Liquid Death is a canned water brand with the bold catchphrase “Murder Your Thirst.” The company sells sparkling water, still water, flavored water and iced tea. Liquid Death is not alcoholic, although the packaging resembles some alcoholic beverages.
But is Liquid Death bad for you, or is it a healthy option? What ingredients are in Liquid Death beyond water? What’s the healthiest Liquid Death drink? And is Liquid Death healthier or less healthy than popular flavored water brands like Hint Water?
In this article we’ll answer all of these questions and more, as we analyze the ingredients in Liquid Death to give our take on whether or not it's bad for you.
We’ll also pick the healthiest Liquid Death product, share our experience purchasing and testing the brand ourselves, and compare Liquid Death to other popular flavored water brands in terms of healthiness to pick our winners (and losers).
Key takeaways:
- Unflavored version is healthy
- Flavored version contains additives we consider unhealthy
- BPA can lining may be an issue
Ingredient Analysis
The water sold by Liquid Death has no additives, as shown in the ingredient list below for Liquid Death Sparkling Water:
We consider the unflavored water products sold by Liquid Death to be healthier than the average bottled water brand, because it’s packaged in aluminum rather than plastic.
A 2020 medical review documented that bisphenol A (BPA), which is a chemical compound used in the production of many soft plastics, can be hormone-disrupting and estrogenic.
Glass and aluminum are safer options (and better for the environment) than soft plastics for beverages in our opinion.
The ingredients in the Convicted Melon flavor of Liquid Death are shown below:
We consider the flavored versions of Liquid Death to be less healthy than the unflavored products.
Agave syrup provides added sugar, and a 2019 medical review documented that added sugar in excess is associated with obesity, cardiovascular disease and diabetes.
Many Americans already consume too much added sugar from their diet, so it may be best to avoid added sugar in drinks.
Citric acid is a flavor enhancer and preservative that can cause inflammation throughout the body, according to a medical review published in the Toxicology Reports journal.
Natural flavor is a broad descriptor that fails to identify the specific flavoring chemicals used. As we documented in our article on is Topo Chico bad for you, at least one medical review suggests that some flavoring compounds and their metabolites may be toxic.
The ingredients in the Armless Palmer flavor of Liquid Death Iced Tea are shown below:
This formulation is very similar to the flavored water, although it contains slightly more added sugar (6 grams vs. 4 grams) and also two vitamins. We haven’t come across any convincing medical evidence that taking vitamins without a deficiency has health benefits.
We consider Liquid Death Iced Tea to be the least healthy product sold by the brand, although it’s definitely healthier than commercial iced tea brands like Snapple that are loaded with added sugar.
Overall, we recommend Liquid Death Sparkling Water and Liquid Death Mountain Water (the unflavored products), but not the flavored products sold by the brand.
We Tested Liquid Death
As the author of this article, I wanted to try Liquid Death myself to share my thoughts on its taste, healthiness and the overall product experience:
I bought a bottle of Liquid Death Mountain Water at my local CVS and drank it with a large lunch.
The taste is crisp and refreshing and simply tastes better than most bottled waters I've drank recently.
I also liked the experience of drinking out of a can, and found it to be more sturdy than a plastic bottle.
I'm too frugal to spend $2+ on a single bottle of water to drink around the house, but I plan to start purchasing Liquid Death instead of other brands when I'm traveling or out of the house and need a water. It feels healthier to avoid plastic.
Overall, I'd rate Liquid Death 8/10. If it was slightly cheaper I'd give it the full 10/10.
Liquid Death vs. Popular Water Brands
Here's how Liquid Death compares to other popular flavored water brands in terms of healthiness, in our opinion:
Bai
Contains a sweetener which is clinically shown to increase the risk of stroke.
Liquid Death (even its flavored versions) is significantly healthier.
Winner: Liquid Death
Hint Water
Hint Water is bottled in single-use plastic, so its packaging is less healthy than that of Liquid Death.
It also contains natural flavors, making the drink less healthy than the unflavored versions of Liquid Death.
Winner: Liquid Death
Waterdrop
Contains inactive ingredients we consider unhealthy, making it inferior to the unflavored versions of Liquid Death from a health perspective.
Winner: Liquid Death
Our Clean Hydration Picks
Brita Water Filter is our top value water filter pick.
It's been shown in studies conducted by the Environmental Working Group (an independent research firm) to significantly reduce heavy metal levels and PFAS ("forever chemicals").
Pique Daily Radiance is our top water flavoring pick.
These packets are naturally flavored with nutritious ingredients like organic elderberry juice concentrate (which is clinically shown to support the immune system) and organic lemon juice concentrate.
