I have been working really hard at only drinking water, except for my margarita downfall, and decided to try the Crystal Light To Go packets.
I really like the rasberry lemonade but I am not happy with the packaging. It is very misleading. The package states only 5 calories per serving which becuase the directions say to empty one packet into a 16oz water bottle I assumed each pack is a serving. WRONG! On the back it states the a serving size is a 1/2 pack. So if you think you are only using 5calories it is actually 10.
I know it isn't alot but I find it very deceitful.
Also, when I use the packets can I count this towards my water intake for the day?
I am not sure about the answer to your question, but I have the same problem you have with making sure you drink enough water every day. I have my thermos that I take everywhere with me filled with ice, water, and a couple of thick slices of ginger root. I used to throw a lemon slice in there too, but I like the ginger root alone now. I have no problem getting enough water as long as I do this. The thing I don't like about Crystal Light is the same reason diet soda is bad for you. The aspartame. La Croix makes some tasty flavored soda waters that don't contain this chemical type sweetener.
Our water at work tastes terrible, and no amount of lemon or lime slices hides it. As such, I've been using 1/2 a packet of Crystal Light Pomegranate Lemonade in my 24 oz water bottle. Any more than that and it's way too sweet for my taste.
The box gives nutritional values based on 1 packet, which is 5 calories.
While I don't like using it because of the aspartame, it's the only option I have unless I buy bottled water - which doesn't sit well with me due to the waste it adds to the earth. Particularly when I easily down 7-8 bottles a day at work. At home it's easier, because we have a Brita filter on the faucet which I love.
I still count it as my water, because it IS water, I just make sure I track the sodium content and the calories.
I don't make assumptions on serving size, because there is not a universal consensus on what a serving size should be for various foods. I know at one time, there were no regulations on serving size, and a company could claim that a 12 oz beverage contained three servings. Now there are guidelines that companies must follow, but there is still some room for interpretation. I believe for some foods, there is a standard based on group surveys. I think for beverages, basing calories on an 8 ounce serving, seems reasonable. But you don't - which I think illustrates that there is not agreement on what an appropriate serving size, truly is.
I think of potato chips. The tiny 1 oz bags are obviously one serving, but at what size can the makers expect a person to share, save some for later, or at least realize they are taking in more than one serving. I find it ridiculous to find single-serving chip bags well over 3 ounces (450 calories).
I think the tendency in the US is to assume that a reasonable serving is much larger than would be considered reasonable anywhere else in the world. In the midwest, if a restaurant doesn't serve a person, what in many countries would feed a family, the restaurant is criticised for serving "small portions." It's really ridiculous that a person my size can get two to three meals (satisfying meals, not dinky little snacks) out of one restaurant portion.
However, it is why my husband and I, on disability income, eat out in restaurants fairly frequently. When you can get enough food in a $4 to $8 restaurant meal (yep, we really do have restaurants that will charge as little as $4 for a large meal. Breakfasts can start at as little as $3, and dinners as low as $5) -to provide three adequate meals, it makes eating out very tempting.
I know it can be frustrating when your idea of a serving and the nutrition label disagree, but I guess I believe, at minimum, it's reasonable to expect the consumer to read both the calorie count and serving size (why provide the information if customers aren't expected to take the responsibility to read it).
I think it's important that consumers not accept anyone's definition of a serving, except their own.
I love the crystal light! All along my weight loss I have drank nothing but water or crystal light with the occassional diet soda thrown in for a treat. I know they say that the artificial sweetner is bad for you, but why? I don't get it? So many things are bad for you, if we avoided everything that was "bad" for us, what would be left, really? I have to have variety & flavor in my food/drink & I have found that crystal light is a great low cal option to drink, if I just can't do water anymore! I've been drinking crystal light all the time since August & haven't died yet....
Serving sizes make me crazy. I bought a muffin once and assumed that one averaged sized packaged muffin would be one serving. Wrong, it was 2 servings. Ridiculous. And yes, I would count the crystal lite water toward your water consumption if I were you.
I mostly gave up all this type of thing. However, thanks to 3FC I was introduced to mixing Tequila shots with C Light packets. You can't beat the buzz for 140 calories! LOL!
I wonder if Tequila counts as a whole food. If it does maybe I will start using flavored Stevia packets instead.
Last edited by Thighs Be Gone; 05-26-2009 at 07:37 PM.
Bacilli- Just a suggestion, but here at work our water is terrible too, but we bought a britta pitcher and keep it on the counter. Could you do the same?
Bacilli- Just a suggestion, but here at work our water is terrible too, but we bought a britta pitcher and keep it on the counter. Could you do the same?
I do this at work too only I fill my britta filter with ice from the ice machine. That way it's already been filtered once!
I don't know about tequila but that's how I had the grey goose this weekend was in bottled water with crystal light packets then add a shot of grey goose!! Yummm
I thought about a Brita pitcher, but I like my water really cold. We have a filtered water/ice machine, but it still tastes terrible to me. I wouldn't be able to keep the Brita pitcher water cold, and I dare not use the fridge at work. We have dirty lunch thieves who take things that don't belong to them. They slowed down a bit after they drank some girl's juice that had her medicine ground up in it, but they're back at it.
The medicine I'm on makes me absurdly thirsty, so I get up often and refill my water bottle, on an average day I fill it 10 or so times if I have my 22 oz bottle. I was looking at the Clear 2 Go filtered water bottle, does anyone have one?
I can't drink that. It has nutrasweet which gives me migraines.
Most packaging on American foods is deceptive. You have to really check serving size on everything. Looked at a pack of hot dogs the other day and the serving size was like 3/4 of one hotdog. Um... no.
I recommend getting a Brita pitcher and filtering your tap water. It is totally worth it as it makes even yucky tasting water fine. Plus it is a LOT cheaper than trying to drink bottled water and probably healthier too considering what all is coming out about the chemicals in bottled water leeching into the water over time. Yuck.
Crystal Light
