Taste Test: citrus-flavored vitamin waters
Water fortified with vitamins (and sweeteners) may not be one of life's necessities, but it may be refreshing after a workout. We tasted four brands of citrus-flavored vitamin waters. Weight watchers beware: The labels give calories per 8-ounce serving, but the bottles hold more than that.
Kathy Saunders, Times correspondent
| Product/serving | Glaceau Tropical Citrus 8 ounces | Sobe Life Orange Tangerine Water 8 ounces | Hannaford Tropical Citrus 8 ounces | Vidration 8 ounces |
| Calories / Fat / Fiber / Sugars Sodium Carbohydrates Protein CCarbohydrates / Protein | 50 / 0g 0g / 13g 0mg 13g 0g | 40/ 0g 0g / 10g 20mg 16g 0g | 50 / 0g 0g / 13g 35mg 13g 0g | 0 / 0g/ 0g / 0g 5mg 0g 0g |
| Judges' comments | Assertive is the word judges used to describe this bottle of vitamin water. They liked the tangy citrus flavors and the light, yellow-orange tint of the water. One panelist tasted a hint of pineapple in the water. "I can see drinking this on a hot afternoon," said one judge. Another said it might be more attractive to children or young athletes than plain water. "If this got my kids to drink more water — I would buy it," said one. | This water had the deepest color among those sampled. "It's almost orange," said one judge. Panelists didn't object to the taste, but a couple described it as similar to a chewable baby aspirin. "It has almost a gelatin consistency," said one. "I think it's refreshing." | Sweetbay's vitamin water tasted too much like vitamins. Judges were turned off by what they described as a "chemical aftertaste." One said it tasted like Tang, the orange-flavored, powdered drink mix advertised in the 1960s as the astronauts' drink. "The hint of vitamin makes it hard for me to swallow," said another. | This brand of vitamin water had no calories because it was sweetened with Splenda. Judges said it was "sunny" looking. One said it was "slightly fizzy, very sweet and aggressively flavorful." Another said, "It tastes too much like medicine." |
| Would they buy? | Three of the four judges said yes. | Two of the four judges said yes. | Two of the four judges said yes. | One of the four judges said yes. |
| Shopping information | $1.25 for a 20-ounce bottle from Publix. | $1.25 for a 20-ounce bottle from Sweetbay. | $1 for a 20-ounce bottle from Sweetbay. | $1.15 for a 20-ounce bottle from Sweetbay. |
| Product/serving | Glaceau Tropical Citrus 8 ounces | Sobe Life Orange Tangerine Water 8 ounces | Hannaford Tropical Citrus 8 ounces | Vidration 8 ounces |
| Calories / Fat / Fiber / Sugars Sodium Carbohydrates Protein CCarbohydrates / Protein | 50 / 0g 0g / 13g 0mg 13g 0g | 40/ 0g 0g / 10g 20mg 16g 0g | 50 / 0g 0g / 13g 35mg 13g 0g | 0 / 0g/ 0g / 0g 5mg 0g 0g |
| Judges' comments | Assertive is the word judges used to describe this bottle of vitamin water. They liked the tangy citrus flavors and the light, yellow-orange tint of the water. One panelist tasted a hint of pineapple in the water. "I can see drinking this on a hot afternoon," said one judge. Another said it might be more attractive to children or young athletes than plain water. "If this got my kids to drink more water — I would buy it," said one. | This water had the deepest color among those sampled. "It's almost orange," said one judge. Panelists didn't object to the taste, but a couple described it as similar to a chewable baby aspirin. "It has almost a gelatin consistency," said one. "I think it's refreshing." | Sweetbay's vitamin water tasted too much like vitamins. Judges were turned off by what they described as a "chemical aftertaste." One said it tasted like Tang, the orange-flavored, powdered drink mix advertised in the 1960s as the astronauts' drink. "The hint of vitamin makes it hard for me to swallow," said another. | This brand of vitamin water had no calories because it was sweetened with Splenda. Judges said it was "sunny" looking. One said it was "slightly fizzy, very sweet and aggressively flavorful." Another said, "It tastes too much like medicine." |
| Would they buy? | Three of the four judges said yes. | Two of the four judges said yes. | Two of the four judges said yes. | One of the four judges said yes. |
| Shopping information | $1.25 for a 20-ounce bottle from Publix. | $1.25 for a 20-ounce bottle from Sweetbay. | $1 for a 20-ounce bottle from Sweetbay. | $1.15 for a 20-ounce bottle from Sweetbay. |
Panelists: Nan Jensen, registered dietitian; Bob Devin Jones, artistic director of Studio@620; Julie Overton, consumer and mother of four; and Laura Reiley, Times food critic. All drinks were tasted blind.
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