Propel is a popular brand of flavored electrolyte water marketed towards athletes and active individuals. With several flavor options enriched with vitamins and minerals, Propel aims to provide superior hydration without extra calories or sugar.
But is Propel worth the hype? Does it actually hydrate better than regular water? In this exhaustive Propel water review, I critically analyze over 10 different aspects of this electrolyte water to determine if it lives up to its promises.
About Propel Water
Propel water is owned by the Gatorade company and was launched in 2000 as a low-calorie alternative to traditional sports drinks. Here are some key facts about the Propel brand:
- Made by Gatorade and distributed by PepsiCo
- Contains trace amounts of electrolytes like sodium and potassium
- Vitamin-enriched (Vitamins B3, B5, B6, E and C)
- Available in 12 flavor varieties
- Sold in convenient single-serve bottles and powder packets
- Positioned for athletes, runners and workout enthusiasts
On paper, Propel sets itself apart by having no sugar or carbs like mainstream sports beverages. And with trendy fruit flavors like black cherry lime and cucumber melon, it markets itself as a healthier option tailored towards active lifestyles.
But does the composition of Propel water actually make it superior for hydration? Let‘s analyze further.
Propel Water Ingredients
Here is the ingredient list for a typical fruit-flavored Propel water, followed by an analysis of key components:
- Water
- Citric Acid
- Natural Flavors
- Sodium Hexametaphosphate
- Sodium Citrate
- Potassium Sorbate
- Sucralose
- Acesulfame Potassium
- Vitamins (Niacinamide, Calcium Pantothenate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Cyanocobalamin)
- Electrolytes (Potassium Phosphate, Magnesium Chloride, Calcium Disodium EDTA, Salt)
Water
Obviously water is the main component here, making up over 90% of Propel‘s content. But regular tap water would technically offer identical hydration at a fraction of the price. So let‘s analyze what the additional ingredients actually provide in terms of benefits.
Citric Acid and Natural Flavors
Citric acid and natural flavor gives Propel its tangy, fruity taste. While this makes the water more palatable than plain tap water, these flavor additives provide no actual health or hydration benefits. They simply improve taste and drinkability.
Preservatives
Ingredients like potassium sorbate and sodium hexametaphosphate are added as preservatives to give Propel a longer shelf life. While important for retail distribution, these compounds provide no nutritional value.
Artificial Sweeteners
Sucralose and acesulfame potassium are calorie-free artificial sweeteners added to give Propel its sweet taste without sugar or carbs. But research shows artificial sweeteners may negatively impact gut health and metabolism in high quantities.
Vitamins
A vitamin blend of niacinamide, pantothenic acid, pyridoxine and cyanocobalamin is added to give Propel a "nutrient-enhanced" angle. However, the quantities added provide less than 10% of your recommended daily intake of each vitamin, making them mostly negligible.
Electrolytes
Electrolytes like potassium, sodium and magnesium are essential minerals that facilitate hydration. However, Propels contains only trace amounts – between 1-3% of your daily needs. To truly replenish electrolytes, sports drinks with at least 200-400mg would be needed.
So in summary, Propel‘s ingredients provide enhanced taste, vitamins in negligible quantities and trace electrolytes. But none of these extras appear necessary or sufficient to actually improve hydration compared to plain tap water.
Propel Water Taste Test
Next let‘s do an objective taste test review of some popular Propel flavors.
Grape Flavor
The grape flavor has a sweet, candied taste that resembles children‘s grape medicine. The flavor is quite strong and artificial-tasting. I‘d describe it as similar to children‘s flavored chewable vitamins.
The grape has a syrupy mouthfeel and strong aftertaste. Drinkability is reasonable but the candied sweetness can become cloying rather quickly.
Mixed Berry Flavor
The mixed berry flavor is truer-to-life in capturing a blend of blackberry, raspberry and strawberry notes. The flavor still tastes artificial but less candy-like than grape.
I‘d describe the berry flavor as bolder and more tart than grape. It has a deeper purple color as well that resembles diluted blackberry juice.
Lemon Lime Flavor
Propel‘s lemon lime flavor does the best job achieving a natural citrus taste. The balance of sweet and sour is enjoyable.
The lemon lime drinkability surpasses the other flavors. It has a lighter mouthfeel and a pleasant lingering lemon-lime aftertaste.
If you prefer refreshment over sweetness, lemon lime would be my top Propel pick. But flavor preferences can definitely vary by individual taste buds.
Propel Water Packaging
In terms of packaging, Propel comes in 16.9 oz plastic bottles as well as convenient single-serve powder sticks.
The bottles feature vibrant labels showcasing the flavor inside. Nutrition facts and ingredients are clearly listed. An integrated grip cap makes the bottles easy to open and drink on the go.
Meanwhile the powder packets come in small tubes resembling sticks of powdered sports drink mix. Simply pour a packet into any reusable water bottle and shake.
Both formats seem purpose-built for portability and athletic use cases. The bottles are especially durable and travel-friendly.
Environmental Impact
In terms of sustainability, the plastic bottles are fully recyclable but still contribute to plastic pollution and landfill waste. The brand doesn‘t seem to promote or incentivize recycling.
PepsiCo (Propel‘s parent company) has pledged to achieve net zero emissions by 2040 through renewable electricity and more sustainable sourcing. But currently Propel bottles likely still depend heavily on fossil-fuel based plastic production.
Propel Water Health Benefits
Propel water is marketed as providing superior hydration complete with "essential vitamins and electrolytes". But as we analyzed earlier, the actual quantities appear negligible and unlikely to provide true health and hydration benefits compared to plain filtered water.
However, let‘s analyze some of the specific health claims around vitamins and electrolytes:
Vitamin Fortification
While Propel does contain 100% of your daily intake of Vitamin C, the other vitamins (niacin, pantothenic acid and Vitamin B6) are under 10%.
So realistically, you‘d get more complete vitamin fortification by taking any standard daily multivitamin tablet.
The Vitamin C is beneficial for immune support. But at just 60mg per bottle, you could alternatively get an equivalent Vitamin C dose from simply eating one orange or kiwifruit per day.
So while the vitamins sound good in marketing claims, they aren‘t likely high enough to provide true health improvements above basic nutrition.
Electrolyte Replenishment
Electrolytes like sodium, potassium and magnesium facilitate hydration at a cellular level by maintaining proper fluid balance. Depletion of electrolytes can lead to dehydration symptoms like muscle cramping.
However, even during intense athletic activity, studies show most people can adequately replenish electrolyte loss through normal dietary intake. Only 1% to 2% of the population seemingly requires supplemental electrolytes from sports beverages.
Propel contains only about 1-5% of your Daily Value per bottle for key electrolytes like potassium, magnesium and sodium. Pedialyte, for example, contains nearly 4-10 times more electrolytes per serving for true hydration recovery.
So for all but extreme athletes, Propel is unlikely to provide better hydration or meaningful electrolyte replenishment compared to water.
Propel Water Pricing
A typical 24-pack case of 16oz Propel water bottles generally costs between $10-$15 on Amazon. That breaks down to about $0.40 to $0.60 per bottle.
Meanwhile, a 35-pack case of Nature‘s Truth Spring Water (a similar sized bottle) costs just $7 total on Amazon – nearly 50% cheaper.
So you definitely pay a premium price for the Propel brand name, trendy flavors and sleek marketing. Despite no meaningful nutrition advantage, it costs almost double an equivalent amount of basic bottled spring water.
However, Propel becomes a bit more price-competitive compared to other flavored electrolyte waters like Smart Water and Life WTR:
- Propel: $0.40-$0.60 per bottle
- Smart Water: $1.00-$1.25 per bottle
- LIFE WTR: $1.50-$2.00 per bottle
Still, basic filtered tap water from any reusable bottle ultimately costs mere pennies per gallon – making it generally the best value hydration source for most consumers.
Propel vs Gatorade
Given Propel water is made by Gatorade‘s parent company, it‘s helpful to directly compare and contrast the two sports beverages:
Sugar and Carbs: Gatorade contains 21g of sugar and carbs per 20oz serving while Propel has zero. So Propel wins clearly for lower calorie count.
Electrolytes: Gatorade typically contains 400-800mg of sodium and potassium plus calcium, magnesium and chloride. Propel only has trace amounts of electrolytes. So Gatorade is preferable for true sports recovery.
Flavor: Opinion will vary, but Gatorade likely wins on most popular flavor options, while Propel tastes more artificial but offers trendier options like black cherry lime.
Cost: Propel is generally 20%+ cheaper ounce for ounce. But Gatorade‘s pricing is likely justified by its composition as a true isotonic sports drink.
So in summary, Gatorade makes far fewer dubious health claims but delivers better efficacy as a traditional sports drink. While Propel markets itself cleverly as the "healthier" choice through claims like "vitamin enhanced" and "zero sugar", its actual electrolyte and nutrient content doesn‘t justify its premium pricing.
FAQs
Let‘s answers some frequently asked questions about Propel water:
Does Propel hydrate better than regular water?
No research suggests Propel provides superior hydration to regular water. Its trace electrolytes and negligible vitamins appear insufficient to enhance hydration in any meaningful way for most consumers.
Is Propel really better than Gatorade?
Propel makes marketing claims as the healthier choice to Gatorade. But in reality, Gatorade contains far higher electrolyte levels and likely justifies its modestly higher sugar content for true sports drink functionality. Meanwhile, Propels vitamins, flavors and electrolytes occur in likely negligible levels.
Is Propel safe to drink every day?
There‘s likely no harm in drinking Propel daily in moderation as part of an otherwise balanced diet. However, its artificial sweeteners may negatively impact gut bacteria and metabolism long-term in excess quantities. Moderating overall consumption of low/no-calorie sweetened beverages is recommended.
Does Propel need to be refrigerated?
There is no strict refrigeration requirement due to Propels added preservatives granting long shelf-life. However, chilling Propel maximizes taste and refreshment. For best enjoyment and flavor preservation, refrigeration after opening is recommended but not essential.
Is Propel gluten free?
Yes, Propel contains no gluten ingredients making it safe for anyone following a gluten free diet.
Does Propel contain caffeine?
No, Propel water is completely caffeine free.
The Verdict: Overhyped and Overpriced
After extensive analysis across 10+ categories spanning ingredients, taste, price, health claims and more – I would conclude Propel is rather overhyped as a true fitness water and ultimately overpriced for what you actually get.
While the trendy flavors, sleek branding and vitamin/electrolyte claims may be tempting, plain filtered tap water likely hydrates equally as well (if not better) for a fraction of the price.
And for serious post-workout electrolyte replenishment, traditional sports drinks like Gatorade contain far higher electrolyte levels without dubious health claims.
The bottom line: Skip the dubious health hype and save your money by sticking to reliable old tap water for day-to-day hydration needs. But by all means enjoy Propel as an occasional zero-calorie flavored drink if you find the taste appealing. Just don‘t expect any actual hydration heroics or fitness benefits.
When you really analyze the ingredients, the Emperor Has No Clothes. Propel is essentially just overpriced, artificially-flavored tap water after all.
