SoBe Life Water | Better Libations | Healthy Drink Reviews

Sobe Life Water – Goji Melon Review

August 3rd, 2008

3 comments

Yep, I think the pic says it all. If you can’t tell, there’s about .75 ounces left in the bottom of that bottle. You see, when I get new drinks for review, I try to stow them away in the fridge until I’m ready sit down at the computer and commit my loquacious opinions to digital paper. Sometimes, however, the temptation to crack one open and sneak a taste before I’m ready to write is just unbearable. I rationalize this by saying it will give me longer to meditate upon the drink’s flavor and unique character as a beverage so that my review will be enlightened with the wisdom that only comes with the passage of time. In reality, I’m just thirsty.

Such was the case when I bought this unsuspecting bottle of Sobe Life Water Goji Melon. It was the end of a long, hot day and I had stopped by the grocery store on my way home to grab a thing or two. That’s when I spotted this new flavor, beckoning sweetly to me from the cool, cool shelves of the refrigerated drink rack. Melon flavored! And I was…so thirsty. Sweet refreshment awaited, and I could not shun her embrace!

I tried to pace myself, but gradually the portion I left to my future review-writing self shrank to less than a measly ounce. No matter! That’s all I need.

This drink smells great, like a berry-enhanced melon flavor should. True to Life Water’s standards, Goji Melon has only 24g of sugar per 20 oz. bottle. (Again, let’s use Coke’s sticky-sweet measuring stick – a 12 oz Coke has 39 grams of high-fructose corn syrup goodness!) Goji Melon tastes like mildly sweet Melon-berry and is very refreshing. It has a nice watermelon-y aftertaste as well. Yes, SoBe’s parent corporation is the Fizzy Juggernaut, PepsiCo. However, the low-sugar, no carbonation, herb-infused Life Water is a big step in the right direction, so I’m happy to throw a dollar or two their way. My only concern: has anyone done an evaluation of the sugar substitute called Erythritol? I just discovered this as ingredient #3 on the ingredients list, but haven’t found any major studies on it. My ears are wide open!

Rating: 4.5/5 stars (Barring evidence that this Erythritol sweetener causes Leprosy or Thoracic Geysers or something)

http://www.sobelifewater.com/

-Danithius-

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4-Star Reviews, SoBe Life Water

SoBe Life Water Orange Tangerine Review

February 25th, 2008

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Aroma: Let’s see, how to describe it…somewhere between actual orange juice and orange Kool-aid.
Taste: This has a light, “Orange-Flavor” taste with maybe a hint of the herbs that they sneaked in there. It has a good level of sweetness, and is nice and refreshing. I’ll take this over say, Gatorade (or Powerade, or whatever -ade) any day, and not just because those others are riddled with HFCS. Life Water’s flavor wins hands-down, as far as I am concerned.
Price: $1.00 (on sale) at a local grocer. Available nationwide.
Ingredients: filtered water, sugar, natural flavor, citric acid, ascorbic acid (vitamin C), sodium citrate, modified food starch, vitamin E acetate, calcium phosphate, gum arabic, acerola juice extract, calcium pantothenate, rosehip extract, B-apo-8′-carotenal (color), niacinamide, pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), cyanocobalamin (vitamin B12).
Other Comments: I’m reviewing this drink because recently SoBe made the decision to stop using crystalline fructose, which we do not endorse, to plain old table sugar. (FYI, Glaceau Vitamin Water still uses the crystalline stuff). We know that SoBe was acquired by Pepsi a while ago, thus making them a part of The Machine, but I feel that they are taking steps in the right direction with this. They have also added herbal content in the change. The sugar content isn’t bad: the 20 ounce bottle clocks in at 24 grams. (Remember, a 12 oz. can of Coke is about 40 grams, and don’t even ask me how much orange soda has!)
Overall: This is a nice, refreshing, not-too-sweet flavored water option that I like to use in place of HFCS-riddled sports drinks. I believe there is some room for improvement and innovation as far as taste goes, but I think it’s still one of the best widely-available options in this particular category.