Pace Paw Print

hey may sound and look the same, but popular beverages Life Water and Vitamin Water appear to be healthy alternatives, but are they really? Vitamin Water is produced by Glacéau, which was recently bought by the Coca-Cola Company for 4.1 billion dollars. Besides Vitamin Water, Glacéau also sells Fruit Water, Smart Water, and Vitamin Energy. Life Water is a product of PepsiCo's "Sobe". PepsiCo also has a line of healthy beverages, including the adrenaline rush energy drinks. Water and vitamins are essential to the human body. Glacéau's idea was to make a two-in-one combination. Since 1966, the company was known for making water more enhanced. Vitamin Water is a blend of distilled water, vitamins, herbs, and flavors. More and more people are looking for a healthier alternative every day. A recently completed clinical study by the leading independent research organization Miami Research Associates, confirmed that vitamins found in the dragon fruit flavored Vitamin Water (vitamin C, b6, and b12) were absorbed by the body equally as well as ingesting food. Although this was proven for the dragon fruit flavored water only, it does not mean that nutrients from other flavors are absorbed as well into the body. This is the nutrition information and ingredients for Vitamin Water: Nutrition Facts Calories: 50, Total fat: 0g , Sodium: 0mg, Potassium: 60mg , Total carbohydrates: 13g , Sugar: 13g, Protein: 0g Vitamin C: 40%, Vitamin B3: 20%, Vitamin B6: 20%, Vitamin B12: 20%, Vitamin B5: 20% , Potassium: 150mg per bottle Ingredients: vapor distilled/deionized water, crystalline fructose, citric acid, vegetable juice (color), natural flavor, ascorbic acid (vitamin C), vitamin E acetate, magnesium lactate (elecrolyte), calcium lactate (electrolyte), zinc picolinate, monopotassium phosphate (electrolyte), niacin (B3), pantothenic acid (B5), pyridoxine hydrochloride (B6), cyanocobalamine (B12) (ingredients taken from www.howstuffworks.com/vitaminwater).

Vitamin Water does contain the vitamins that the body needs in order to function on a daily basis, however, the amount of servings of sugar in each bottle are only adding to health issues.

Unlike Vitamin water, which has been around for many years, Sobe Life Water came out in March of 2006. Very similar to Vitamin Water, Life Water came up with some tasty flavors. Life Water contains the same vitamins as Vitamin Water, such as vitamin c, b6, and b12. Like Vitamin Water, each individual Sobe Life Water flavor has an advantage to the body. The ingredients and nutrition facts are as follows:

Ingredients: Filtered water, fructose, natural flavor, citric acid, ascorbic acid, sugar, sodium citrate, vegetable juice concentrate (color), modified food starch, gum arabic, elderberry juice concentrate (color), DL-alpha-tocopheryl acetate, glycerol ester of wood rosin, niacin, calcium pantothenate, maltodextrin, pyridoxine hydrochloride, cyancobalamin

Nutrition Facts: Serving size: 8 fl oz; Servings per container: 2.5; Amount per serving: Calories: 50; Total fat: 0g; Sodium: 25mg; Total carbs: 13g; Sugars: 13g; Protein: 0g; Vitamin C: 100%; Vitamin E: 20%; Vitamin B3: 10%; Vitamin B5: 10%; Vitamin B6: 10%; Vitamin B12: 10% (bevnet.com).

Life Water has very similar ingredients to Vitamin water, however, there has not been a conducted on whether the vitamins from Life water absorb into the body.

A month into Life Water's launch, Glacéau filed a law suit against PepsiCo's Sobe Life Water for copying its colors, flavors, and ingredients. According to bevnet.com, PepsiCo stated that "This is just an overreaction by Glaceau to competition in the marketplace. Consumers have told us they clearly see the difference between SoBe Life Water and Glaceau Vitamin Water. We believe there is no merit to their claims of infringement and we intend to vigorously defend this action."

With the truth of Vitamin and Life Water revealed, what do Pace students think? After all, Sobe Life Water is sold in the cafeteria, and has recently changed the packaging to reach a settlement of the law suit

Of 20 students polled, 14 prefer Vitamin Water, four prefers Life Water, and two students do not drink either. "I don't drink either of them very often. But, I'd prefer Life Water, because it tastes okay when it is not cold," said Liz Ortiz.

Lackmann only sells Pepsi products, therefore are not able to sell Vitamin Water, which is a product of Coca-Cola. "Vitamin Water has a better combination of flavors," said Tina Chu, a freshman, however, she would not mind drinking Life Water.

Even though both waters are not as healthy because of the amount of sugars in each, many prefer the taste of Vitamin Water, the original "vitamin" water.

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