Tested: Sobe LifeWater

Like most companies that launched a product to compete with Propel fitness water, Sobe came out with a new line called Sobe Lifewater. Basically it’s water with some extra flavor, vitamins, and antioxidants.

The thing with this water is that it has the same amount of calories as Gatorade, at 50 calories per 8 oz serving. That puzzled me because Propel (Gatorade’s fitness water) has something like 20 calories per serving, helping it appeal to general dieters and fitness enthusiasts. Maybe Sobe is just targeting the people that already buy Sobe products looking for energy.

The two main ingredients are filtered water and fructose, so that’s not so bad – certainly better than high fructose corn syrup. However, the drink tastes a little too watered down.

“Watered down? But it’s water?”

Well here’s the thing. I like flavored waters because they taste like water with a little extra flavor. But this tastes like a juice or sports drink that has been watered down way too much. See the difference?

Let me put it another way: When you drink it, you get a little flavor, and then you get a water taste. It’s kind of like separate experiences instead of water with a hint of flavor. You can’t really compare it to Gatorade Rain or Propel Fitness Water either. It’s just its own weird experience.

That might not apply to all the flavors, but this Pomegranate Cherry isn’t something I plan to drink again. I was only attracted to it for the pomegranate flavor, and it turns out that the cherry taste overpowers any hint of pomegranate that might be there. (By the way, real pomegranate juice is exceptional!)

The strawberry kiwi flavor, on the other hand, was half decent. And the orange tangerine was alright. But overall, I wasn’t too impressed.

My final verdict is…

The plain water taste is too weird for me, so I don’t recommend it. I would stick with other drinks like plain water (perhaps with a slice of lemon or lime) or a sports drink like Gatorade. [Just make sure you choose ones without artificial sweeteners like sucralose, and only use it when the calories are necessary.]

But if you do have to try this, opt for the Strawberry Kiwi. It wasn’t too bad.