Joining the bandwagon originally piloted by Vitamin Water, Trader Joe’s now sells “water” that is actually a sugary beverage. With 13 grams of sugar per serving, and 2.5 servings per bottle, we’re talking about 33 or so grams of crystalline fructose per bottle - about 8 teaspoons. Imagine a coffee with 8 teaspoons of sugar!
I do think that eventually the FDA will ban the marketing or labeling of sugar-added beverages as ‘water’.
"A naturally flavored water beverage w/essential nutrients, taurine, chromium & electrolytes.
What the Scott Farkus is a water beverage? Uh, not water! Half and half contains water. Wine contains water. Even Everclear contains water. “Water”, when referring to a beverage rather than a chemical, is usually a term we reserve for nearly 100% pure H20, maybe with a few milligrams of minerals or electrolytes per liter.
By selling a sweetened beverage and labeling it ‘water’, manufacturers are pretty much just crossing their fingers that a consumer won’t read the label any further. Nobody buys orange juice expecting Sunny D, and likewise I think a lot of people think Vitamin Water and similar imitations are actually low-calorie, healthy drinks.
Trader Joe’s is really hitting the consumer below the belt, because people shop at their outlet specifically for healthy items. One shouldn’t really be worried about being duped into junk food at TJ’s, and one usually doesn’t have to be.
This is a disturbing moment in my long relationship with Trader Joe’s. Let’s hope they wise up before the FDA or a more widely-read blog embarrasses them.
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As a person with manorexia, i am against the false labeling of sugar water.
thank you for bringing this to light.