Steaz Prickly Pear with Green Tea for Health and Beautiful Skin

Steaz Prickly Pear Water with Green Tea for Health and Beautiful Skin

When it comes to hydration, you’ve got more than a few choices these days. Coconut water has been the go-to source for many of us, but recently I’ve heard a lot of buzz about new functional waters as healthy and tasty alternatives that could knock the coconut off its throne. Steaz has a new green tea-based Prickly Pear Water made from the juice of prickly pear cactus fruit, which is known to promote natural hydration, help reduce inflammation, and which is packed with antioxidants. Let’s check it out, shall we?

What is Prickly Pear?

The prickly pear is a cactus that grows throughout Mexico and the southwest United States. Its bright red fruit has been used for generations as a traditional folk remedy for ailments like dehydration and muscle tissue damage. It’s famous for antioxidants, electrolytes and its anti-inflammatory properties, but does it live up to the hype?

The prospect of reduced inflammation made my ears perk up because that’s an issue I struggle with. It seems the anti-inflammatory benefits come from the fruit’s abundance of special antioxidants called betalains (found in red flowers and plants like beets), which prevent cell damage and stave off premature aging. It could also help with chronic inflammation associated with rosacea, psoriasis, and acne.

The prickly pear also contains taurine, another powerful antioxidant that your body produces naturally. Taurine helps knock out free radicals and repair muscle and tissue damage, so throw a can in your gym bag or chug one in the middle of your next 5K. Prickly pear also has high levels of B vitamins, Vitamin C, potassium, magnesium, copper, calcium and even fiber.

Even if your idea of exercise is sitting on the beach with a book, cactus water is still great for your skin. It can naturally prevent moisture loss and help you get that glow back. Whether you have dry, combination or oily skin, dehydration and inflammation are NOT going to help your skin health.

There have also been studies that show prickly pear helps with hangovers (the jury is out on this one!), blood pressure, cholesterol, weight management and supporting healthy bones and teeth. However, keep in mind you may need to consume prickly pear as a food (to get the large amounts of fiber) or as a supplement (to get a larger dose) to get some of these benefits. I like to think of functional drinks like Steaz’s Prickly Pear Water as an add-on to whatever diet and supplement plan I’m on. If I was going to buy a drink anyway, why not get one that has some added health and beauty benefits?

But how does it taste?

Steaz Prickly Pear Water is blended with green tea, so it packs a lot more flavor than your typical water alternative.  There’s a little caffeine from the green tea, but it’s a tiny amount – not enough to make you jittery. There are three flavors: original, cucumber and starfruit. They are all refreshing, light, and fairly sweet. The starfruit flavor has a tangy, citrusy vibe and the cucumber is a bit subtler. I prefer the cucumber flavor because it has more of a spa water feeling to it. Steaz is vegan and uses only organic, fair-trade ingredients. If you like green tea mixed with juice, I think you’ll be a fan of these!

The Bottom Line

Steaz’s 9g of sugar is lower than most functional waters, so as long as you’re not on a keto or very low sugar/carb diet, it could be a great way to quench a craving for a soda with a much healthier option With only50 calories for 12 ounces.. It doesn’t have quite as much vitamin C or potassium but it’s a better source of dietary fiber (one gram per bottle but that’s more than I get with most of my beverages). When you consider the cactus’ antioxidants and possible reduced inflammation, I’d recommend picking up a can to see for yourself. You can find Steaz at Whole Foods, Target and Kroger, as well as online at Amazon. Click here to find out where you can buy Steaz Prickly Pear Water near you!