Propel Water
 |
| Type | Nutrient Enhanced Water Beverage |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Gatorade |
| Country of origin | USA |
| Introduced | 2000 |
Propel Fitness Water is a lightly flavored, non-carbonated water beverage containing antioxidant vitamins C and E, along with 4 different B vitamins. It is a product of Gatorade which is marketed by PepsiCo.
Propel was introduced by Gatorade in 2000 to compete with the bottled water market. It also was to serve as an alternative to Gatorade for people trying to avoid excess sugar and carbohydrates while still satisfying the body's need for electrolytes to combat dehydration. Aggressive marketing led to Propel becoming the first “enhanced water” product to reach the $100 million sales mark in 2002.
Propel contains water, sucrose syrup, natural flavors, citric acid, sodium citrate, potassium citrate, sucralose (known under the trade name Splenda), vitamin C (ascorbic acid), vitamin E acetate, niacinamide (vitamin B3), calcium disodium EDTA, calcium pantothenate (vitamin B5), pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), acesulfame potassium, and vitamin B12.
240 ml (~8.1oz) of Propel contains 10 Calories (42 kilojoules), 5 mg of sodium, 2 g of carbohydrates, and 2 g of sugar.
In January 2006, Gatorade introduced Propel Calcium to market. Like the original Propel Fitness Water, Propel Calcium is a low-calorie, vitamin-enhanced water beverage. Each 240 ml serving provides the equivalent of 10% of the Dietary Reference Intake.
In summer of 2006, Gatorade introduced Propel powder packets, a dry powder mix of Propel. The contents of a powder packet are added to a 500 mL (16.9 oz) bottle of water. Available powder flavors include: Berry, Kiwi-Strawberry, Grape Drink, Lemon, Lemonade, and Raspberry Lemonade.
In early 2009, Gatorade changed Propel's bottle design to give it "a fresh new look." Packaging also claims that the bottles contain 20% less plastic than their predecessors. Propel's logo remains the same, however, the words "Fitness Water" have been removed from packaging, leaving the only description as "Vitamin Enhanced Water Beverage." The redesign also brings a substitute for Sucrose Syrup in the form of High Fructose Corn Syrup.
Current Flavors
Propel is currently available in 13 flavors and these flavors do not stain. Additional flavors have been introduced and discontinued over the lifespan of Propel.
| Flavor | Powder | Calcium |
|---|---|---|
| Lemonade | Y | N |
| Melon | N | N |
| Lemon | Y | N |
| Peach | N | N |
| Berry | Y | N |
| Kiwi Strawberry | Y | N |
| Grape | Y | N |
| Raspberry Lemonade | Y | N |
| Black Cherry | Y | Y |
| Mango | N | Y |
| Mandarin Orange | N | Y |
| Strawberry | N | Y |
| Mixed Berry | N | Y |