16 Antioxidant Drinks: Nutritious Or Suspicious?

Antioxidants are fast becoming the new superheroes of the health food movement. Everyone from scientists to spiritual gurus have taken to extolling the health benefits of notable antioxidants such as blueberry, pomegranate, acai berry, and goji berry. And so far, the buzz seems legitimate. Medical research has revealed that antioxidants are a very special kind of molecule, capable of slowing down cell degeneration by curbing free radicals, or cell-damaging agents in the body. Now, HuffPost Living is here to cover the latest trend in the antioxidant movement: the superdrink. Drink manufacturers everywhere are picking up on the antioxidant buzz, and wild new health beverages are flooding the marketplace everyday. However, one has to wonder: which of these supposed "antioxidant" drinks are the real deal, and which are just trying to make a quick buck off the trend? You tell us whether these drinks are nutritious, or just plain suspicious.

POM

POM Wonderful is the original pomegranate beverage that helped jump start the hyper-fashionable antioxidant craze. Made with 100% natural pomegranate juice, POM Wonderful claims to be an all natural way to defend your body against cell damage.

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Comments

[mgray34]

04:58 PM on 09/28/2009

Without the science to back it up, it's just fancy packaging and minimum if any results. If a product boasts antioxident properites in their formula, all they need is a minimum amount of antioxidents to make the claim. I've been using a liquid vitamin called Vemma for the last 5 months and have gotten great results. It's ORAC value is 114,163 orac units per liter, it has clinical lab results from Brunswick Laboratories which proves what it does for you and is listed in the Physician's Desk Reference (PDR).

[ReedYoung]

05:38 PM on 11/18/2009

That's about 3376 per ounce. Not bad at all. But three one-ounce servings of Xoçai Activ would give about 50% more ORAC than three ounces of Vemma (15,810, also Brunswick Labs certified).
http://www.mxicorp.com/activ/

And it's endorsed by Wally Joyner.
http://xocolatl.reedyoung.net

Full disclosure: This IS network marketing so I WILL benefit financially from your purchases. Thanks in advance. :-D

[mgray34]

11:06 PM on 11/18/2009

Yeah, Wally Joyner is cool. Not bad...Vemma's other product Verve is endorsed by Shawne Merriman of the Chargers, Steve Smith of the Giants, Brendan Ayanbedejo of the Ravens. It is the official drink of the Phoenix Suns, and happens to be the only energy drink approved by the NBA. Dr. Oz of Oprah fame drinks it and recommended it in Esquier magazine.

[HonestJohnnis]

05:27 PM on 09/26/2009

I drink vitacoco before and during races.. great stuff. Zico is good too, but they don't have plain at the local store and I'm not big on the flavors. Best bet, If you don't have a purpose for it, drink water, eat fruit.

[gbrooks]

02:14 PM on 09/26/2009

Considering that Pom is owned by an HP blogger (Lynda Resnick), I'm most suspicious of it.

She also owns Fiji water and several other brands.

[ReedYoung]

05:41 PM on 11/18/2009

If this was intended to be a very serious, rigorously-researched article, then I think at a bare minimum we would see Brunswick Labs ORAC scores for each product, or a reason why not -- what stage in testing Brunswick is stuck on such a hypothetical product, for example. Since that information is absent, I conclude this post is meant only as a conversation-starter. Also, it's a poll.

[ReedYoung]

12:35 PM on 11/20/2009

How about images of the government-mandated list of ingredients and nutritional information from each retail package?

[ForVivi]

02:46 AM on 09/26/2009

I found the following tasty and therapeutic drink at the Walmart pharmacy:

Berry-flavored aloe juice.

[ForVivi]

02:43 AM on 09/26/2009

I juice my own. Love the following recipe:

carrot
apple
fresh ginger

[Angie Cordeiro]

10:52 PM on 09/26/2009

Me too! Our CSA box has had lots of celery so I am not putting in the apple...here is an old favorite...

Sunset Juice:

Apple
Carrot
Beet
Ginger (about the size of a finger nail)

[tarowig]

08:10 PM on 09/27/2009

Mmm I usually make the carrot/apple/ginger combo but never tried adding beet - it sounds delicious though!

[Ohsherri]

12:43 AM on 09/28/2009

Hey foodies!
What in your opinion is the best juicer?

[KEATSnSKYESMOM]

12:09 AM on 09/26/2009

VitaCoCo with Pineapple is great for a hangover - or just a headache. I am also surprised that GT Dave's Kombucha tea is not on the list. That stuff is awesome

[StThomas]

01:41 PM on 09/25/2009

Instead of paying a fortune for some vile processed (and no soubt expensive drink), why not go to the fruiterers and get stuff fresh?

[LurleneLumpkin]

12:23 PM on 09/25/2009

I'm surprised that people think the most processed items are the healthiest. Propel contains no actual fruit juice, and sucralose . . . yuck.

[HonestJohnnis]

05:24 PM on 09/26/2009

you may have read the scale backwards

[Reclaiming My Health]

10:57 AM on 09/25/2009

Interesting that these drinks are the only drinks considered. What about COCOGEVITY from Youngevity. It has not corn syrup and tastes like gold the ORAC values is 101,373 per Liter. This a a Tue antioxidant drink.

[Bashley]

10:36 AM on 09/25/2009

I love to use my juicer to make my own juices and make juice for the kids in my family, I only buy certain juices from the store for making cocktails or because I like the taste (I LOVE Langer's juices, they use sugar instead of HFCS). Other than that, I drink water and tea. I'm weening myself from soda, IT'S SO HARD!!!!!!

[yellowdoggie]

10:23 AM on 09/25/2009

Yellowdoggie's advice: Drink filtered water from your tap. Eat lots of organic (if you can) fresh fruits and vegetables. Enjoy an occasional adult beverage. Use common sense when it comes to everything else. Have a nice, long, healthy life.

[AbeMartin]

09:52 AM on 09/25/2009

Every time I see or have to listen to some inane ad-babble about the "green revolution" or "anti-oxidants," I grab a nice cold beer. Beer, the anti-oxidant antidote. Oh, by the way, you get the same health benefits from liberal (oh, my God--The Glenster is going to be after me!) use of garlic, broccoli and other dark green vegetables and greens like kale, collards, and naturally raised tomatoes.

[LurleneLumpkin]

12:24 PM on 09/25/2009

Go Guinness!

[Conk]

09:42 AM on 09/25/2009

I'm sure someone has already stated these drinks must be pastuerized. Dead, sugar water! Mild benefit maybe. You simply can not reduce the living essence of food into a convenient drink.

[Giada]

09:09 AM on 09/25/2009

Water, brewed plain tea or pure juice, it is that simple for me. I'll trust in nothing added.

[bmonaghan]

09:33 AM on 09/25/2009

I agree. Check out http://www.homegrownherbandtea.com. I found the best herbal infusions there.

[Spinsterina]

09:07 AM on 09/25/2009

Yes, one DOES have to wonder whether these drinks are legit...WHEN THE JOURNALISTS DON'T ACTUALLY BOTHER TO CHECK IT OUT FOR US?

What's the point of having an opinion poll to figure this out? Stupid.

[ReedYoung]

01:13 PM on 10/23/2009

To find out how ignorant we are as a group, to know what level of reporting to do? Or, if we already know it all, why bother doing (more) investigative reporting?