{"id":606035247410,"title":"Is Propel Water Good for You? A Dietitian Answers","created_at":"2023-08-10T22:00:15-04:00","body_html":"\u003cscript type=\"application\/ld+json\"\u003e\/\/ \u003c![CDATA[\n{\n \"@context\": \"https:\/\/schema.org\",\n \"@type\": \"Article\",\n \"headline\": \"Is Propel Water Good for You? A Dietitian Answers\",\n \"keywords\": \"is propel water good for you, is propel water bad for you, is propel water healthy, is propel water unhealthy, propel water\",\n \"description\": \"Our research team and Registered Dietitian (RD) analyze the ingredients in Propel Water based on medical studies to give our take on whether the drink is good for you or if it's unhealthy. We highlight some questionable additive ingredients and feature unsponsored customer reviews.\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/blogs\/health\/is-propel-water-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_Propel_Water_Good_For_You_Thumbnail_Optimized.png?v=1691719654\",\n\"width\": \"2500\",\n\"height\": \"2500\"\n},\n\"citation\": [\n\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC6097542\/\", \n\"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/blogs\/health\/is-c4-bad-for-you\",\n\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/31246081\/\",\n\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC4848651\/\"\n],\n\"mentions\": [{\n \"@type\": \"Brand\",\n \"name\": \"Gatorade\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Thing\",\n \"name\": \"electrolytes\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Thing\",\n \"name\": \"citric acid\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Thing\",\n \"name\": \"preservatives\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Brand\",\n \"name\": \"Coca-Cola\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Thing\",\n \"name\": \"added sugar\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Brand\",\n \"name\": \"Instacart\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Target\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Walmart\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Amazon\"\n }\n],\n\"datePublished\": \"2023-08-10\",\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 data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0047\/1524\/9737\/files\/Is_Propel_Water_Good_For_You_Article_Header_Image_Optimized.png?v=1691719077\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"dc\"\u003eP\u003c\/span\u003eropel Water is a Gatorade-brand product that’s described as “Fitness water.” The water contains added electrolytes and is free of added sugar.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cb data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eBut is Propel Water actually healthy, or is it a waste of money? Does the drink contain any questionable additive ingredients? How does it compare to Gatorade? And what do real users think about Propel Water?\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eIn this article we’ll answer all of these questions and more, as we analyze the ingredients in Propel Water based on medical studies to give our take on whether it’s healthy or not, and how it compares to Gatorade for sports nutrition.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWe’ll feature unsponsored customer reviews of the brand.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eIngredient Analysis – Is Propel Water Healthy?\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"Propel Water ingredients\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0047\/1524\/9737\/files\/Propel_Water_Ingredients_Optimized.png?v=1691719092\" style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe ingredients in Propel Water Berry flavor are shown above.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe core active ingredients are \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003ewater\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e and a blend of electrolytes including \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003esodium\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e and \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003epotassium\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eIf these were the only ingredients in Propel, we’d consider recommending the brand. However, there are also a number of additive ingredients that may be questionable from a health perspective.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cb data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eCitric acid\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e is a flavoring agent that causes whole-body inflammation in some individuals, as documented by a \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca data-mce-fragment=\"1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC6097542\/\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC6097542\/\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003emedical review\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e published in the \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eToxicology Reports\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e journal.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cb data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eSodium hexametaphosphate\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e and \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003epotassium sorbate\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e are preservatives (although safer ones in our opinion than some commercial preservatives).\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cb data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eSucralose\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e is an artificial sweetener that’s clinically shown to worsen insulin function, as we documented in our article on \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca data-mce-fragment=\"1\" href=\"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/blogs\/health\/is-c4-bad-for-you\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/blogs\/health\/is-c4-bad-for-you\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eis C4 bad for you\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cb data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eNatural flavor\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e is a broad categorical descriptor that fails to describe which specific flavoring compounds are used.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThis drink also has a blend of vitamin additives like \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003evitamin B3\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e and \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003evitamin B5\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e. We haven’t come across any convincing medical evidence that relatively small doses of water-soluble vitamins improve athletic performance, nor does the brand cite any on their product page.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eOverall, we do not consider Propel Water to be good for you\u003c\/strong\u003e due to all of the additive ingredients highlighted above. This is one of the worst water brands we’ve reviewed on Illuminate Health from a formulation perspective.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eBut how does Propel Water compare to Gatorade? We’ll answer that question in the next section before featuring unsponsored customer reviews of the brand.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003ePropel vs. Gatorade\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eGatorade is of course the original sports nutrition drink.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eBut while Gatorade may be a better choice for elite athletes due to its sugar content, it’s a worse choice for the average American for the exact same reason.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cb data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eA 12 ounce (oz) Gatorade contains 48 grams (g) of added sugar, which is more than a Coca-Cola of the same size.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eA 2019 \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca data-mce-fragment=\"1\" href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/31246081\/\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/31246081\/\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003emedical review\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e concluded that added sugar in excess is associated with increased risk of diabetes, heart disease and obesity.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eMany Americans already consume too much added sugar from their diet, and 48 g is nearly the recommended Daily Value (DV) for the entire day’s worth of calories.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003ePropel Water is also free of artificial dye, while some Gatorade flavors contain artificial dye.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cb data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eOverall, we would recommend Propel Water over Gatorade given its lower added sugar content and lack of synthetic dyes.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eBut how do real users rate and describe the effects of Propel Water? We’ll feature some unsponsored customer reviews in the next section.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eReal People Try Propel Water\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eA TikTok creator named Caroline Mabeus claims that Propel Water helped her lose weight: \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cblockquote class=\"tiktok-embed\" cite=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@carolinemabeus\/video\/7242313296689483054\" data-video-id=\"7242313296689483054\" style=\"max-width: 325px; min-width: 325px;\"\u003e\n\u003csection\u003e\u003ca title=\"@carolinemabeus\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@carolinemabeus?refer=embed\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e@carolinemabeus\u003c\/a\u003e Honestly all my favs and i stay stocked at all times 😂 \u003ca title=\"weightlosscheck\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/weightlosscheck?refer=embed\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e#weightlosscheck\u003c\/a\u003e \u003ca title=\"intermittentfasting\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/intermittentfasting?refer=embed\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e#intermittentfasting\u003c\/a\u003e \u003ca title=\"caloriedeficit\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/caloriedeficit?refer=embed\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e#caloriedeficit\u003c\/a\u003e \u003ca title=\"howtoloseweight\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/howtoloseweight?refer=embed\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e#howtoloseweight\u003c\/a\u003e \u003ca title=\"65poundsdown\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/65poundsdown?refer=embed\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e#65poundsdown\u003c\/a\u003e \u003ca title=\"cirkulwaterbottle\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/cirkulwaterbottle?refer=embed\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e#cirkulwaterbottle\u003c\/a\u003e \u003ca title=\"fittok\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/fittok?refer=embed\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e#fittok\u003c\/a\u003e \u003ca title=\"weightlosstip\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/weightlosstip?refer=embed\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e#weightlosstip\u003c\/a\u003e \u003ca title=\"healthyrecipes\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/healthyrecipes?refer=embed\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e#healthyrecipes\u003c\/a\u003e \u003ca title=\"weightlossmotivation\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/weightlossmotivation?refer=embed\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e#weightlossmotivation\u003c\/a\u003e \u003ca title=\"fitness\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/fitness?refer=embed\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e#fitness\u003c\/a\u003e \u003ca title=\"weightlossbeforeandafter\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/weightlossbeforeandafter?refer=embed\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e#weightlossbeforeandafter\u003c\/a\u003e \u003ca title=\"healthystarbucks\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/healthystarbucks?refer=embed\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e#healthystarbucks\u003c\/a\u003e \u003ca title=\"healthystarbucksdrinks\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/healthystarbucksdrinks?refer=embed\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e#healthystarbucksdrinks\u003c\/a\u003e \u003ca title=\"weightlossmusthaves\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/weightlossmusthaves?refer=embed\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e#weightlossmusthaves\u003c\/a\u003e \u003ca title=\"healthydrinks\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/healthydrinks?refer=embed\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e#healthydrinks\u003c\/a\u003e \u003ca title=\"watertok\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/watertok?refer=embed\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e#watertok\u003c\/a\u003e \u003ca title=\"watergoals\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/watergoals?refer=embed\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e#watergoals\u003c\/a\u003e \u003ca title=\"♬ dont blame me nightcore - dani (taylor’s version)\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/music\/dont-blame-me-nightcore-7072096048155544366?refer=embed\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e♬ dont blame me nightcore - dani (taylor’s version)\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/section\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cscript src=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/embed.js\" async=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/script\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eA TikTok creator named “valenciaminnie8” did a taste test of the grape flavor:\u003c\/span\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cblockquote style=\"max-width: 325px; min-width: 325px;\" data-video-id=\"7254233015134571819\" cite=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@valenciaminnie8\/video\/7254233015134571819\" class=\"tiktok-embed\"\u003e\n\u003csection\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@valenciaminnie8?refer=embed\" title=\"@valenciaminnie8\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e@valenciaminnie8\u003c\/a\u003e Taste test! So Refreshing @Propel Fitness Water \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/fyp%E3%82%B7?refer=embed\" title=\"fypシ\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e#fypシ\u003c\/a\u003e \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/propelfitnesswater?refer=embed\" title=\"propelfitnesswater\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e#propelfitnesswater\u003c\/a\u003e \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/summer?refer=embed\" title=\"summer\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e#summer\u003c\/a\u003e \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/music\/original-sound-7254233050949700394?refer=embed\" title=\"♬ original sound - valenciaminnie8\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e♬ original sound - valenciaminnie8\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/section\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cscript src=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/embed.js\" async=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/script\u003e\n\u003ch2 data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eWill Propel Water Cause Side Effects?\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWhile we don’t consider Propel Water to be particularly healthy, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003ewe do not believe this drink is likely to cause side effects in otherwise healthy adults.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThis drink is basically water with a small blend of nutrients and inactive ingredients. All of the ingredients are well-studied, relatively common manufacturing additives.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eCitric acid may cause reactions in a very small subset of the population, but again it doesn’t seem likely to do so in the average consumer.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThere is no mention of side effects on Propel’s website, and the drink doesn’t appear to be clinically tested so we can’t confirm for certain the likelihood of side effects.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eWhere to Buy Propel for the Best Price\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003ePropel Water is sold at a variety of online retailers. Here’s a price breakdown for a 12-pack at the time of publishing this article:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eInstacart: $9.89 (\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.instacart.com\/products\/74964-propel-electrolyte-water-beverage-lemon-12-pack-16-9-fl-oz\"\u003elink\u003c\/a\u003e)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eTarget: $8.99 (\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.target.com\/p\/propel-berry-38-kiwi-strawberry-38-grape-variety-pack-12pk-16-9-fl-oz-bottles\/-\/A-87819129\"\u003elink\u003c\/a\u003e)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWalmart: $8.48 (plus shipping, \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.walmart.com\/ip\/Propel-Cherry-Flavored-Enhanced-Water-with-Electrolytes-16-9-oz-12-Pack-Bottles\/20970550\"\u003elink\u003c\/a\u003e)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eAmazon: \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e$8.38 (free shipping\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca data-mce-fragment=\"1\" href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/446tznJ\" rel=\"sponsored\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/446tznJ\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003elink\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003ePropel Water is currently around 50% cheaper on Amazon than Walmart when factoring in shipping fees.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe price varies slightly by flavor.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eOur Clean Water Flavoring Pick\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0047\/1524\/9737\/files\/Flavor_Enhancers_Image_Optimized.png?v=1664338346\" alt=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/piquelife.sjv.io\/rQDmr5\" rel=\"sponsored\"\u003ePique Daily Radiance\u003c\/a\u003e is our top flavor enhancing packet that can be added to water.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis product comes in convenient stick packs that can be mixed into water, and \u003cstrong\u003eis naturally flavored with nutritious, whole food ingredients like organic elderberry juice concentrate\u003c\/strong\u003e (which is \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC4848651\/\"\u003eclinically shown\u003c\/a\u003e to support the immune system) and \u003cstrong\u003eorganic lemon juice concentrate\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMost importantly, Pique's flavor enhancer is entirely free of citric acid, preservatives, artificial sweeteners and flavoring additives.\u003c\/strong\u003e There are no ingredients in this formulation that we consider to be unhealthy.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInterested consumers can check out Pique Daily Radiance \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/piquelife.sjv.io\/rQDmr5\" rel=\"sponsored\"\u003eat this link\u003c\/a\u003e to the product page on the brand's official website.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eConclusion\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003ePropel Water is a healthier option than Gatorade and other sugar-laden sports drinks in our opinion, because it’s zero-calorie and contains zero added sugars.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWe don’t consider Propel Water to be healthy overall, because it contains citric acid, preservatives, an artificial sweetener and flavoring additives.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThat being said, nearly everything approved for consumption in the US is fine in moderation, and we do not consider Propel Water likely to cause side effects.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eMost of the online customer reviews that we came across while researching this article had favorable comments about the flavor of this drink, and Amazon currently has the best prices by far when factoring in shipping fees.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","blog_id":49281925193,"author":"Calloway Cook","user_id":26601750601,"published_at":"2023-08-10T22:20:54-04:00","updated_at":"2023-09-24T11:31:17-04:00","summary_html":"We analyze the ingredients in Propel Water based on medical studies to give our take on whether the drink is good for you or if it's unhealthy. We highlight some questionable additive ingredients and feature unsponsored customer reviews.","template_suffix":"","handle":"is-propel-water-good-for-you","tags":"_related:sports-nutrition"}

Is Propel Water Good for You? A Dietitian Answers

Is Propel Water Good for You? A Dietitian Answers


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Read our Editorial Guidelines to learn more about what makes our site the premier resource for online health information.

Propel Water is a Gatorade-brand product that’s described as “Fitness water.” The water contains added electrolytes and is free of added sugar.

But is Propel Water actually healthy, or is it a waste of money? Does the drink contain any questionable additive ingredients? How does it compare to Gatorade? And what do real users think about Propel Water?

In this article we’ll answer all of these questions and more, as we analyze the ingredients in Propel Water based on medical studies to give our take on whether it’s healthy or not, and how it compares to Gatorade for sports nutrition.

We’ll feature unsponsored customer reviews of the brand.

Ingredient Analysis – Is Propel Water Healthy?

Propel Water ingredients

The ingredients in Propel Water Berry flavor are shown above.

The core active ingredients are water and a blend of electrolytes including sodium and potassium.

If these were the only ingredients in Propel, we’d consider recommending the brand. However, there are also a number of additive ingredients that may be questionable from a health perspective.

Citric acid is a flavoring agent that causes whole-body inflammation in some individuals, as documented by a medical review published in the Toxicology Reports journal.

Sodium hexametaphosphate and potassium sorbate are preservatives (although safer ones in our opinion than some commercial preservatives).

Sucralose is an artificial sweetener that’s clinically shown to worsen insulin function, as we documented in our article on is C4 bad for you.

Natural flavor is a broad categorical descriptor that fails to describe which specific flavoring compounds are used.

This drink also has a blend of vitamin additives like vitamin B3 and vitamin B5. We haven’t come across any convincing medical evidence that relatively small doses of water-soluble vitamins improve athletic performance, nor does the brand cite any on their product page.

Overall, we do not consider Propel Water to be good for you due to all of the additive ingredients highlighted above. This is one of the worst water brands we’ve reviewed on Illuminate Health from a formulation perspective.

But how does Propel Water compare to Gatorade? We’ll answer that question in the next section before featuring unsponsored customer reviews of the brand.

Propel vs. Gatorade

Gatorade is of course the original sports nutrition drink.

But while Gatorade may be a better choice for elite athletes due to its sugar content, it’s a worse choice for the average American for the exact same reason.

A 12 ounce (oz) Gatorade contains 48 grams (g) of added sugar, which is more than a Coca-Cola of the same size.

A 2019 medical review concluded that added sugar in excess is associated with increased risk of diabetes, heart disease and obesity.

Many Americans already consume too much added sugar from their diet, and 48 g is nearly the recommended Daily Value (DV) for the entire day’s worth of calories.

Propel Water is also free of artificial dye, while some Gatorade flavors contain artificial dye.

Overall, we would recommend Propel Water over Gatorade given its lower added sugar content and lack of synthetic dyes.

But how do real users rate and describe the effects of Propel Water? We’ll feature some unsponsored customer reviews in the next section.

Real People Try Propel Water

A TikTok creator named Caroline Mabeus claims that Propel Water helped her lose weight: 

@carolinemabeus Honestly all my favs and i stay stocked at all times 😂 #weightlosscheck #intermittentfasting #caloriedeficit #howtoloseweight #65poundsdown #cirkulwaterbottle #fittok #weightlosstip #healthyrecipes #weightlossmotivation #fitness #weightlossbeforeandafter #healthystarbucks #healthystarbucksdrinks #weightlossmusthaves #healthydrinks #watertok #watergoals ♬ dont blame me nightcore - dani (taylor’s version)

A TikTok creator named “valenciaminnie8” did a taste test of the grape flavor: 

@valenciaminnie8 Taste test! So Refreshing @Propel Fitness Water #fypシ #propelfitnesswater #summer ♬ original sound - valenciaminnie8

Will Propel Water Cause Side Effects?

While we don’t consider Propel Water to be particularly healthy, we do not believe this drink is likely to cause side effects in otherwise healthy adults.

This drink is basically water with a small blend of nutrients and inactive ingredients. All of the ingredients are well-studied, relatively common manufacturing additives.

Citric acid may cause reactions in a very small subset of the population, but again it doesn’t seem likely to do so in the average consumer.

There is no mention of side effects on Propel’s website, and the drink doesn’t appear to be clinically tested so we can’t confirm for certain the likelihood of side effects.

Where to Buy Propel for the Best Price

Propel Water is sold at a variety of online retailers. Here’s a price breakdown for a 12-pack at the time of publishing this article:

Instacart: $9.89 (link)

Target: $8.99 (link)

Walmart: $8.48 (plus shipping, link)

Amazon: $8.38 (free shipping, link)

Propel Water is currently around 50% cheaper on Amazon than Walmart when factoring in shipping fees.

The price varies slightly by flavor.

Our Clean Water Flavoring Pick

Pique Daily Radiance is our top flavor enhancing packet that can be added to water.

This product comes in convenient stick packs that can be mixed into water, and is naturally flavored with nutritious, whole food ingredients like organic elderberry juice concentrate (which is clinically shown to support the immune system) and organic lemon juice concentrate.

Most importantly, Pique's flavor enhancer is entirely free of citric acid, preservatives, artificial sweeteners and flavoring additives. There are no ingredients in this formulation that we consider to be unhealthy.

Interested consumers can check out Pique Daily Radiance at this link to the product page on the brand's official website.

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Conclusion

Propel Water is a healthier option than Gatorade and other sugar-laden sports drinks in our opinion, because it’s zero-calorie and contains zero added sugars.

We don’t consider Propel Water to be healthy overall, because it contains citric acid, preservatives, an artificial sweetener and flavoring additives.

That being said, nearly everything approved for consumption in the US is fine in moderation, and we do not consider Propel Water likely to cause side effects.

Most of the online customer reviews that we came across while researching this article had favorable comments about the flavor of this drink, and Amazon currently has the best prices by far when factoring in shipping fees.




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