What kind of sweetener is in mio

Beverage companies claim these flavor drops will get you to drink more water, and some brands are putting a health and fitness spin on their water enhancers by adding vitamins, minerals, and electrolytes.

They're typically sweetened with artificial sweeteners for example, one popular brand, Mio, uses a blend of sucralose, AKA Splenda, and acesulfame potassium , but some companies, such as Stur, use stevia, a natural sugar substitute. Basically, these water enhancers are fancy, concentrated versions of zero-calorie flavored waters or sports drinks, like Vitamin Water Zero and Powerade Zero.

Unfortunately, these stylish water enhancers are percent marketing hype and zero percent substance. The trivial amount of vitamins they contain -- typically B vitamins, which are promoted as energy enhancers -- won't give you a health boost.

It's true that B vitamins are required to process food and turn it into energy, but increasing your intake of B vitamins won't increase your metabolism. The vast majority of people already get plenty of B vitamins in their diet they're found in almost every food , which means we just lose the excess in our urine.

And unless you're running extremely long distances or doing hours of cardio, you don't need to worry about replenishing your electrolytes with extra potassium and sodium found in some of these products. Casual, everyday exercisers need just a few glasses of water to recover from a workout. Finally, many of these drink mixers are loaded with fake, chemical additives , including artificial colors, preservatives, and artificial sweeteners read last week's blog for more information on the downsides of artificial sweeteners.

Check out the lengthy ingredient list for one grape-flavored water enhancer:. With flavored waters , those little bottles may also contain far too much sodium, sugar, or artificial sweeteners to be healthy for someone struggling with kidney disease.

The good news is that homemade flavored waters are one of the easiest things you can make. The Verdict: MiO , by a long shot. Of course, the qualities that put it over the top -- mild flavor and quickness in dissolving -- are due to the fact that its primary ingredient is Crystal Light will too, and so will Kool-Aid mix, but MiO looks and acts like food coloring: It's liquid, and a little goes a long way.

MiO Energy comes in and milliliter squirt bottles that dispense half-teaspoon-sized servings intended to flavor water with each serving containing about 60 milligrams of caffeine, about as much as a small cup of coffee.

MiO Energy is also cheaper than a Red Bull. Each squeeze gives your water flavor the way you want it. A growing body of evidence suggests that diet soda consumption correlates with an increased risk of a wide range of medical conditions, notably: heart conditions, such as heart attack and high blood pressure. Flavored water is still way better to drink than soda, which is not only more erosive but also has unhealthy amounts of sugar and empty calories.

Although flavored waters may taste better than plain water , unfortunately, there are additions to these waters that you might not want in your drinks , especially if you are a kidney disease patient.

Plain water has zero calories and no artificial sweeteners. Some flavored waters may even contain sugar. Same thing for the mio having to be in this "chemical bucket" but it isn't as acidic.

If you're okay with artificial sweeteners and dyes as the FDA is , then no, it's not bad for you. Is Aspartame Good or Bad for You?

Aspartame is one of the most controversial sweeteners in the world. It is claimed to cause health problems ranging from headaches to cancer. On the other hand, food safety authorities and other mainstream sources consider it to be safe.

Some of today's flavored water options do have zero calories; they are made with sucralose or aspartame in minimal amounts. Other listed ingredients are citric acid, propylene glycol, malic acid, sucralose, acesulfame potassium, potassium citrate, gum arabic, sucrose acetate isobutyrate, Allura Red AC 40, Brilliant Blue FCF 1 and potassium sorbate.

Crystal Light and Weight Loss For every 8-ounce glass of a Crystal Light drink from the classic line, such as the classic orange flavor, you get about 5 calories. That makes Crystal Light a good alternative to sodas and other beverages loaded with calories and sugar, although plain water is the best.

You can find various artificial colors, associated with hyperactivity, distractibility, carcinogens, numerous allergies, and much more—depending on the specific colors added.

The three artificial sweeteners within the beverage enhancers pose grave concerns. MiO uses Sucralose Splenda , as its primary sweetener. It is produced by chlorinating white sugar, but this process gives sucralose added problems like heavy metals.

The majority of sucralose is not absorbed by the body, which is why it is considered a non-caloric sweetener, but whatever is absorbed by the body concentrates in the kidneys, liver, and GI gastrointestinal tract. Long-term use of this sweetener could, therefore, cause problems like immune dysfunction, birth defects, and cancer.

As with many artificial sweeteners, it has not been studied long enough to conclusively determine all of the long-term effects. Acesulfame potassium Ace-K has a lot of controversy swirling around it. The research remains inconclusive on the effects on humans.

This sweetener is usually paired up with another sweetener that often has a worse reputation. Guilty by association? There has been some inconclusive evidence involving mice, pointing to neurological damage being a possible side effect.

Stevia is a sweet powder formed on the leaves of an herb. The labeling of the product is deceptive. There is very little research surrounding Stevia and some rather questionable situations surrounding its approval by the Food and Drug Administration.

In addition, studies have linked the preservative, potassium sorbate, with compromising immunity in humans. Moreover, numerous test tube studies have shown a great toxicity towards human DNA, causing mutations to blood cells. Propylene glycol, a form of mineral oil, can cause a mild allergic reaction in the skin in those with eczema.

MiO has already demonstrated deception on their product labeling, by labeling it as naturally sweetened, when a sweetened additive is actually added to the beverage. It has three artificial sweeteners and numerous artificial colors. Overall, it sounds like a product that is worth skipping. The best nourishment that you can get is a large glass or purified spring water.

Spice it up a little by putting some fruit in it! Suggest improvement or correction to this article Written by DeeAnne Oldham You've read 3 articles - nice! We will also get rid of ads Grade F. Short answer MiO is Bad for you. Please turn your Ad Blocker off to see this content. Thank you!