Vitamin Water

Vitamin waters have recently appeared in every drug store and natural-foods market around town, their pastel-colored liquids promising flavor, their labels promising potency and/or wisdom with every sip. Most of the 15 varieties of VitaminWater contain 100 percent of the FDA's recommended daily allowance of vitamin C per bottle, 25 to 50 percent of four B vitamins, and unspecified amounts of magnesium lactate, calcium lactate, and monopotassium phosphate, all labeled "electrolytes." 2½ cups (20 ounces) filtered or distilled water
¼ teaspoon Nature's Path Buffered C powder ($9.99 for a 4-ounce jar at Madison Market)1
¼ teaspoon Twinlab Super B Complex liquid vitamins ($16.19 for an 8-ounce bottle at Rainbow Natural Remedies)2
3/8 capsule of Natural brand guarana seed extract ($7.79 for 90 capsules at Madison Market)
3 tablespoons (1 ounce) crystalline fructose ($1.19 per pound bulk at Madison Market)Power C ("dragonfruit")
2½ cups filtered or distilled water
½ teaspoon Buffered C powder1
¼ teaspoon Super B Complex2
1/5 drop AquaChrome chromium ($9.95 for a 300-drop vial at Rainbow Natural Remedies)
Several shavings off a Country Life 50-milligram zinc tablet ($7.39 for 100 at Madison Market)
3 tablespoons (1 ounce) crystalline fructoseFocus ("kiwi-strawberry")
2½ cups filtered or distilled water
¼ teaspoon Buffered C powder1
1/8–1/12 teaspoon Super B complex
1 small drop from a Nature's Life 20-milligram lutein capsule ($19.99 for a bottle of 60 at Madison Market)3
3 tablespoons (1 ounce) crystalline fructosePerform ("lemon-lime")
2½ cups filtered or distilled water
1 packet Emergen-C multivitamin formula ($0.49, purchased singly, most anywhere)4
2½ tablespoons crystalline fructoseNotes:
1. Buffered C powder is ascorbic acid whose sourness is balanced by calcium, magnesium, and potassium—in other words, electrolytes.
2. 1/8 ounce might be more appropriate, depending on the number of the B vitamin.
3. Jean from Madison Market recommends pricking the capsule with a pin and squeezing gently.
4. This shortcut unfortunately provides additional amounts of vitamins A, C, D, E, and K, along with biotin, iodine, zinc, manganese, chromium, and sodium.
Notes:
The experienced cook and/or chemist will note two problems with these recipes. Eight ounces of Knudson's Pure Black Cherry Juice ($3.49 per 32-ounce bottle) has the same 33 grams of sugar as a bottle of VitaminWater.