Flavoured water claims don't wash

A new flavoured water product which claims to suppress hunger between meals has been labelled a "gimmick" by health experts.

Whole Water, produced by Fonterra Brands, contains 5g of protein and 1.5g of fibre in each 500ml bottle and is marketed as a healthy option to "bridge the hunger gap" for those seeking a healthy snack.

Nutritionist Claire Turnbull, of Mission Nutrition, said claims Whole Water had "three times the protein of a banana" implied it was enough for people to get a healthy fix for the day.

"In that respect I suppose it could be seen as a gimmick," she said.

"There are dozens of flavoured waters out there now, and although this one does appear to be the healthiest, it is no substitution for eating a piece of fruit."

Turnbull said the average adult needed about 78g of protein per day and between 25g to 30g of fibre, so consumers should not treat the flavoured water as a supplement.

Auckland dietitian Nikki Hart said she felt the name of the product could be misleading.

"The name Whole Water suggests it gives you the same benefits as a whole piece of fruit, and it's definitely not something I would consider a stand-alone snack," she said. "They are saying it has three times the amount of protein as a banana, but that's still only around 4g or 5g a yoghurt has around 7g, and I'd call that a healthy snack."

Sports nutritionist Sarah Burkhart said consumers needed to be careful they were not missing out on essential vitamins provided by fruit.

Consumer New Zealand research manager Belinda Allan said the wording "bridge the hunger gap" on the packaging could confuse people into believing it could take the place of food. She said New Zealanders get enough protein but we generally don't get enough fibre.

Kate Ormerod, nutritionist and brand manager for Whole Water said the company conducted a research test with Massey University, which found women who consumed Whole felt less tempted to snack. She said the comparison of the drink to a banana was an analogy that was easy for consumers to understand. The water was not intended to be a meal replacement but a "snack alternative".

"Whole is not another flavoured water with a high sugar content [and] Whole is not a meal replacement and will never be marketed as a substitute for any of the major food groups."