- With Mayo Clinic nutritionist
Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D.
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Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D.
Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D.
As a specialty editor for the Food & Nutrition Center, Katherine Zeratsky helps you sort through the facts and figures, the fads and the hype to learn more about nutrition and diet.
A Marinette, Wis., native, she is certified in dietetics by the state of Minnesota and the American Dietetic Association. She has been with Mayo Clinic since 1999.
She is active in nutrition-related curriculum and course development in pediatrics at Mayo Clinic Rochester and nutrition education related to the physiology and recommended intakes for premature infants.
Other areas of interest include breast milk and formula safety, neonatal feeding, and nutrition for breast-feeding mothers.
She graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, served a dietetic internship at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, and worked as a registered dietitian and health risk counselor at ThedaCare of Appleton, Wis., before joining the Mayo Clinic staff.
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Healthy diets (8)
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Healthy cooking (10)
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Healthy menus and shopping strategies (6)
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Nutritional supplements (15)
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Question
Vitamin water: Better than plain water?
Is vitamin water a healthier choice than plain water?
Answer
from Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D.
Vitamin water is fortified with various vitamins and other additives, including a sweetener that adds calories to the drink. If you're eating a balanced diet or taking a multivitamin, you won't likely benefit from drinking vitamin water. If you're trying to lose weight, the calories in vitamin water will only work against you. And if you have heart or kidney disease, the potassium in some types of vitamin water may be a concern. Too much potassium can interrupt your heart or kidney function. Remember, fruits, vegetables and other whole foods are the best sources of vitamins and minerals. Of course, water is important, too. If you don't care for plain water, try sparkling water or a squirt of lemon or cranberry juice in your water.
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