A freshly home-cooked, balanced diet and adequate exercise have been the norm for most of human history. This helped ensure that most people got optimal nutrition and worked out in their everyday lives. In the present world, many people live a life free from physical labor.
With an increasingly sedentary lifestyle and dependence on packaged and processed food for nutrition, it has become more challenging to meet your nutritional requirements from your daily diet. This has created the need for various dietary supplements and health foods used to plug the gaps in your diet.
When formulated using scientific research and offered in convenient packaging, these products can be an excellent way to ensure that your body gets adequate nutrition. Bai drinks are one such product that is marketed as a healthier alternative to sugary beverages.
They are a low-calorie, low-sugar class of health drinks that offer multiple benefits to the body without adding to the calories in your diet. In this article, we look at bai drinks and whether they are good for you.
What is bai?
Bai is a beverage manufacturer based in the United States of America that is well known for its antioxidant-infused line of healthy beverages. They seek to offer a healthier alternative to sugary beverages and a tastier, more nutritious alternative to water.
This line of drinks is made with natural ingredients infused in water and contains no artificial sweeteners. The drinks contain a unique blend of vitamins, antioxidants, electrolytes, and their proprietary sweetener blend.
They are known for offering numerous health benefits in the form of delicious drinks made with negligible calories and no artificial sweeteners.
This has made their line of drinks trendy among athletes, fitness enthusiasts, diabetics, and those looking to manage their weight.
Primary Ingredients in Bai Drinks
The exact list of ingredients changes with each product from Bai. However, they share some common ingredients, which are the defining factors for the brand. These are especially commonly listed in their popular antioxidant-infused drinks.
Some of the commonly used ingredients are:
Treated water:
Clean, filtered water is the main ingredient in Bai drinks. It is a healthier alternative to sugary beverages and uses a zero-calorie drink like water as its main ingredient. This helps minimize extra calories and sugar in the finished product.
Stevia extract:
Stevia extract is a natural plant-based sweetener used in Bai drinks. It has zero calories and has higher sweetness than sugar. When added appropriately, it can add adequate sweetness to beverages without altering the total calories.
Erythritol:
It is the primary natural sweetener used in Bai drinks. It is known for adding sweetness at negligible calories without causing a spike in blood sugar levels. This is due to its low glycemic index.
Coffee fruit extract:
Coffee fruit is the fruit that surrounds the coffee bean and is usually discarded as waste. However, it contains a range of antioxidants and other unique compounds that benefit your health.
Tea extract:
Tea is a natural source of antioxidants used in various beverages to add flavor and benefits. It provides a refreshing flavor to bai drinks apart from contributing to its antioxidant profile.
Vitamin C:
Ascorbic acid, or vitamin C, is among the most essential vitamins that are commonly added to many health drinks.
Apart from its benefits as an antioxidant in fighting oxidative stress caused by free radicals, it also strengthens the immune system to prevent and fight against other health conditions.
Fruit and vegetable juice concentrate:
The vibrant colors found in Bai drinks are achieved without adding added food colors by using fruit and vegetable juice concentrate.
Various fruit and vegetable extracts are added to different drinks to create a unique color and flavor profile. The juice concentrates also help in adding additional benefits to the drink.
Benefits of Bai
Bai is marketed as a healthier alternative to sugary beverages. There are several reported benefits to consuming Bai drinks. Some of them are:
i). Hydration:
It is vital for the human body to stay hydrated to maintain optimal performance. The slightest drop in body water levels affects the functioning of the body. Bai drinks offer a delicious and healthy way to stay hydrated.
ii). Helps reduce calorie intake:
Bai drinks come with negligible calories compared to other sugary drinks in the market. The average Bai drink contains about 1 gram of sugar and 10 calories in total. Furthermore, no artificial sweeteners are used, and natural sweeteners are preferred in preparing Bai drinks.
This helps you have a refreshing drink with added benefits without worrying about your calorie intake. This can be especially beneficial for those looking to maintain a calorie deficit and lose weight.
iii). Nutrition:
Bai drinks come loaded with beneficial nutrients derived from natural sources. Beneficial compounds like vitamin C, antioxidants, citric acid, caffeine, and electrolytes can be found in several Bai drinks.
iv). Builds immunity:
Bai drinks contain ascorbic acid, or vitamin C, as a main ingredient. Vitamin C is vital in helping develop the immune system in the body. It is helpful in the production of white blood cells and helps improve immunity in the body.
v). Fights cell damage:
Bai drinks are loaded with antioxidants that have numerous benefits for your body. They are especially known for their ability to fight cell damage caused by oxidative stress from free radicals.
Is Bai Good For You?
There are several factors to consider when determining whether Bai drinks are ideal. Some of these considerations are:
a). Calories:
Bai drinks are way healthier than sodas and other energy drinks. Bai drinks come with negligible calories and is sweetened using natural ingredients. This makes them highly beneficial for those looking to reduce their calorie intake.
However, it is to be noted that when it comes to Erythritol, while it adds negligible calories, it has been observed to increase the calories consumed by people using the sweetener. Those who consume Erythritol as a primary sweetener tend to consume more food during their meals.
b). Blood sugar:
The natural sweeteners used in Bai drinks, Erythritol and stevia extract, are known for their low glycemic index. This helps prevent massive sugar spikes when consuming them. This makes them extremely useful for those who are at risk for diabetes.
However, several studies have indicated that consuming these sweeteners beyond a certain limit can be counter-productive. Erythritol is a sweet alcohol and can cause bloating in your gut. Stevia is found to alter gut microbes and produce toxic chemicals when consumed in large quantities.
Therefore, it is advisable to stick to one to three Bai drinks a day.
c). Hydration:
Staying hydrated is very important, and Bai drinks can provide a healthy and delicious alternative to traditional drinks. It offers a higher nutrient profile and lower calories compared to other beverages available in the market while being more delicious than plain water.
d). Nutrition:
Bai drinks are a convenient way to get your daily dose of antioxidants and vitamins. They can be a refreshing drink that supplements your body’s nutrition requirements. This is due to the several natural extracts present in the drinks.
It is to be noted that while Bai drinks offer a good amount of such nutrients, consuming fruits and vegetables directly could provide you with far more essential nutrients than the drink itself. However, the drink is packaged in a convenient form and infused with delicious flavors.
Alternate water-infused drinks that you can try
Bai drinks are born out of the desire to consume something more delicious than water without the added calories of sugary beverages. The added nutrients are a bonus that may be attractive to some.
It is possible to make your own water-infused drinks at home to help fulfill such needs. Some such water-infused drinks are:
Lemonade:
Classic lemonade is an excellent alternative to packaged sugary beverages. It offers the benefits of vitamin C and other antioxidants required by the body.
You can squeeze half a lemon inside a water bottle and consume it without adding sugar for maximum benefits. Consider adding a spoon of chia seeds to this concoction to increase the benefits further.
Cucumber-infused water:
Cucumber is known for its various benefits, like hydration, weight management, lowering blood pressure, and improving bone health.
This can be prepared by adding a few slices of cucumber to a water bottle and leaving it overnight for the nutrients to seep into the water.
Okra water:
Okra water is known to be beneficial in weight management and helps control blood sugar levels. This can be easily prepared by soaking okra pods in a bottle of water up to 24 hours before consumption.
Okra is rich in manganese and vitamin C and can significantly boost your immune system and metabolism.
Conclusion
Regularly consuming sugary drinks and soda can put you at risk for diabetes and other health conditions. Furthermore, it also makes weight management extremely difficult.
Alternatives like Bai drinks allow you to consume a delicious beverage with nutrients without adding to your calorie count. They can be an excellent drink to help you stay hydrated and get essential nutrients.
However, the sweeteners used in Bai need further research, and it would be advisable to consume 1-3 Bai drinks a day till further research is available.
There are other alternative infused waters that you can make at home that offer similar benefits. But Bai offers you convenience and a consistent product, which might appeal to most people.
FAQs
1. How many calories are there in Bai drinks?
Ans: Bai drinks are known for their low calories and contain as few as 10 calories and a gram of sugar in every drink.
2. Are Bai drinks good for weight loss?
Ans: Bai drinks contain negligible calories and are an excellent alternative to your usual sugary beverage options when you want to achieve a calorie deficit for weight loss.
3. Are Bai drinks healthier than sodas?
Ans: Bai drinks are an extremely healthy alternative to traditional sodas, primarily due to the difference in the number of calories and sugar offered by the drinks. Bai drinks contain just 1 gram of sugar and 10 calories per drink, significantly less than most sodas in the market.
4. Are Bai drinks safe to consume every day?
Ans: Bai drinks are a delicious and refreshing beverage option that comes loaded with nutrients. They are considered safe for everyday use. However, it is advisable to watch your daily intake and limit it to 3 drinks a day.
5. Are there any alternatives to Bai drinks?
Ans: You can make your own infused water at home as an alternative to Bai drinks. This can be done by adding fruits, vegetables, and their pulp to water and letting them seep overnight to a day. Some standard options are lemonade, okra water, and cucumber water.
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