MiO: The New, Healthier Crystal Light?
I'm not a big fan of water flavoring packets that contain a list of artificial sweeteners and other chemicals.
You are basically pouring processed ingredients into your pure, clear, unadulterated water.
But, could new MiO liquid water enhancer be a healthier alternative to the powdered enhancers? Let's find out!
What's in It?
- Water: This is how they get the sweetener to be a liquid sweetener.
- Citric Acid: Naturally occurring in the body, and is naturally found in all citrus fruits.
- Propylene Glycol: Used in a lot of non-food items as well like your shampoo, or as a non-toxic version of antifreeze. Technically, it could be toxic is we ingested extreme quantities. Overall, it is considered safe though.
- Malic Acid: Natural additive that helps give a sour flavor.
- Sucralose: Another name for Splenda.
- Acesulfame K: Another artificial sweetener also known as Sunett or Sweet One.
- Potassium Citrate: The salt of citrate that helps to maintain the proper pH of MiO.
- Polysorbate 60: An emulsifier.
- Red 40 and Blue 1: Food dyes.
- Potassium Sorbate: One of the safer preservatives out there.
Is MiO Good for my Body?
MiO claims that it does not cause an insulin response, and is therefore safe for diabetics.
There are zero calories, and zero everything for one serving. But, that is how it should be because the product is just made up of artificial sweeteners and additives.
The good thing is that you can use however much you like of the product. A recommended serving is 1/24 of the bottle, or ½ a teaspoon. But, it is still pretty hard to know how much that really is.
The Bottom Line
I consider MiO Water Enhancer healthier than Crystal Light because it does not use aspartame, and the ingredients are what I consider to be the safest versions of all the additives found in artificial drinks.Does that mean I will drink it? Probably not. But, is it a good alternative for someone who is trying to decrease their intake of sweetened beverages like sodas? Absolutely.
What do you think? Have you tried MiO?
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6 Comments
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Created / Updated: January 18, 2012
Polysorbate 80 is NOT safe; nor are red 40 and blue 1. Sucralose is also not particularly good for you. This is a definite AVOID.
ReplyI believe Red 40 is banned in Denmark, Belgium, France and Switzerland, and is not recommended for consumption by children in other EU countries.
ReplyI think it would be hard to find studies that show Polysorbate 80 isn't safe.. All of the ones I looked at showed no ill effects and in these studies the rats were given very large doses of the substance. I'm not an advocate of artificial additives, but I do think we need to be able to justify calling something unsafe.
ReplyI've tried it because I have problems drinking plain water--I just hate the flavor of it. So I squeeze one "squirt" of Mio into a 1 L water bottle full of water. It gives the water a hint of flavor, but it's not as sweet as Crystal Light.
ReplyI haven't tried it, and the ingredients are not to my liking, but I just have to say, those colors alone are enough to turn me off to it. If I could get past all of that, I'd still be hesitant about this product because of the study results on "0” calorie artificially sweetened sodas, which showed they elevated insulin simply due to the stimulation of sweet receptors on the tongue. With that in mind, it would probably be a good idea to consume this drink in the context of a meal rather than all by itself. All things considered, I think I'll pass on MiO.
ReplyI've been using MiO in my water for about a year now. I'm Diabetic, have asthma and was overweight. I like MiO simply because it satisfies that sweet taste for me. I feel so much better, and studies or no studies, I know what works for me, so if you are trying to quit the sodas altogether and just can't drink plain water, try MiO. You should decide for yourself about MiO. I prefer MiO over all the sodas I used to drink (more than 2 big gulps daily), and I highly recommend it.
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