Is Bai5 good for you?

Bai5 is a water beverage that is sweetened and contains just five calories. The company claims that the sweeteners used are all natural and organic and that the beverage is 100 percent completely natural. The word ‘antioxidant’ is printed in bold letters on the front part of the Bai5 bottle.

The Bai5 brand was launched in the year 2009. The Dr. Pepper-Snapple Group has made an equity investment in the beverage brand in the recent past. The company has quickly grown into a very popular brand and boasts of annual revenue of more than $50 million.

As per the website of Bai5, the water beverage is an innovative mix of antioxidants. It has one of the most powerful antioxidants known to man, i.e., the coffee superfruit. Each and every bottle of Bai5 provides a thirst-quenching and energizing experience that is completely organic and natural, infused with 1 gram of coffeefruit and other free-radical fighting antioxidants, and naturally flavored and sweetened with juices of exotic fruits. The beverage is not only delectable, but the antioxidant and juice infusions are vegan, Kosher, and soy and gluten free.

It is known that antioxidants play a role in prevention of diseases like rheumatoid arthritis, cancer, and Alzheimer’s disease, etc. It is also postulated that antioxidants tend to slow down the effects and physical signs and symptoms of aging.

Ingredients of Bai5 water beverage

The ingredients used to create Bai5 include filtered water, blend of natural sweeteners, natural flavors of dragonfruit, strawberry and pomegranate juice concentrates, organic natural coffeefruit, malic acid, citric acid, natural coloring with vegetable juice, and white tea extract.

• Organic stevia extract and erythritol form the blend of natural sweeteners. The latter is a sugar alcohol and is used in making sugar-free gums and similar products. Like all types of sugar alcohols, erythritol does not have any calories. It may however cause bloating in certain individuals.
• Stevia extract in Bai5 may not be fully natural as is claimed by the company. This is because stevia leaves have to undergo a prolonged chemical process before it can be turned into an extract. It may not be as bad as other similar sweeteners that have zero calories (like sucralose or aspartame), but studies conducted on the effects of stevia extract are not that many. A few studies have shown infertility in lab mice and there is some probability for genetic malfunction or mutations.
• The natural flavors of dragonfruit may not be extracted from a real dragonfruit. It is possible that the source can be any other natural eatable which is synthesized in a laboratory.
• Pomegranate and strawberry juice concentrates in Bai5 is present in very small quantities. Hence, these ingredients cannot be regarded as items that contribute to the nutrition profile of the water beverage.

Bai5 flavors

Some of the flavors of Bai5 are Malawi Mango, Panama Peach, Ipanema Pomegranate, Sumatra Dragonfruit, and Congo Pear.

• Panama Peach Bai5 antioxidant infusions: The taste is really peachy and the flavor is quite authentic. The level of sweetness is just about perfect and there is not a lot of aftertaste. It is not too watery and is quite consistent. An 18 oz. bottle of Bai5 Panama Peach contains around 11 calories and is 4 percent juice.
• Malawi Mango Bai5 antioxidant infusions: This Bai5 water beverage flavor was a lot like mango juice. Most people will find the beverage to be more juicy than watery. There is a minor chemical taste that can be felt; it is the taste of the sweeteners.
• Sumatra Dragonfruit Bai5 antioxidant infusions: The flavor of Bai5 Sumatra Dragonfruit is much stronger as compared to the above two. It also has a moldy type taste and can be compared to a blend of cherry, raspberry, and mango flavors. In addition to being more intense, the drink is darker and looks like a fruit punch in taste and texture. An 18 oz. bottle of Bai5 Sumatra Dragonfruit contains around 11 calories and is 4 percent juice.

Is Bai5 good for you?

There are many energy drinks in the market such as 5 hour, Red Bull, Gatorade, etc. However, Bai5 provides an energy punch that is quite different from the above mentioned energy drinks.

A bottle of Bai5 contains about 70 mg of caffeine. This is equal to the caffeine content in two cups of green tea. Comparatively, a Starbucks Grande Latte contains about 150 mg of caffeine. However, the energy received from drinking Bai5 is more refreshing and less jittery as compared to drinking a cup of coffee or a latte. It is less of ‘open the eyes’ and more of ‘invigorated sensation’ kind of refreshment and energizing of the mind and body.

In Mandarin, the meaning of Bai is pure. Hence the name, Bai5!