Drink This Now: Healthwtr

HealthWtr // Photo by Sarah Sipple

What beverage had our Editor-in-Chief spurt out an enthusiastic string of expletives in our office kitchen after just two sips? These fruity lil bottles right here. 

I brought HealthWtr to the office to share, specifically to verify that I wasn’t alone in my assessment. I was wowed. As it turns out, I was not alone.

This local version of a zero-calorie enhanced water more than holds its own against big names like Vitamin Water, Hint, and Gatorade Zero. In an office where a few of us pay close attention to blood glucose levels, HealthWtr was quickly embraced.

Based in Overland Park, the HealthWtr label reads like a dream: 20 vitamins and nutrients with electrolytes and antioxidants; gluten-free and caffeine-free; zero calories, carbs, or sugars; free from artificial colors, flavors, sweeteners, and preservatives. At the same time, the taste is good enough that I find myself reaching for HealthWtr over a Diet Coke or sparkling water. (Which is saying a lot.)

Here are the scenarios in which I have enjoyed Healthwtr: poolside, post-drinking, road trip, work, and “just because” as an afternoon treat. I went through a case of these faster than I’m willing to admit. However, the nutrient profile is so dense that the company does not recommend drinking more than one per day.

Displeased with the current options for enhanced water, HealthWtr creators took over seven years to develop this new beverage. Care was taken to include a certified dietician and nutritionist to provide guidance on the quantity of vitamins and nutrients. 

But taste matters. We’re not in the business of sacrificing flavor for a few vitamins. 

The developers wanted to offer a variety of flavor profiles, using the first production round to hone in on citrus, tropical, and berry flavors. The current lineup includes Lemon-Tangerine, Strawberry-Pomegranate, and Pineapple-Mango.

Each variety has a gentle and natural taste. For example, the Lemon-Tangerine gives the palate a sense of eating an entire fresh citrus fruit, bringing elements of the peel, rind, and juice together for a novel but not overpowering taste. The bright citrus flavor that you may expect is lessened for more of a blended, whole-fruit flavor. The level, or impact, of flavor is more than that of a La Croix sparkling water but less than a classic Gatorade. 

The Strawberry-Pomegranate flavor gives more of a general berry taste, leaning on fresh expressions of strawberry. And tropical is a spot-on description for Pineapple-Mango. In fact, it could make a fine mixer for cocktails this summer if you’re into that. May I suggest Pineapple 360 Vodka from Weston, MO, or Mean Mule Distilling’s Poblano Agave? 

The quantity of minerals in HealthWtr makes for a soft mouthfeel. It is noticeable but not unfamiliar. For that reason, I think it is best when served chilled or with ice.

Whether you try it over ice at home, mixed with some vodka by the pool, or straight from the bottle on a hike at Shawnee Mission Park, may you be as pleased as we were. *String of pleased expletives optional.

HealthWtr is available online and HyVee, Price Chopper, McKeever’s Market, and Hen House in KS & MO.