Enhanced water is a category of beverages that are marketed as water with added ingredients, such as natural or artificial flavors, sugar, sweeteners, vitamins and minerals. Most enhanced waters are lower in calories than non-dietsoft drinks.
PepsiCo,The Coca-Cola Company and other companies market enhanced water. The marketing usually capitalizes on the healthy image of water combined with the perceived health and taste.Bottled water was introduced to the United States by television commercials in 1977. After the television commercial, bottled water sales increased by 3,000 percent from the year 1976 to the year 1979. In the year 2004, Americans spent $9 billion on bottled water.[1] Many companies produce enhanced water in theUnited States. The enhanced water category of beverage continues to grow in volume every year, and as of 2007[update] was the fastest-growing segment of the still beverage category.[2] In 2001, flavored and enhanced water sales were estimated $80 million, and 2002 proved even more successful with $245 million in sales.[3] The U.S. wholesale market for enhanced water was $170 million in 2004.[4]
Enhanced waters vary fromzero-calorie beverages certified organic and flavored with natural herb extracts, such asAyala's Herbal Water,[5][6] to theGlacéau brands of beverages owned byThe Coca-Cola Company. In May 2007 Coca-Cola boughtEnergy Brands, the maker of Glacéau Vitamin water, for $4.1 billion to narrow its gap with competitorPepsiCo. This was the largest acquisition in the company's history.[7] PepsiCo owns several brands of enhanced water such asSoBe,Propel Fitness Water, andAquafina Flavorsplash. Coca-Cola owns the brandssmartwater,vitaminwater andDasani.[8]
| Water | Flavors | Calories per 8 US fl oz (240 ml) serving | Servings per container |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aquafina Flavor Splash | Grape, Wildberry, Strawberry-kiwi, Raspberry, Peach-mango, Lemon | 0 | 2.5 |
| Ayala's Herbal Water | Lemongrass mint vanilla, Lavender mint, Lemon verbena geranium, Cloves cardamom cinnamon, Cinnamon orange peel, Ginger lemon peel | 0 | 2 |
| Clearly Canadian | Mountain Blackberry, Orchard Peach, Wild Raspberry, Black Cherry | 25 | 4 |
| Dasani flavored water | Lemon, Strawberry, Grape, Raspberry | 0 | 2.5 |
| Fruit 2o Essentials | Cranberry Raspberry, Strawberry Kiwi, Peach Mango, Cherry Acai, Citrus, Blueberry Pomegranate | 0 | 2.5 |
| Hint | Cucumber, Raspberry-lime, Blackberry, Honeydew Hibiscus, Mango-grapefruit, Pomegranate-tangerine, Watermelon, Lime, Strawberry-kiwi, Pear | 0 | 2 |
| Skinny Water[9] | Orange Cranberry Tangerine, Lemonade Passion Fruit, Raspberry Pomegranate, Goji Fruit Punch, Acai Grape Blueberry, Peach Mango Mandarin | 0 | 2.5 |
| Metromint | Peppermint, Spearmint, Lemonmint, Orangemint, Chocolatemint, Cherrymint | 0 | 2 |
| Obrilo[10] | Sour Apple, Lemonade, Orange Squeeze, Lemon Lime, Blueberry Lemonade, Cherry Limeade, Grape Drink, Passion Fruit Orange Guava, Wonder Melon, Berry | 0 | |
| Owater | Original, Wild berries, Lemon & lime, Peach, Strawberry, Mandarin orange | 0 | 2.5 |
| Powerade | Orange Mountain berry blast Fruit punch Grape Lemon lime Sour melon White cherry Strawberry lemonade Mystic mountain blueberry | ||
| Powerade Zero | Mixed berry Grape Strawberry Lemon lime Orange | ||
| Propel | Lemon, Berry, Grape, Kiwi-strawberry, Blueberry-pomegranate, Black-cherry, Peach-mango | 0 | 2.5 |
| SoBe Lifewater | Agave Lemonade, Goji Melon, Orange Tangerine, Strawberry Kiwi, Pomegranate Cherry, Blackberry Grape | 40 | 2.5 |
| SoBe Lifewater zero | Cherimoya Punch, Strawberry Dragonfruit, Yumberry Pomegranate, Fuji Apple Pear, Black and Blue Berry, Mango Melon, Acai Fruit Punch | 0 | 2.5 |
| Twist Organics | Mandarin white tea, Marionberry, Mandarin, Peach, Lemon, Pomegranate blueberry, West indies lime, Mango acai | 10 | 2.5 |
| VitaminWater | Dragonfruit, Acai-blueberry-pomegranate, Fruit Punch, Orange-orange, Kiwi-strawberry, Grape, Raspberry-apple, Tropical Citrus, Lemonade, Berry-cherry, Grape-blueberry, Jackfruit-guava | 50 | 2.5 |
| VitaminWater Zero | Grape-Raspberry, Mixed Berry, Acai-Blueberry-Pomegranate, Peach-Mandarin, Orange, Green Tea, Lemonade, Dragonfruit, Fruit Punch, Strawberry-Kiwi, Strawberry-Guanabana | 0 | 2.5 |
| WaddaJuice | Apple, Wild berry, White grape | 50 | 1 |
| Zing Anything | Blackberry-Mint, Ginger-Peach, Orange, Lemon, Lime, Strawberry-Cucumber | 0 | 2.5 |
Ingredients used as enhancements in the water includehydroxycitric acid,chromium picolinate,epigallocatechin gallate,potassium,vitamin C,vitamin B6 andvitamin B12.