‘There is nothing special in this drink that you would not get from water and a sip of coconut water.’
It’s the drink that has sent teenagers and adults into meltdown in recent months, but a nutritionist has now explained why she wouldn’t buy Prime Hydration for her children.
The drink, created by KSI and Logan Paul, has become one of the most sought after drinks in the country, thanks largely to the popularity of the two YouTubers among teenagers and children, with the pair sharing over 50 million subscribers between them.
It comes in a range of flavours including Tropical Punch, Coconut Water, Lemon Lime and Blue Raspberry, and includes added vitamins for an ‘extra health’ boost.
Although it is marketed as an energy drink, Prime contains no added sugar or caffeine, which means it may appear to be a healthier alternative to other products for some.
Despite this though, a nutritionist has revealed that she wouldn’t allow her children to have the drink. Hannah Macey, lead nutritionist at Feel Complete, told The Mirror: “No, I would not. It has nothing worth spending any money on. There is nothing special in this drink that you would not get from water, a sip of coconut water and a well-balanced meal.”
Prime Hydration is made up of 10 percent coconut water, BCAA for muscle recovery, B vitamins, electrolytes and antioxidants. But according to Macey, the product is nothing more than a “watery coconut drink.”
She explained: “The first ingredient is water, then 10% coconut water (which brings in the 825 mg of electrolytes to every Prime bottle) and some very low-dosage vitamins and minerals. Then we have the ‘star’ branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) l-isoleucine, l-valine and l-leucine. Research shows some benefit in supplementing with these BCAAs before exercising, but in the range of 5,000 to 10,000 (mg) per day. Prime has just 250mg, so after the water and coconut water, it’s mostly preservatives and artificial sweeteners.”
Macey did admit the drink was a better alternative to most other energy drinks on the market which are “often just water, sugar, caffeine and a lot of artificial food colourings, sweeteners and preservatives.”
She added: “The water and coconut water will hydrate you, and if you are eating a diet very, very low in any whole foods (vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, etc) then it will give you a small vitamin and mineral boost.”
But she pointed out that Prime does also contain artificial sweeteners, which can “cause glucose intolerance and induce metabolic syndrome, which is associated with weight gain.”
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