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Functional Beverages: A Emerging Category for Health Benefits

6/6/2024

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Functional Beverages
Over the past decade, functional beverages have emerged as one of the fastest growing categories in the global beverage market. These beverages, sometimes referred to as wellness drinks, provide benefits beyond basic hydration by containing ingredients that offer specific health or performance benefits. Functional drink include a wide array of products from sports drinks to energy drinks to drinks containing added vitamins, minerals, or herbal extracts. This article will explore the various subcategories within functional drink and discuss some of the popular products and ingredients within each category.

Sports Drinks

Sports drinks make up a significant portion of the functional drink industry. These drinks are formulated to replenish electrolytes like sodium and potassium that are lost through sweat during exercise. Functional Beverages They also provide carbohydrates in the form of sugars and other carbohydrates to replenish glycogen stores in the muscles and liver. Some of the leading sports drink brands include Gatorade, Powerade, and All Sport. These drinks typically contain 6-8% carbohydrates along with sodium and potassium. Isotonic sports drinks have similar sugar and electrolyte concentrations as sweat and blood to allow for efficient absorption during exercise. Hypertonic sports drinks contain higher sugar levels for rapid energy replenishment after exercise.

Energy Drinks

Energy drinks first emerged in the 1990s and have experienced massive growth worldwide in the past two decades. These drinks are formulated to provide mental alertness, attention, and energy. Ingredients commonly found in energy drinks include caffeine, taurine, B vitamins, guarana, ginseng, and sugars. Monster Energy, Red Bull, and 5-Hour Energy are among the top selling global energy drink brands. Although energy drinks provide energy and concentration benefits to consumers, concerns have arisen regarding risks of excessive caffeine intake, especially among youth. Many energy drinks also contain high amounts of sugar.

Detox/Cleansing Drinks

Detox drinks are aimed at ridding the body of toxins. However, the kidneys and liver already effectively remove toxins from the body. Nevertheless, sales of detox drinks remain strong based on consumer perception of their benefits. Ingredients in these drinks typically include various herbs, fruits, and vegetables marketed for their antioxidant and cleansing properties. Examples include Detox Water, FitTea, and Refresh Detox. While these drinks may aid gentle digestive cleansing, they do not remove toxins in a medical detoxification sense. Their health effects have not been conclusively proven through research studies.

Hydration Drinks

Providing proper hydration is one of the core functions of beverages. Hydration drinks like smartwater and Liquid I.V. contain electrolytes and additional ingredients formulated for optimal absorption and to support hydration. Coconut water has gained popularity as a naturally hydrating drink due to its mineral content. Hydration drinks commonly contain minerals like sodium and potassium that aid fluid retention and allow the body to efficiently hydrate. They are suitable alternatives to plain water, especially during exercise or when additional minerals are needed. However, plain water remains the healthiest and most economical hydration source.

Probiotic Drinks

Probiotic beverages provide live microorganisms that can benefit digestive and immune health. Leading brands include Yakult and KeVita. These drinks typically contain billions of live and active bacteria cultures, most commonly Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium. The probiotic cultures may help maintain a healthy gut microbiome, support digestive regularity, and provide other possible benefits like boosted immunity. However, research on the health outcomes of probiotic drinks compared to supplement formats is still emerging. Refrigeration is also required to keep the live probiotic cultures viable until consumption.

Meal Replacement Drinks

Some functional beverages are designed to entirely or partially replace conventional meals. Optiva, SlimFast, and Soylent are leading meal replacement drink brands. They provide a balanced nutrition profile with calories, carbohydrates, protein, vitamins, and minerals to support weight management or replace standard meals. Certain varieties provide complete balanced nutrition to function as a sole-source of sustenance. While convenient for weight control or busy lifestyles, total reliance on liquid meals may be less satisfying than solid food and restriction of social meals. These drinks should only be used under medical or dietary supervision.

Plant-Based Wellness Drinks

This category includes drinks containing various botanical ingredients marketed for their nutritional and wellness properties. Brands like Honest Tea and Odwalla offer plant-based beverages made from fruit and vegetable blends. Others feature added herbs or spices touted for specific health benefits. Turmeric, ginger, green tea, and CBD extracts are among the wellness-promoting compounds appearing in some innovative drinks. However, health impact research is still emerging on most plant-added beverages. Their benefits likely depend heavily on dosage, manufacturing processes, and individual plant compounds utilized within specific formulations.
 
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