Report checks health claims of popular sports, vitamin drinks

A new report by UC Berkeley researchers questions the health claims of popular energy, sports, tea and fruit drinks on the market.

In a report released today (Wednesday, Aug. 6), the authors evaluated 21 popular drinks with health claims—from immune boosters to energy enhancers—on their labels and in their marketing materials.

"We often see labels on energy and sports drinks that tout health benefits, but the sugar levels in these products rival that of sodas," said lead author Patricia Crawford, director of the Atkins Center for Weight and Health and UC Berkeley adjunct professor of nutritional sciences and toxicology. "They are essentially sodas without the carbonation, but they give the misleading impression that they are healthy."

The report, "Looking Beyond the Marketing Claims of New Beverages," was commissioned by the California Center for Public Health Advocacy.