Breakthrough beverages encompass a wide selection of products that are relatively new to the beverage industry. While most of the beverages hydrate, some also claim to provide some of the critical nutrients your body requires. Some breakthrough beverages go a step further and even claim their beverages relax you, others claim the can energize you.

Some of these breakthrough beverages are meant to simply satisfy your body’s natural cravings for sweets – with calories or without. Breakthrough beverages even go as far as to claim you can perform your best when you drink them, while others claim to even help you manage health concerns. Here’s a short review in no particular order of importance for the different types of breakthrough beverages currently in the market.

A “sports drink” is any beverage blended to rehydrate you while replenishing minerals and nutrients spent during physical activities. Most sports drinks on the market contain carbohydrates and electrolytes to help a sports enthusiast maintain a high level of performance over an extended period of time. Sports drinks are typically high in both calories and carbs.

Energy drinks are soft drinks promoted as providing energy to improve physical activity when consumed. Rather than providing food energy (typically calories), energy drinks are designed to enhance a person’s mental alertness and physical performance. This is achieved by adding caffeine, vitamins, and herbal supplements. These may interact to provide a stimulant effect over and above that obtained from caffeine alone. Energy drinks are typically high in carbs.

Smart drinks, also known as nootropic drinks, are beverages made from a mix of fruit juices, vitamins, herbal supplements, and a variety of amino acid supplements. Sometimes called Enhanced drinks with more and more ingredients are being added to what used to the simplest beverages around, and they’re not just adding vitamins and flavors. Smart and Enhanced drinks are typically high in both carbs and calories.

Nutraceutical beverages are a food source or naturally occurring food supplement that provides a beneficial effect on human health. Some definitions go on to say that they also encompass the prevention and treatment of disease. Neutraceutical categories include dietary supplements, as well as botanicals. Nutraceutical beverages are typically high in both carbs and calories

Mineral waters is water containing minerals or other dissolved substances that alter its taste or give it therapeutic value. Salts, sulfur compounds, and gases are among the substances that can be dissolved in the water. Mineral water can often be effervescent. Mineral water is often a term used to mean carbonated water, which is usually carbonated mineral water. Mineral water may have no calories or more than usual.

Flavored water is typically plain or bottled water that is flavored. Some beverages contain a sweetener to enhance the taste other times it’s added to just sweeten it. There are two types of flavored waters: unsweetened and sweetened with various natural or artificial sweeteners. Flavored water is the biggest selection having no carbs, no calories. Other bottled flavor waters contain more than their share.

Vitamin water is great-tasting and contains nutrients. In addition vitamin water varieties have a unique combination of nutrients to deliver a specific benefit to get you through your day. Some relax, others refresh. Vitamin water may have no calories or more than usual.

Before you drink your next breakthrough beverage, don’t lose track of the role beverages play in weight loss and diets. If you are looking to lose some extra weight, then look at the nutrient label and make your selection is based on 0 carbs and 0 calories, or low carbs and calories. These products are available for those looking.

In the final analysis, three expert institutions speak out on high caloric beverages: 1st Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health researchers say we should focus as much on what we drink as what we eat. 2 NC University says we’re drinking more calories than ever. 3 Harvard sugary beverages raise blood sugars etc. The final word is far from being spoken.