Halle Berry’s #FitnessFriday Instagram posts are admittedly one of the most inspiring parts of our week. She always spills details about her wellness regimen, which is clearly working for her, since she looks amazing.
This week, however, she revealed something we found pretty interesting. Her go-to way to fuel up for a workout, she said, is to drink caffeinated water.
“What I plan on every day when I work out is this Hint Water with a kick,” Berry explained in her #PHITTalks Instagram Story, as she held up a bottle of apple and pear flavored Hint Kick. “Water we have to have to stay hydrated, but Kick has caffeine in it, but it’s more of a natural caffeine. And I drink maybe three to four of these every workout.”
Berry’s trainer, Peter Lee Thomas, said she got him hooked on Hint Kick, too. “I love them,” Thomas commented. “They’re so good.”
So what exactly is “natural” caffeinated water, anyway?
Hint is a brand of fruit-infused water that boasts zero calories, sweeteners, or preservatives. It comes in three varieties: still, sparkling, and, of course, caffeinated. A 16 oz Hint Kick (Berry’s fave) “contains only three components: water, natural fruit flavors, and around 60 mg of all natural caffeine,” according to the brand’s website. (The average 8 oz cup of coffee has about 95 mg.)
We asked nutritionist Julie Upton, RD, what she thinks of Berry consuming so much caffeine with every workout. “Taken an hour or so before exercise, [caffeine] enables most athletes to perform at a higher intensity,” Upton tells Health. “Caffeine provides a boost by making it easier for muscles to burn body fat. It also increases alertness, which seems to make exercise feel less strenuous.”
However, your body will quickly become habituated to caffeine if you’re having it every day, Upton adds, meaning you’ll need to suck down more to get the benefits. Many athletes cut back on caffeine weeks before they need to compete so that on the day of a big race, they can have a standard amount (about 100 to 200 mg) and score a performance boost. For most people, total caffeine intake should be limited to 400 mg daily, or about 4 cups of coffee, she says.
In her IG story, Berry said the caffeine in Hint Kick is more “natural.” But Upton says that it’s exactly the same as the caffeine found in coffee. (The caffeine in soda is often synthetic, on the other hand).
Should you drink caffeinated water if you’re looking to kick your workouts up a notch? “For general daily workouts, caffeine may give you a little perk, but not a true performance advantage,” Upton advises. On the other hand, if you just want to drink it to channel your inner Halle Berry, we think it’s a fabulous idea.
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