{"id":606304502066,"title":"Is Smartwater Good for You? Our Research Team Answers","created_at":"2023-09-17T23:50:47-04:00","body_html":"\u003cscript type=\"application\/ld+json\"\u003e\/\/ \u003c![CDATA[\n{\n \"@context\": \"https:\/\/schema.org\",\n \"@type\": \"Article\",\n \"headline\": \"Is Smartwater Good for You? Our Research Team Answers\",\n \"keywords\": \"is smartwater good for you\",\n \"description\": \"Our research team analyzes the ingredients in Smartwater based on medical studies to give our take on whether or not the brand is good for you. We pick the healthiest Smartwater flavor and compare the brand to other popular bottled water brands like Pellegrino and blk Water.\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/blogs\/health\/is-smartwater-good-for-you\",\n\"author\": {\n \"@type\": \"Person\",\n \"name\": \"Calloway Cook\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/pages\/calloway-cook\",\n \"sameAs\": \"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/calloway-cook\/\",\n \"jobTitle\": \"President\",\n \"knowsAbout\": \"entrepreneurship, dietary supplements, herbal supplements, eCommerce, medical research\",\n \"alumniOf\": {\n \"@type\": \"EducationalOrganization\",\n \"name\": \"S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University\"\n },\n \"memberOf\": {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Illuminate Labs\"\n }\n},\n\"editor\": {\n \"@type\": \"Person\",\n \"name\": \"DJ Mazzoni\",\n \"honorificSuffix\": [\n \"M.S.\",\n \"R.D.\",\n \"C.D.N.\",\n \"C.S.C.S.\"\n ],\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/pages\/dj-mazzoni\",\n \"sameAs\": [\n \"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/dj-mazzoni-rd-cdn-cscs-00a33038\/\",\n \"http:\/\/djmazzoni.com\/\"\n ],\n \"jobTitle\": \"Medical Reviewer\",\n \"knowsAbout\": \"exercise, drugs, pharmaceutical, health, workout, strength and conditioning, nutrition, dietetics, medicine, medical research, scientific research, scientific method, healthcare, patient care, wellness\",\n \"alumniOf\": {\n \"@type\": \"EducationalOrganization\",\n \"name\": [\n \"State University of New York College Oswego\",\n \"D’Youville College\"\n ]\n },\n \"memberOf\": {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Illuminate Labs\"\n }\n},\n\"image\": {\n\"@type\": \"ImageObject\",\n\"url\": \"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0047\/1524\/9737\/files\/Is_Smart_Water_Good_For_You_Thumbnail.png?v=1695009359\",\n\"width\": \"2061\",\n\"height\": \"2061\"\n},\n\"citation\": [\n\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC3222987\/\", \n\"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/blogs\/health\/blk-water-review\",\n\"https:\/\/finewaters.com\/bottled-waters-of-the-world\/italy\/san-pellegrino\",\n\"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/blogs\/health\/is-liquid-death-bad-for-you\",\n\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC5676322\/\",\n\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC6352572\/\",\n\"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/blogs\/health\/alkaline-water-benefits\",\n\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/33229077\/\",\n\"https:\/\/www.consumerlab.com\/reviews\/water-filters-review\/water-filters\/\"\n],\n\"mentions\": [{\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Coca-Cola\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Thing\",\n \"name\": \"distilled water\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Thing\",\n \"name\": \"electrolytes\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Thing\",\n \"name\": \"plastic packaging\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Brand\",\n \"name\": \"blk\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Brand\",\n \"name\": \"Pellegrino\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Brand\",\n \"name\": \"Liquid Death\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Thing\",\n \"name\": \"alkaline\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Brand\",\n \"name\": \"Future Proof\"\n }\n],\n\"datePublished\": \"2023-09-17\",\n\"copyrightHolder\": {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Illuminate Labs\"\n},\n\"publisher\": {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Illuminate Labs\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/\",\n \"description\": \"Illuminate Labs is the most transparent supplement company in the U.S., and is a leading publisher of research-based health information.\",\n \"knowsAbout\": \"supplements, science, nutrition, exercise, health, medication, pharmaceutical, wellness, diet, weight loss, medical research\",\n \"publishingPrinciples\": \"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/pages\/editorial-guidelines\",\n \"memberOf\": [\n {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"U.S. Chamber of Commerce\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/www.uschamber.com\/\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Certified B Corp\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/www.bcorporation.net\/en-us\/\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Natural Products Association\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/www.npanational.org\/\"\n }\n ],\n \"logo\": {\n \"@type\": \"ImageObject\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0047\/1524\/9737\/files\/Illuminate_Labs_Favicon_48x48_7595c3cc-e27b-47b8-a4fe-edcc7ed9b29a.png?v=1666502785\", \n \"width\": 48,\n \"height\": 48\n},\n \"foundingDate\": \"2019-01-30\",\n \"sameAs\": [\n \"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/illuminatelabs\",\n \"https:\/\/twitter.com\/illuminatelabs\",\n \"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/illuminate-labs-supplements\",\n \"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCpgSJAsIPb-fZ25djtTxBEA\"\n ]\n }\n}\n\/\/ ]]\u003e\u003c\/script\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0047\/1524\/9737\/files\/Is_Smart_Water_Good_For_You_Article_Header_Image_Optimized.png?v=1695008987\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"dc\"\u003eS\u003c\/span\u003emartwater is one of the most iconic bottled water brands worldwide. The brand is owned by Coca-Cola, and is known for its distinctive colored caps and unique flavors.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cb data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eBut is Smartwater good for you? Does it contain any unhealthy additives? Which Smartwater flavor is the healthiest? And how does Smartwater stack up to other bottled water brands in terms of healthiness?\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eIn this article we’ll answer all of these questions and more, as we analyze the ingredients in Smartwater based on medical studies to give our take on whether or not the brand is good for you.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWe’ll pick our healthiest Smartwater flavor and explain why, and also compare the healthiness of Smartwater to other popular bottled water brands like Topo Chico and blk Water.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cb data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eIngredient Analysis\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"Smartwater Original ingredients\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0047\/1524\/9737\/files\/Smart_Water_Original_Ingredients_Optimized.png?v=1695009257\" style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe ingredients in Smartwater Original are shown above.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cb data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eVapor distilled water\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e is the first ingredient, and this refers to water that’s gone through a process that vaporizes it and then allows it to condense back into its original form, which removes both impurities like heavy metals and naturally-occurring minerals.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cb data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eCalcium chloride\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e and \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003emagnesium chloride\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e are electrolytes that are added back in for taste.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThere is an inconsequential amount of these electrolytes from a health and nutritional perspective, because their respective doses are too low to be published on the Nutrition Facts label.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eOur main complaint about Smartwater from a health perspective is its plastic packaging.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eChemical compounds like bisphenol A (BPA) and bisphenol S (BPS) can leach from plastic packaging into food and beverages, and can have negative effects on human hormonal function.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eA \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC3222987\/\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC3222987\/\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003emedical review\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e published in the \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eEnvironmental Health Perspectives\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e journal found that \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003emost plastic products release estrogenic chemicals.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eOverall, we consider Smartwater to be good for you because it’s just formulated with water and is free of any unhealthy additives. We don’t currently recommend this brand due to the use of plastic packaging.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eBut how does the healthiness of Smartwater compare to other popular bottled water brands? We’ll provide a comparison in the next section of this article.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cb data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eSmartwater vs. The Competition\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThree of the most popular bottled water brands are blk Water, Pellegrino and Liquid Death. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eHere’s our comparison of Smartwater against those brands from a health perspective:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eSmartwater vs. blk\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eblk is an alkaline water brand, and as we documented in our article on \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/blogs\/health\/blk-water-review\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/blogs\/health\/blk-water-review\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eis blk Water good for you\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e, some medical studies have shown health benefits associated with consumption of alkaline water, including improved gut health and sleep quality.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe research is still too early-stage for us to say that alkaline water has definitive health benefits, but we certainly consider its clinical backing to be more promising than that of distilled water.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cb data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eVerdict: blk over Smartwater\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eSmartwater vs. Pellegrino\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003ePellegrino is a mineral water that’s typically packaged in glass bottles. That alone would give the brand an edge over Smartwater from a health perspective.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003ePellegrino is also relatively mineral-rich for a water brand, while Smartwater contains only trace amounts of minerals.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eAccording to \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/finewaters.com\/bottled-waters-of-the-world\/italy\/san-pellegrino\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/finewaters.com\/bottled-waters-of-the-world\/italy\/san-pellegrino\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eFineWaters\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e, Pellegrino contains 208 milligrams (mg) of calcium and 56 mg of magnesium per liter.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cb data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eVerdict: Pellegrino over Smartwater\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eSmartwater vs. Liquid Death\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eLiquid Death is perhaps the most aggressively and uniquely-marketed bottled water brand in the US, with its distinctive cans.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eAs we documented in our article on \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/blogs\/health\/is-liquid-death-bad-for-you\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/blogs\/health\/is-liquid-death-bad-for-you\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eis Liquid Death bad for you\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e, the brand uses aluminum packaging which we consider to be a healthier alternative to plastic.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eNeither Liquid Death nor Smartwater provides a notable amount of minerals, so the packaging makes the difference here for us.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cb data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eVerdict: Liquid Death over Smartwater\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cb data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eWhat’s the Healthiest Smartwater Flavor?\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eSmartwater sells an alkaline version of their water that we consider to be the healthiest offering from the brand.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eA \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC5676322\/\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC5676322\/\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eclinical trial\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e published in the \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eBiology of Sport\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e journal reported that alkaline water more favorably affected hydration status than tap water.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThat is to say that \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003efor the same amount of water consumed, alkaline water was clinically shown to be more hydrating than tap water.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eA 2019 \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC6352572\/\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC6352572\/\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eclinical trial\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e found that alkaline water consumption improved sleep quality relative to a placebo group drinking tap water.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eAs we documented in our \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/blogs\/health\/alkaline-water-benefits\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/blogs\/health\/alkaline-water-benefits\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003ealkaline water\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e review article, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003ealkaline water may also have an anti-aging effect, as it was shown in one 10-month clinical trial to increase telomere length.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWhile we don’t currently recommend any versions of Smartwater, we would recommend the alkaline version to consumers intent on purchasing from the brand.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cb data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eIs Bottled Water a Scam?\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eA YouTube video from the Future Proof brand has over 300,000 views and suggests that bottled water is a scam:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003ciframe title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/ptZuK2BCjDc?si=OsNR-UpVOKYXjkgR\" height=\"315\" width=\"560\" allowfullscreen=\"\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" frameborder=\"0\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eOur Clean Water Picks\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0047\/1524\/9737\/files\/Water_Bottle_Image.png?v=1670129204\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe recommend drinking filtered water, because this is the only method that we've seen proven to reduce contaminant levels in drinking water.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAn extensive\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/33229077\/\"\u003emedical review\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003epublished in the\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003eScience of the Total Environment\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003ejournal documented how many different toxic compounds exist in tap water, from bisphenol A (BPA) to perfluorooctanoic acids (PFOAs) to even residual drug ingredients like ibuprofen.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe \u003cstrong\u003eBrita Soho\u003c\/strong\u003e (\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3V0BAqC\" rel=\"sponsored\"\u003eAmazon link here\u003c\/a\u003e for those interested), \u003cstrong\u003eis proven\u003c\/strong\u003e in\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.consumerlab.com\/reviews\/water-filters-review\/water-filters\/\"\u003estudies\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003econducted by ConsumerLab (an independent research firm) \u003cstrong\u003eto significantly reduce heavy metal levels and entirely eliminate microplastics\u003c\/strong\u003e from drinking water.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor consumers with higher discretionary income, we recommend Aquasana's\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/click.linksynergy.com\/link?id=LHlboFIH4*Q\u0026amp;offerid=1108578.816749011562\u0026amp;type=2\u0026amp;murl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.aquasana.com%2Fwhole-house-water-filters%2Frhino-1-million-gallons%2Fsalt-free-water-conditioner%2Fuv-filter-100238133.html%3Fdiscountcode%3DLS\" rel=\"sponsored\"\u003eRhino Whole-House Water Filter\u003c\/a\u003e as a comprehensive solution that can filter all sources of water in the house.\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhen you install a whole-house filter, it filters water in all taps and all showers throughout the house, so it's the most thorough way to ensure a reduction in contaminants and to ensure purity of drinking and bathing water.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Aquasana Rhino Whole-House Water Filter costs around $2,400, which equates to pennies per glass after 10 years of use.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cb data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eConclusion\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWe consider Smartwater to be good for you in terms of its ingredients. It’s just filtered water with electrolytes added for taste, and is certainly a healthier alternative to flavored or sweetened water brands.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWe don’t currently recommend Smartwater because it’s packaged in plastic, which is damaging to the environment and may be damaging to human health given the estrogenic effects of leached plasticizing compounds.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eFor consumers intent on purchasing from Smartwater, we recommend the alkaline version, since there is some interesting early clinical research on potential health benefits from alkaline water consumption.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWe consider blk Water, Pellegrino and Liquid Death all to be healthier options than Smartwater Original, and consider blk Water and Smartwater Alkaline to be equivalent in terms of healthiness.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","blog_id":49281925193,"author":"Calloway Cook","user_id":26601750601,"published_at":"2023-09-17T23:59:38-04:00","updated_at":"2023-09-17T23:59:38-04:00","summary_html":"We analyze the ingredients in Smartwater based on medical studies to give our take on whether or not the brand is good for you. We pick the healthiest Smartwater flavor and compare the brand to other popular bottled water brands like Pellegrino and blk Water.","template_suffix":"","handle":"is-smartwater-good-for-you","tags":"_related:hydration"}

Is Smartwater Good for You? Our Research Team Answers

Is Smartwater Good for You? Our Research Team Answers


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Smartwater is one of the most iconic bottled water brands worldwide. The brand is owned by Coca-Cola, and is known for its distinctive colored caps and unique flavors.

But is Smartwater good for you? Does it contain any unhealthy additives? Which Smartwater flavor is the healthiest? And how does Smartwater stack up to other bottled water brands in terms of healthiness?

In this article we’ll answer all of these questions and more, as we analyze the ingredients in Smartwater based on medical studies to give our take on whether or not the brand is good for you.

We’ll pick our healthiest Smartwater flavor and explain why, and also compare the healthiness of Smartwater to other popular bottled water brands like Topo Chico and blk Water.

Ingredient Analysis

Smartwater Original ingredients

The ingredients in Smartwater Original are shown above.

Vapor distilled water is the first ingredient, and this refers to water that’s gone through a process that vaporizes it and then allows it to condense back into its original form, which removes both impurities like heavy metals and naturally-occurring minerals.

Calcium chloride and magnesium chloride are electrolytes that are added back in for taste.

There is an inconsequential amount of these electrolytes from a health and nutritional perspective, because their respective doses are too low to be published on the Nutrition Facts label.

Our main complaint about Smartwater from a health perspective is its plastic packaging.

Chemical compounds like bisphenol A (BPA) and bisphenol S (BPS) can leach from plastic packaging into food and beverages, and can have negative effects on human hormonal function.

A medical review published in the Environmental Health Perspectives journal found that most plastic products release estrogenic chemicals.

Overall, we consider Smartwater to be good for you because it’s just formulated with water and is free of any unhealthy additives. We don’t currently recommend this brand due to the use of plastic packaging.

But how does the healthiness of Smartwater compare to other popular bottled water brands? We’ll provide a comparison in the next section of this article.

Smartwater vs. The Competition

Three of the most popular bottled water brands are blk Water, Pellegrino and Liquid Death. 

Here’s our comparison of Smartwater against those brands from a health perspective:

Smartwater vs. blk

blk is an alkaline water brand, and as we documented in our article on is blk Water good for you, some medical studies have shown health benefits associated with consumption of alkaline water, including improved gut health and sleep quality.

The research is still too early-stage for us to say that alkaline water has definitive health benefits, but we certainly consider its clinical backing to be more promising than that of distilled water.

Verdict: blk over Smartwater

Smartwater vs. Pellegrino

Pellegrino is a mineral water that’s typically packaged in glass bottles. That alone would give the brand an edge over Smartwater from a health perspective.

Pellegrino is also relatively mineral-rich for a water brand, while Smartwater contains only trace amounts of minerals.

According to FineWaters, Pellegrino contains 208 milligrams (mg) of calcium and 56 mg of magnesium per liter.

Verdict: Pellegrino over Smartwater

Smartwater vs. Liquid Death

Liquid Death is perhaps the most aggressively and uniquely-marketed bottled water brand in the US, with its distinctive cans.

As we documented in our article on is Liquid Death bad for you, the brand uses aluminum packaging which we consider to be a healthier alternative to plastic.

Neither Liquid Death nor Smartwater provides a notable amount of minerals, so the packaging makes the difference here for us.

Verdict: Liquid Death over Smartwater

What’s the Healthiest Smartwater Flavor?

Smartwater sells an alkaline version of their water that we consider to be the healthiest offering from the brand.

A clinical trial published in the Biology of Sport journal reported that alkaline water more favorably affected hydration status than tap water.

That is to say that for the same amount of water consumed, alkaline water was clinically shown to be more hydrating than tap water.

A 2019 clinical trial found that alkaline water consumption improved sleep quality relative to a placebo group drinking tap water.

As we documented in our alkaline water review article, alkaline water may also have an anti-aging effect, as it was shown in one 10-month clinical trial to increase telomere length.

While we don’t currently recommend any versions of Smartwater, we would recommend the alkaline version to consumers intent on purchasing from the brand.

Is Bottled Water a Scam?

A YouTube video from the Future Proof brand has over 300,000 views and suggests that bottled water is a scam:

Our Clean Water Picks

We recommend drinking filtered water, because this is the only method that we've seen proven to reduce contaminant levels in drinking water.

An extensive medical review published in the Science of the Total Environment journal documented how many different toxic compounds exist in tap water, from bisphenol A (BPA) to perfluorooctanoic acids (PFOAs) to even residual drug ingredients like ibuprofen.

The Brita Soho (Amazon link here for those interested), is proven in studies conducted by ConsumerLab (an independent research firm) to significantly reduce heavy metal levels and entirely eliminate microplastics from drinking water.

For consumers with higher discretionary income, we recommend Aquasana's Rhino Whole-House Water Filter as a comprehensive solution that can filter all sources of water in the house. When you install a whole-house filter, it filters water in all taps and all showers throughout the house, so it's the most thorough way to ensure a reduction in contaminants and to ensure purity of drinking and bathing water.

The Aquasana Rhino Whole-House Water Filter costs around $2,400, which equates to pennies per glass after 10 years of use.

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Conclusion

We consider Smartwater to be good for you in terms of its ingredients. It’s just filtered water with electrolytes added for taste, and is certainly a healthier alternative to flavored or sweetened water brands.

We don’t currently recommend Smartwater because it’s packaged in plastic, which is damaging to the environment and may be damaging to human health given the estrogenic effects of leached plasticizing compounds.

For consumers intent on purchasing from Smartwater, we recommend the alkaline version, since there is some interesting early clinical research on potential health benefits from alkaline water consumption.

We consider blk Water, Pellegrino and Liquid Death all to be healthier options than Smartwater Original, and consider blk Water and Smartwater Alkaline to be equivalent in terms of healthiness.




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