With 'functional' beverages, brands push drinks that do more than taste good
Supermarket beverage aisles are starting to look a lot more like a pharmacy.
There are sodas made with mushrooms that supposedly improve mental clarity and juices packed with bacteria that claim to enhance digestive health. Water infused with collagen carries the promise of better skin, and energy drinks offer to help burn body fat.
Welcome to the frenzy of functional beverages – drinks designed to do more than just taste good or hydrate. What started in the late 1980s with caffeine- and vitamin-laced energy drinks like Red Bull has grown into a multi-billion-dollar industry. Hundreds of brands are vying for consumers’ attention with increasingly exotic ingredients and wellness-focused marketing.
Feeling stressed? Try a drink with ashwagandha, a shrub long used in herbal medicine. Want to enhance your workout? There are drinks containing chromium, a mineral that may boost metabolism. Want to get in a party mood without alcohol? Multiple companies are making non-alcoholic spirits and beers infused with ingredients like guayusa, a leaf containing caffeine and antioxidants.
Related articles
Supreme Court rejects an appeal from a Canadian man once held at Guantanamo
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court on Monday rejected an appeal by a Canadian-born former Guantanam2024-05-21I'm from Texas and live in the UK, these are all the weird things I've found about British people
An American woman living in the UK has revealed all the 'weird' things about British life - includin2024-05-21Want a healthy dog? Vets reveal the 10 extreme body conformations owners should AVOID including flat
From Dachshunds' long bodies to Pugs' squashed faces, many of the most popular dog breeds are known2024-05-21Sky is back online following a five
It's one of the most popular broadband networks in the UK, but Sky experienced technical issues this2024-05-21Devout Christian doctor, 68, who punched dementia
An 'arrogant' doctor who punched a vulnerable patient for making a racist comment and spitting at hi2024-05-21Nasa vs Nessie: Space agency asked to assist new hunt...
It's the mythical creature that has captured the attention of people around the world for decades.An2024-05-21
atest comment