Typically I prefer to drink plain or sparkling water most of the time, but sometimes you just want to drink something that has flavour to it – especially on a hot summer’s day. I was recently sent the range of OVI Hydration beverages to try out; I’d previously seen them in the chillers at the supermarket but hadn’t had a chance for a proper look, so here are my thoughts after giving them a go!
OVI Hydration drinks
I was sent one of each flavour from the OVI Hydration range to sample – Berry, Peach, Citrus and Watermelon. Here’s a sample of the ingredients list for the Berry flavour:
INGREDIENTS: Purified water, 4% reconstituted fruit juice (lemon, orange, berry), fructose, honey, natural flavours, sea salt, 0.05% tea extract (green tea, oolong tea), antioxidant (ascorbic acid).
And just for a comparison, the Peach flavour:
INGREDIENTS: Purified water, 4% reconstituted fruit juice (lemon, orange, peach), fructose, honey, natural flavours, sea salt, 0.05% tea extract (green tea, oolong tea), antioxidant (ascorbic acid).
The packaging claims include no artificial preservatives, sweeteners, colours or flavours, that the drinks are low in calories and that they include antioxidants from green tea. As you can see, the ingredients are recognisable and pretty straightforward.
Taste-wise, the flavour is relatively delicate compared to most other single serve bottled beverages but they are still sweet. The sweetness in the drinks comes from fruit juice, honey, and fructose (natural fruit sugar).
Although no sugar or artificial sweeteners have been added, fructose that has been processed into a separate ingredient prior to adding it (rather than leaving it as a part of squeezed fruit juice, for example) may cause some issue for anyone specifically aiming to reduce overall added sugar intake.
One 500ml serve has 90 calories which is pretty standard – maybe a little on the low side – for most drinks this size, but the downside of having no artificial sweeteners is that you will find the average quantity of overall sugar per serve is still 20g which works out to be around 5 teaspoons. This still works out much better than a can of Coke (9 teaspoons) or squeezed orange juice (11 teaspoons).
The verdict
I actually prefer foods and drinks that haven’t been made with artificial ingredients, so as an occasional refreshing sweet treat that gets you hydrated and gives you the added health benefits of green tea, I might purchase it. However, if you’re wanting to reduce your sugar intake or calories this summer you would likely be better to stick with water, and I probably wouldn’t serve it up to the kiddies.
On that note, even OVI Hydration state on their website ‘OVI Hydration is a simple addition to your daily routine that makes staying hydrated easy, natural and tasty, not a replacement for water’. Thumbs up for honesty.
OVI Hydration drinks (500ml, priced at around $3.70) are available in Berry, Citrus, Peach and Watermelon in supermarkets nationwide. For more information, visit www.ovihydration.co.nz.
Samples provided by OVI Hydration for review
Images / NZ Real Health