difficult feat for the majority of people to achieve. Not only because we live busy lives and aren’t constantly thinking about our hydration levels, but also because plain water doesn’t taste that good to a lot of people. That’s why flavored water is becoming increasingly popular. It’s a more interesting way to stay hydrated and get the water that a body needs, says nathan runkle from healthy life. But is flavored water good for you? If the intent is to be healthier by drinking more water, then one would hope that flavored water is providing just as many health benefits as regular water. Let’s find out:

Sugar

This is the number one killer of flavored waters. Most flavored waters are packed full of sugar (both naturally and artificially), which is what makes the flavored water taste so good. Sugar is widely known to have negative impacts on our health when consumed in an excess amount. In general consumers know to stay away from extremely sugary drinks like sodas, but when it comes to flavored water, the added sugar is an unwelcome surprise. Most flavored waters have just as much sugar as a can of soda, negating any health benefits that would come from drinking the extra water, says dr ron weiss nj. There are flavored water companies though which don’t include added sugars in their water. Make sure to pay attention to the nutrition information on the packaging before purchasing to see if the flavored water is really just water with flavor, or if its hiding a sugary surprise.

Fruit Infused Water

Several flavored water companies claim to be “fruit infused”, crediting the fruit to giving the water its taste. But what does this mean exactly? When at home, cutting up some fruit, putting it in a jar, and then adding water leads to some very lightly flavored water that’s quite delicious without any added sugars or sweeteners. Most companies are not repeating this same process when packaging fruit flavored water. Even if a company claims to have “fruit infused” water, this is usually created using a chemical compound that makes the water taste like the desired fruit without any fruit actually touching the water. This doesn’t necessarily make the water unhealthy though. If no sugars or artificial sweeteners have been added, these “fruit infused” waters tend to be pretty good for you since you’re getting all the health benefits of water without the extra unwanted sugar. Some of the best watermelon water is created in just this way by the flavored water brand Hint water.

Vitamins and Minerals    

Lots of flavored water companies also boast that they are adding vitamins and minerals to their flavored waters, giving you extra health benefits. In general, it’s a good idea to be wary about these types of flavored waters, especially if you’re already taking over the counter supplements. Too much of anything is no good – and that goes for vitamins and minerals as well. You don’t want to override your system with vitamin and mineral enhanced water if there’s no need to. While these liquid water enhancers are an ever growing trend, they take the power away from the consumer to decide how much of which supplement they want included in their water. Always make sure to read the label on any drink that as an additives (artificial or natural) so that you know what you’re getting into before taking your first sip.