Water, Water Everywhere...and Calories Too

By Carole Buia

Can water be bad for your waistline? America's increasing thirst for fortified waters, which have added vitamins, minerals, herbal supplements and, yes, lots of sugar, has made products like Glaceau's vitamin waters huge sellers. Now, big guns like Pepsi and Snapple, trying to raise their share of the $6.9 billion bottled-water market, have launched their own concoctions. But drinking more water may not always be good for you. "The sugar levels in these drinks can actually inhibit the body's water- and vitamin-absorption and cause stomach cramping," warns Shan James, physiologist at Duke Health and Fitness Center. She also notes that the ingredients listed on the label can be tricky to decipher. How many calories are you really getting from some popular fortified waters? (By way of comparison, a 12-oz. can of Coke has 140.)

--By Carole Buia