Proper hydration is crucial in maintaining overall health, supporting bodily functions, and ensuring energy levels throughout the day. With all sorts of hydration options available, many people wonder if vitamin water or plain homemade water is better for hydrating themselves. In this article, we will compare two options: vitamin water versus regular homemade APEC filtered water, in terms of their benefits for hydration, their impacts on health, and their overall suitability for different needs.
Introduction
Hydration is essential to all people since water constitutes about 60% of the human body and is used in nearly every part of the body, from temperature regulation to lubrication of joints and transport of nutrients. Even though rehydration can be done by just water, many are moving towards the commercially available drink known as vitamin water, which offers added benefits through minerals and vitamins.
This blog intends to compare vitamin water and plain homemade water, APEC filtered water in particular, to estimate the efficiency of each as a more proper way to rehydrate and promote people's health in general.
Overview of Vitamin Water
Definition
Vitamin water is a brand of flavored water fortified with vitamins, minerals, and sometimes electrolytes. It comes in numerous flavors and is described as a healthier alternative to sugary sodas or sports drinks.
Ingredients
The common ingredients found in enhanced water are water, added sugar or sweeteners, vitamins C and D, and B-complex, and some minerals including calcium, magnesium, and zinc. Some of these waters contain additional electrolytes added to help the body hydrate better, particularly after workouts.
Pros
- Possible Hydration: Some enhanced water products have added extra electrolytes that replace what is lost through sweat and can be marketed towards athletes or people who regularly work out.
- Health Benefits: Vitamin water contains added vitamins and minerals that can improve an individual's supply of them every day.
Cons
- Sugar Content: The added sugar in most vitamin water drinks is as much as those that are found in a single can of soda, with increased calories contributing to weight gain upon heavy consumption.
- Calorie Count: As long as it contains some sort of sugar or sweeteners, vitamin water is not a no-calorie drink and can be a problem for those on a calorie watch.
- Artificial Ingredients: There are vitamin waters that contain artificial flavors, colors, and preservatives, which is not good for those who want their option to be complete with natural ingredients.
Regular Homemade Water Overview
Definition
In this context, regular homemade water will mean just tap water filtered through an APEC reverse osmosis water filtration system. APEC systems are renowned for yielding high-purity water by eliminating contaminants like chlorine, and lead, among other impurities.
Pros
- Hydration: Plain water is the best way to attain hydration. It's readily absorbed in the body where it supports all the vital functions.
- Low Calorie: Self-made APEC filtered water has absolutely no calories added to it, quite contrary to vitamin water. It is, therefore, a very useful tool for people who would not want to add or gain weight.
- No Added Sugars: One of the biggest advantages that could be availed from APEC water filtration is the fact that it contains no added sugars; neither does it contain any artificial flavors or preservatives in its filtered products. That makes it a completely naturally hydrated water option.
Cons
- Lack of Added Nutrition: There are no added vitamins or minerals in water, as is the case with vitamin water. To those individuals who use drinks to supplement their nutrition, this will be a disadvantage.
Hydration Comparison
Hydration Efficiency
Both vitamin water and regular homemade APEC water are effective at hydrating the body, though in different fashions. The human body can absorb regular water both efficiently and quickly, making it perfect for everyday hydration. Vitamin water, while effective in rehydrating, takes a little longer to be absorbed due to the sugars and additional ingredients included.
Nutrient Absorption
Vitamin water adds several vitamins and minerals that may be useful for those seeking to supplement their diets, but those added nutrients do nothing to increase the effectiveness of hydration. This is because, primarily, the human body uses only the water itself for hydration purposes. The additional nutrients, while useful, do nothing to improve hydration per se.
Health Effect
Each choice holds alternative implications for health. The homemade APEC water, consumed regularly, is sugar and calorie-free; therefore, it is healthier to keep hydration at a higher level without the risk of gaining weight or increasing one's sugar intake. In its stead, Vitamin Water does allow the individual to attain additional nutrients; however, too much of the added sugars and calories may result in adverse health effects. Regular APEC water is the better choice for regular hydration each day. You get pure hydration with no calories, and it does not contain added sugars or artificial ingredients. It's purely perfect for regular consumption.
Exercise and Level of Activity
In turn, for athletes or highly active individuals, vitamin water can be beneficial since the electrolytes added will replace those lost with each sweat. But this should be a low-sugar version or in moderation since too many calories may be taken this way.
Dietary Consideration
Regular homemade APEC water is suitable for almost any kind of diet, from low sugar to low calorie, even the clean-eating type of diet due to its nature of purity. Vitamin water, due to the formulation in the content, may not suit those under a sugar-restricted diet, let alone those that object to artificial ingredients.
Conclusion
Vitamin water and regular homemade APEC water both have their merits and shortcomings concerning hydration. Plain water remains the gold standard of pure calorie-free hydration and is ideal for daily use. Vitamin water can be effective for adding nutrients desired by active people, but one should be concerned about sugar and calorie content.
In short, if the aim is just plain hydration without added calories, ordinary homemade APEC water does a much better job. For those who need a bit more in terms of vitamins and minerals, especially around workout sessions, vitamin water may be a good alternative-provided one knows how to make proper dietary choices.