Functional Drinks: Worth It?

Plus, Diana on introducing solids to babies…

Happy Wednesday! We’ve been noticing functional drinks are everywhere these days. Dr. Weil even helped to co-create one with Matcha Kari and Kin Euphorics! We love to see that things are shifting away from alcohol and more towards these kinds of beverages, but it seems like they’re all claiming benefits beyond basic hydration. Whether that’s energy, antioxidants, a sense of calm, or improved gut health, see what we think about these drinks, and learn more about whether or not they are healthy (and worth the price).

Diana also lets us in on her thoughts around introducing babies to food. See how she introduced Elio to foods, what foods she used, and her suggestions for all the Mamas out there who may benefit from some real-food insight! (Join the conversation over in the Nourished Mama!)

We want to know: Do you buy and consume beverages that have health claims? Do you think they deliver on what they say they will do? Do you think they are worth the cost above plain water? Share in the comments!

(P.S. Become a paid subscriber to join the full conversation.)

Introducing Solids To Babies

When it came time to introduce Elio to solids, I was both excited and nervous. I had done the research, talked with experts, and wanted to follow a baby-led weaning approach. But, as with many things in parenthood, once we were actually in it, things shifted for me a bit.

Before starting solids, I spoke with an integrative pediatric immunologist named Gary Soffer (whom I deeply admire) about allergen introduction. He strongly recommended introducing common allergens early to babies around 4–6 months, so that’s what we did. Elio’s very first food was peanut butter, followed closely by the other high-allergen foods. Which I’ll admit was a bit scary! We introduced them one at a time, repeated exposure over several days, and once we had “cleared” that food, we moved on to the next. The key with allergens is not only introducing them early, but continuing to offer them regularly.

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Early allergy introduction has been a game changer and is now backed by a lot of research. It’s been shown to significantly reduce the risk of developing food allergies, and is one of the big reasons peanut allergies are declining. For years, the advice was to delay introducing allergen foods, but we now know that waiting actually increased allergy rates.

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We introduced allergens around 4 months, and didn’t introduce anything else until closer to 6 months. Food before one is really just about exposure and learning, not for nutrition. We’d sit together at dinner and let Elio explore the textures, flavors, which meant that he mostly threw it on the floor (our dogs consider this the highlight of their lives and are now on a diet).

We did begin with a baby-led weaning approach, which is done by giving babies large, graspable pieces of food that they can eat and explore at their own pace. I used the Solid Starts app, which I do find helpful and do recommend. I made a point to include lots of herbs, spices, and even some heat so he could get used to a variety of flavors, and mostly just tried to give him what we were eating. My hope is that this sets the stage for a more adventurous eater as he grows!

Unfortunately, we had two scary moments where Elio choked (not just gagged). After that, I was really anxious every time I went to feed him, and noticed I was avoiding it. So we shifted to more of a “mixed” approach. For foods that felt riskier, I mashed or finely chopped them. For foods that felt safer, I gave them to him in the baby-led weaning style. That balance has worked really well for us.

There are so many “right” ways to feed a baby and every child is different, so I’d love to hear, how did you introduce solids to your baby? Share in the comments in this post over in Nourished Mama.

Functional Drinks

Dr. Weil's Take:

There’s been a big wave of beverages marketed as “functional” lately. These are drinks infused with herbs, adaptogens, nootropics, probiotics, marketed as being able to enhance mood, focus, sleep, or overall vitality. I have mixed feelings about this trend. On one hand, I appreciate the intention to move beyond sugar-laden sodas and highly caffeinated energy drinks, which I think are quite detrimental to health. On the other, I think most of these functional beverages are gimmicky and riding more on good marketing than actual substance. Some contain ingredients in doses too small to have any meaningful physiological effect, while others have claims that outpace the research supporting them.

I was involved in developing a functional beverage with Kin Euphorics, and I feel good about that product. I had input on formulation and flavor, and I believe it’s well made. But I wouldn’t say that’s the norm across the industry.

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If you’re curious about functional beverages, take the time to read labels carefully. Look for real, recognizable ingredients, minimal added sugars, and avoid products that rely on vague promises or proprietary blends that don’t disclose amounts.

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Ultimately, improving your diet by mainly eating whole, minimally processed foods, will have far more impact on your health than any trendy drink you only consume on occasion.

Diana’s Take:

The explosion of functional drinks on the market, to me, reflects a positive shift and is a sign that people are thinking more about their health. Which I of course love! If someone is deciding between a conventional soda and one of these types of beverages, I’d much rather they reach for the functional option (in most cases). I also believe that one positive can choice can ripple into others. When we feel good, we tend to make decisions that continue to support us feeling good. If choosing a fun functional drink nudges someone in that direction, I’m all about it.