It’s a vitamin-packed drink with no added sugar that children across the UK are obsessed with.
But is the viral-flavored Prime Juice actually a healthy sports drink replacement?
Developed by Youtubers KSI and Logan Paul, Prime Hydration has been flying off shelves across the country, selling out within hours after new stock went on sale.
The majority of each 500ml bottle is filtered water mixed with 10% coconut water. It also contains a number of vitamins and branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) that are said to support muscle growth.
But some nutritionists say they wouldn’t recommend the drink for children, thinking its benefits may be overstated.
Prime Hydration, created by Youtubers KSI and Logan Paul, has been flying off shelves across the country, selling out within hours after new stock went on sale
Chef Gordon Ramsay has even likened drinking it to “swallowing perfume” because of the artificial sweeteners it contains.
Daniel Herman, CEO of sports nutrition company Bio-synergy, said he would not endorse the drink for children, including his own, for the same reason.
And Duane Mellor, one of the UK’s leading nutritionists, told MailOnline that while BCAAs are said to improve exercise performance, recovery and muscle building, “none of these claims have been accepted by regulators and should not be used when marketing products like this.” “. .
The branding surrounding Prime boasts that it has no added sugar and no caffeine – so it’s not really an energy drink.
It contains coconut water and is a good source of minerals like potassium, magnesium, calcium and sodium – which are important components for heart, skeletal and muscle health.
Cans of energy drinks, and particularly their consumption by young people, are controversial as some can contain more than 50g of sugar and as much caffeine as three cups of coffee.
Adults should consume no more than 30g of free sugars (those that don’t occur naturally) per day, while children between the ages of seven and 10 should have no more than 24g.
But a 500ml can of Monster Energy has 55g of sugar, while a bottle of Lucozade Sport has 44g.
By comparison, Prime contains just 2g of sugar per bottle — about 7 percent of an adult’s recommended intake.
Instead, it gets its sweetness from the artificial sweeteners sucralose and acesulfame K — which health officials have deemed safe, although research suggests they increase the risk of cancer.
YouTube stars KSI and Logan Paul’s drink returned to Aldi stores nationwide today. Pictured: A buyer in Ancoats
Some studies suggest that sweeteners may stimulate appetite or alter the gut microbiome, increasing the risk of weight gain and obesity.
Mr Herman added: “Children and adolescents have different dietary needs than adults and excessive consumption of flavored beverages, including Prime, could contribute to unhealthy intake of artificial sweeteners, particularly acesulfame K.
“I think Prime can be a low-calorie option for adults looking for an alternative, but for kids, including my own, I’d recommend water or milk.”
Prime also contains 113 percent of the recommended daily allowance of vitamin A, 125 percent vitamin E, 243 percent vitamin B6, and 192 percent vitamin B12.
While these vitamins are part of a healthy and balanced diet, an excess of them can actually be harmful.
However, while the amounts in Prime are above daily needs, they shouldn’t be high enough to cause problems.
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