'Functional' beverages loaded with nutrients

When you reach for something to drink, do you just want something to quench your thirst or do you think about the nutritional benefits of that beverage?

The Beverage Marketing Corp. reports one of the fastest growing markets for the beverage industry is functional beverages. The interest in health and wellness has created a demand for drinks that are refreshing, convenient, good tasting and offer some health benefits. There are numerous categories of functional beverages including sports drinks, flavored waters, vitamin-enhanced waters, ready-to-drink teas, soy-based drinks and enhanced fruit juices.

The enhanced sports drinks, waters and fruit juices have vitamins, minerals and perhaps selected herbs added to their formulations. This trend may have begun when orange juice companies successfully added calcium to their products and consumers readily purchased them. Minute Maid has launched a line of premium enhanced juices designed to meet consumers' health needs. Minute Maid Heart Wise was first introduced in 2003. This juice contains natural plant extracts called plant sterols that have been clinically proven to help reduce blood cholesterol levels. Plant sterols bind with cholesterol in the intestine to block as much as 50 percent of the cholesterol from being absorbed into the bloodstream. In the scientific study, participants drank two 8-ounce servings a day with meals for eight weeks and their LDL cholesterol (the "bad" cholesterol) level dropped 14 percent.

Minute Maid Active is one of the new enhanced juices that contains 750 milligrams of glucosamine HCl in every 8 ounces to promote healthy joints. Glucosamine use has been studied in the treatment of arthritis and has shown some benefit as an anti-inflammatory agent and seems to improve joint function. This enhanced juice especially has been popular with baby boomers who tend to be more active and interested in health and well-being.

The third new option is called Minute Maid Multi-Vitamin. It contains 16 essential vitamins and minerals. The most recent USDA surveys of the average American diet reveal a deficiency of several of these vitamins and minerals. This juice contains vitamins C, A and E along with zinc and selenium for support of a healthy immune system. Calcium, vitamin D, phosphorus, magnesium and manganese have been added to help maintain healthy bones. Vitamin B is important for energy metabolism, and chromium has been added to help maintain normal blood sugar levels.

Of course orange juice is also a good source of folic acid which reduces birth defects of the spine and brain. Folic acid also is important for the normal production of red blood cells and prevention of anemia.

As you can see, these beverages can be included as part of a healthy eating plan and they contribute important nutrients that may be missing in the diet. They taste great, too.

As this science evolves, expect to see more nutritionally enhanced beverages on grocery store shelves.