Crystal Light On-the-Go, Hunger Satisfaction--All That It's Cracked Up to Be??
Posted Apr 13 2010 6:30am
Hi Guys! So normally I would save this for a Friday rant/rave, but I couldn't resist! Have you tried Crystal Light's On-the-Go Hunger Satisfaction drink mix? I usually pass that kind of mix by, but somebody planted a box on top of the microwave and it stood there for two weeks. I finally caved and took one of the little packets. At 30 calories, 0 sugar and 5 grams of fiber, I figure it couldn't hurt to try.
I mixed it yesterday with some water and it tasted great! Like a grown-up sugar-free version of Kool Aid. I couldn't believe it. Especially given that the list of ingredients is not exactly stellar:
INULIN (FOR FIBER), WHEY PROTEIN ISOLATE (FROM MILK), CITRIC ACID, ASPARTAME*, CONTAINS LESS THAN 2% OF NATURAL FLAVOR, SOY LECITHIN, ACETYLATED MONOGLYCERIDES, MAGNESIUM OXIDE, DIMETHYLPOLYSILOXANE, RED 40. CONTAINS: MILK, SOY. *PHENYLKETONURICS: CONTAINS PHENYLALANINE.
It helped with my hunger, but I think drinking 16 oz. of water would have done that anyway. I appreciated the flavor and the fiber--I just wish I could have had something similar without the artificial sugar or soy lecithin or Red 40.
My former nutritionist, Rachel Beller , from my Body by Glamour last year suggested that I try mixing a packet of Emergen-C with 4 oz. of water and then mix 2 tbsp. of psyllium husk, which is basically fiber derived from a plant. It's a weird consistency but decent-tasting, and it has no Red 40! But there are other ingredients in there I don't get either. Go figure.
I think they're OK once in a while, but how about getting fiber from the foods you eat? Then maybe a drink supplement wouldn't be necessary. Check out this list of fiber-rich foods to add to your diet. And, read those labels wisely!
Photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/kiad/ / CC BY-NC 2.0