The Organic Elitist

Looking for a Smart Water alternative?  The distilled-water-plus-electrolytes formula can be enjoyed for the same price under a different label: Function Water.  A product sold by MD Drinks, Function Water is just one of the many beverages made by the company.  Just as its competitor, Smart Water’s creator Glaceau, sells Vitamin Water, MD Drinks produces a line of flavored waters called Function Drinks.  Each beverage is “physician-developed” and contains different ingredients meant for – you guessed it – a specific function.  The goal of the drinks is to incorporate the benefits of natural ingredients used in medicine into a beverage.

For example, Function Light Weight is a low-calorie drink for the diet-conscious. It contains ingredients thought to promote weight loss including the catechin found in green tea EGCG, the herb gymnema, and the red-wine extract resveratrol.  Another drink, Function Urban Detox may help clear sinuses and cure a hangover due to its ingredients N-Acetyl Cysteine and prickly pear fruit extract, respectively.  Other beverages include Function Brainiac for increased mental performance, Function Night Life to promote sexual health, and Function Shock Sports to help with muscle recovery.  A complete list of drinks can be found on the Function Drinks website.

While the concept is entertaining, I am a firm believer in absorbing nutrients from the source.  For the benefits of green tea extracts, drink green tea; for a sharper mind, take a power nap and say no to drugs.  Eating healthy and exercising daily will help you stay in shape more than a “physician-developed” beverage.  And if you’re looking to help muscle recovery, a physical therapist will offer more insight than flavored water.  Overall, I find the Function Drinks too gimmicky to be taken seriously.  However, if you want to drink electrolyte-enhanced distilled water without joining the Smart Water club, Function Water is a perfect substitute.