by Ethan Johnson
July 17, 2006

I am increasingly on the lookout for things that are good "yes ands". Such as "This tastes great! Yes, and it's good for you too." So why drink plain old water when you can get water and vitamins?

Vitamin Water by Glaceau claims to fit that bill nicely. Let's run the data sheet:

• Price: I got it on sale for $1.25 USD/bottle. Not cheap, but not as expensive as some hoop-de-doo "healthy" drinks.
• Selection: Fairly wide selection, but labeled in a cheeky way like "balance" or "rescue". Danger, Will Robinson!
• Processing: The water itself is (per the label) "vapor distilled and deionized". Alrighty then. Other than that, there is less than 1% juice and x number of vitamins added.

I picked out "Power-C". The label contains some funny stuff about the claims they can't legally make about their product, which is refreshing in an age where say, Basil doesn't just taste good in Italian dishes, but it cures cancer, reverses chronological aging, thickens your eyebrows, and so on. (Note: These are phony claims.) Warning bells are blaring as so much emphasis on clever packaging and ad copy may not bode well for the drink itself.

Buzz: Mar buys these from time to time, and I am seeing them everywhere. What have I been missing?

Taste: Oh. It tastes like watered-down Fruit Punch Gatorade™. Which is cheaper, for more. Doh!

Wow, what a letdown. Good thing I only bought two to try them out. And so, when it comes to this product, in the future, I would, and you may:

• Make this a staple item on your shopping list
• Pick a few of these up from time to time
• Buy one if you see it
• Buy one out of desperation if your preference is not available
• Picket/boycott the store until they agree to stop selling this item

As always, let me know how your experience with this product compared with mine. Thanks! <EM>