We all know we need to drink water — and a lot of it — to support our training and fitness goals. But, let’s be honest…it can get boring. Sometimes we want a little flavor. BUT, we don’t want all the chemicals that come with a lot of the calorie-free water enhancers available. So what’s a fit gal to do? Flavor up your water with OPT, a NEW ALL NATURAL hydration helper. Eager to learn all about this tasty new product, we caught up with its creator, FitnessRx columnist and healthy eating guru Allison Frahn.
Your Alli’s Slim Pickins recipes on Fitnessrxwomen.com have rocked our taste buds and helped us live lean. Knowing that you are the healthy flavor queen, I was super excited to learn about the launch of your all-natural water enhancers—OPT. What motivated you to create this product?
I’m so glad that you love my recipes as much as I do! Regarding the OPT, I drink a ton of water, and there is only so much plain water that I truly look forward to drinking. It’s much easier for me to get my water in if it is flavored. Quite truthfully, I was using other products that were not natural… and while the flavor was good, I was never 100% comfortable with drinking all the artificial “stuff.”
Why is water so important for a great physique and healthy life?
The majority of the human body (brain, blood, lungs) is water! Since water is critical to the balance of all the body’s systems, if you’re dehydrated, both your body and your mind will be stressed. Water boosts your energy and can give you a nice pick-me-up, as dehydration can make you feel tired and fatigued and decrease performance. Also, you can get your metabolism fired up and potentially lose weight simply by drinking more water. In fact, drink a cold, 8-ounce glass of OPT flavored water before your meals to help you feel fuller and help you avoid overeating. (Your body must work to warm the water up, burning a few extra calories in the process.)
Tell us about the ingredients in OPT? Are these diet-friendly?
OPT contains only all natural ingredients…there is NO artificial flavors, colors, dyes, sweeteners, or preservatives! OPT uses natural fruit and vegetable extracts to both flavor and give it that beautiful natural color. OPT is sweetened with natural Stevia. Diet friendly? You bet! OPT contains ZERO calories and no sodium!!
You launched three amazing flavors—Tart Cherry, Citrus Smoothie and Berry Sorbet. All are delicious with no weird aftertaste, which you get with a lot of water enhancers. How did you go about choosing these flavors and how long did it take you to perfect them?
Thank you so much! It took me approximately 4 months of testing a multitude of natural flavor extracts in order to nail the flavor profiles of my 3 current flavors. I absolutely love the process… it honestly might be one of my favorite parts of the creation process.
My favorite is the Tart Cherry—its almost gone after a week! Do you currently have a favorite flavor?
My favorite of the 3 current flavors varies depending upon what taste I desire, because they are each unique. The Citrus Smoothie I generally favor in the earlier parts of the day, as it has an invigorating and refreshing flavor. The Tart Cherry I love when I want something a bit sweeter; it tastes almost like a melted Popsicle. The Berry Sorbet is such a treat, as it has a soft, smooth flavor that curbs my dessert cravings.
You created many ways to use OPT outside of just water enhancement, like adding the Berry Sorbet flavor to your oatmeal or protein pancakes. Can you share some of your favorite recipes using OPT?
Absolutely! In fact, I dedicated an entire page on my website (www.optflavors.com/recipes.html) for this very purpose!
What’s next in your pursuit of adding more flavor to our fit lives?
While I initially launched 3 flavors, I have many other flavors in the pipeline just waiting their turn! I encourage you to help me decide which next flavors to launch by voting on my website (http://opt-flavors.com/get-involved.html). You also have the option to give me your suggestions on a brand new flavor! I’m truly excited to expand this line in the near future!
PURCHASE OPT
Want to get your hands on OPT? You can purchase the three delicious flavors on the website www.OptFlavors.com. A Variety Sampler, which includes one bottle of each flavor, is available for $14.99. A 6-pack of one flavor is available for $28.99.
To keep up with all the OPT flavors & fun, follow online at:
Instagram: @opt_flavors #HowDoYouOPT
Facebook: OptFlavors
Twitter: @OptFlavors
Website: www.OptFlavors.com
