Test: Cheap flavored water is good, well-marketed failed

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Test: Cheap flavored water is good, well-marketed failed
Test: Cheap flavored water is good, well-marketed failed
Anonim

Summer is here, empty shelves in the hypermarket show where the mineral waters have cooled. Recognizing the needs, manufacturers are open to flavored mineral waters. We looked at nine of them, with the usual blind test, the only principle was that it should have a lemon or citrus flavor. We didn't even think that we had already taught ourselves the lesson: the problem started with the purchase, because there was a product that we couldn't even decide at first, whether it was soft or flavored water. That's why the NaturAqua Emotion pear- and lemongrass-flavored carbonated soft drink remained on the shelf.

HUS 4862
HUS 4862

What are we drinking?

Enriched, flavored, or enriched and flavored water: water intended for human consumption, which is produced by enriching, flavoring, or enriching and flavoring natural mineral water, spring water, or drinking water. It is prohibited to use names, trademarks, commercial the use of names, brand names, illustrations, other emblems or other markings, on the basis of which enriched, flavored, or enriched and flavored water can be confused with natural mineral water or spring water.

1. Jana - lemon-lime 1, 5 l HUF 189

Jana promises to provide natural flavors without preservatives. Ingredients: water, sugar, food acid (citric acid), natural flavors, antioxidant (ascorbic acid). Accordingly, there are 34kJ (8Kcal) calories in 1 deciliter.

According to our testers, "saccharine, diluted lemon" is characterized by "lots of ascorbic acid" and "slightly citric aftertaste", which also causes dry mouth. He still scored 14 points, finishing tied for third place.

2. Szentkirályi lemon-mint flavored ice water - 1.5 l - HUF 219

We thought we were buying mineral water, but in comparison it is called a soft drink. In any case, it contains water, sugar, citric acid, natural flavors, preservatives: potassium sorbate, sodium benzoate, dimethyl dicarbonate, sucralose. 1 dl contains 24 kJ/5.6 kcal of energy.

We still don't know what makes ice water, but the testers really didn't like the product of the successful company. The words "tré, not lemony enough", "intense artificial sweetener taste, completely unsuitable for thirst quenching", as well as "this is poison" and "washing-up liquid" crawled onto the papers. So he ran last.

3. Verde Frutto natural mineral water-based drink citrus mix - 0.75l - HUF 99

Spar's natural product passed our test two years ago. In comparison, the citrus mix did not go down well with the tasters. The product containing mineral water, carbon dioxide, natural grapefruit-lemon aroma and other natural aromas received 13 points in the test.

According to the tasters: "not lemony, lemongrass", "resembles water", "traces of lime, but more like intense carbonation", and finally "not sweet, there are too many bubbles, the question is whether it should be sweet- should it be a flavored water?" - asked someone.

4. Apenta vita mixx 1.5l - HUF 99

The non-carbonated drink with lime, orange and grapefruit flavor is enriched with vitamins (C, B6, B12) and also contains: mineral water, glucose-fructose syrup, sugar, citric acid, flavorings, potassium sorbate and sweeteners (sodium cyclamate, acelsulfame potassium, sucralose). With this, it managed to become the drink with perhaps the most sweeteners, if we include the added glucose-fructose syrup and sugar. In comparison, 1 dl contains 56 kJ/13 kcal.

"Pee-colored, maybe blood orange to the taste", "screwed up Plussz effervescent tablets, sin is bad", and "very smelly, rare bad homemade lemonade,, artificial sugar, fake lemon, artificial orange. Besides, you're dying of thirst!" reads the warning. This earned the product 11.5 points.

water01
water01

5. Fonyódi Fresh&Light Lemon-flavored carbonated soft drink 1.5 l - HUF 119

Spring water (de-ironed), Carbon dioxide min.: 3.5 g/l, Food acid (citric acid), Aroma, Sweeteners: sodium cyclamate, saccharin (sodium saccharinate), acesulfame: besides water, too many natural does not contain any material, compared to this, it finished second in the test, which also shows how accustomed the Index and Dívány employees are to artificial flavors, it crossed the finish line in first place with 15.5 points.

"Hardly sweet, yet it has exciting notes" "Strong citric acid taste, little artificial sugar" "seems natural" - wrote a colleague working on the economic line. "Lemon and baking soda," said another.

6. Vöslauer Balance - lemon-ginger - 0.75l - HUF 189

It's not cheap, but it's certainly very natural, we thought about the Vöslauer product. This worked pretty well, I managed to slip 1 percent lemon (even if it was from a jam) into the product along with Vöslauer natural mineral water, fruit sugar, carbonic acid, food acid (citric acid), antioxidant (ascorbic acid), caramel syrup. For dieters, 1 dl contains 62kJ and 15kcal. According to my preconceptions (or am I a good marketing consumer), I thought this water would be the winner. And it almost happened, finishing second with 15 points.

"Slight carbonation, usual artificial flavor, maybe a slight orange in addition to lemon" "this is like ginger" "medicine" "mango, not bad", "yellowish, some kind of plant, not too sweet" - the testers thought.

7. V2O Active Water - 0.75 - 350 HUF

Actually, this isn't even refreshing, but it was placed among the flavored waters, so we pounced on it. By drinking the lemon-orange flavored non-carbonated drink, we also add 1000 mg of vitamin C and zinc to our body. Based on its composition, it contains: water, fructose, citric acid, ascorbic acid, preservatives: potassium sorbate, sodium benzoate) aroma, zinc citrate, sweetener: sodium cyclamate, acesulfame-K.

"Bathwater flavor", lots of mouth-drying artificial sweeteners, with an orange aroma." However, the taste is horrible", "flower petal aroma and some orange-lemon combination" - thought the testers, who ranked the product in a tie for last place with 7 points.

8. Saguaro lemon - 1, 5l- HUF 149

Lidl's product doesn't promise too much, and it keeps it. It contains no artificial sweeteners, sugar, citric acid, aroma and sodium benzoate (water, sugar, carbon dioxide, food acid: citric acid; natural flavor, preservative: sodium benzoate). Such as. Accordingly, 1 dl contains 92kJ/22kcal.

Our testers got a good feel for what it contains, some wrote "citric acid and sweetener=industrial lemonade" "lemonade, squeezed together, more refreshing than water", but others just wrote: "horror". Compared to that, he worked his way up to the midfield.

9. Orange drink 1.5 l - HUF 79

Also Lidl's product is the Orange drink, which proudly advertises that it is a domestic product. The raw material of the very cheap soft drink comes from the Aquarius well in Albertirsa, in addition to citric acid, aroma, sweeteners: sodium cyclamate, potassium acesulfame, asaprtam, ascorbic acid, and preservatives: potassium sorbate, potassium benzoate. 1 dl contains 3.4 kJ/0.8 kcal of energy.

According to our testers, "it's not bad, diluted fanta in the morning", but some said "this smell wouldn't be unpleasant in a car, as an air freshener. It mixes a lot of aromas, lemons, tangerines, artificial sugar." Someone just wrote: "death", while others said "Aspro-C soluble in pure water". Someone else had a similar thought, he thought he could smell Vitamin C effervescent tablets. The budget product, which is cheap and contains a lot of preservatives, received 10.5 points from the hard-hearted testers.

Product name Manufacturer/Distributor price price/l laying
Fonyódi Fresh&Light Fonyódi mineral water kft. 179.- 119.- 1.
Vöslauer Balance Vöslauer Mineralwaser AG. 189.- 236.- 2.
Jana lemon-lime

Fonyódi mineral water kft.

189.- 126.- 3.
Green citrus mix Spar 99.- 123.- 4.
Saguard lemon Lidl 149.- 99.- 4.
Apenta mixx Maspex Olympos Kft. 99.- 66.- 5.
Orange drink Lidl 79.- 52.- 6.
V2O Active drink

Gramex 2000 Kft

350.- 437.- 7.
Szentkáryáli lemon-mint Szentkirályi Ásványvíz Kft. 219.- 146.- 7.

If you don't want to fuss and drink a lot of preservatives, flavors and sweeteners, make your own lemonade at home. By adding half a lemon to water and sweetening it with stevia, sugar or even honey, you can create the perfect summer drink for yourself. If you throw in some lemongrass or mint, which you can grow at home, the overall effect will be even more exciting. You can safely take this with you to the workplace, you are guaranteed to get a cheaper and more natural drink.

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