Sweet Spot Review: Del Monte Fit n Right

When Del Monte Fit n Right (DMFnR) first appeared about two years ago, it wasn't an ideal drink for diabetics and those watching their calorie intake. A 330ml bottle of Fit n Right pineapple or orange was easily 100 calories you didn't need.

I guess Del Monte realized they were missing out on a niche market of diabetics and dieters that they've introduced sometime last year low-cal and no-sugar-added variants to their Fit n Right families. Now, you have the option of choosing their normal variants or their "lite" variants which is quite an attractive proposition to those of us who have the "D" who are looking for alternatives to plain, old water.

Do not get me wrong. Your doctor will always tell you that nothing is more healthier than water and consuming 8 or more glasses a day is a sure way to help your insides run functionally well especially if you're a diabetic whose systems are no longer at 100%. Nevertheless, there will be days when you'll be yearning for something other than water and Del Monte's Fit n Right low-calorie and no-sugar-added offerings would be your satisfactory alternative.

What lowered the calories for DMFnR's low-cal and NSA variants is the substitution of sucralose for regular sugar. This easily downed what used to be 100 to 120 calories to the 30's and 20's. So far, I've only sampled Del Monte Fit n Right's pineapple, pine orange, and watermelon variants. Of the three variants and only the pineapple variant (which I must say is my favorite because there's a sampaloc tastiness to it) is at 35 calories while the other two are at 20 calories each. I believe there are other fruit flavors available but not sure though if they're also low-cal and NSA.

Another marketing pitch of DMFnR is that they contain L-Carnitine which is supposed to help individuals burn the fat ... with exercise, of course. Not really delved into the heart of the matter whether L-Carnitine does help in fat-burning (the label says "with 300mg L-Carnitine that may help burn fat -- whoa, the big word "MAY") but the low-cal, NSA marketing pitch is enough incentive for me to keep on gurgling this stuff.  Calorie-counters like yours truly will surely delight that there's less guilt when we drink Fit n Right.

Let's look further at the label of a typical DMFnR bottle:

"Del Monte Fit n Right is a delicious juice drink that contains real fruit juice that naturally refreshes anytime, anywhere! It contains L-Carnitine that helps burn fat and B vitamins that help speed up metabolism -- so you can stay fit and healthy, and be on-the-go! Looking good never tasted this good!"

I guess only time will tell, along with testimonials from those who'll be religiously drinking DMFnR and monitor their weight, if the claim can be substantiated. But for now, if you're looking for a guilt-free juice drink that's actually quite affordable as well, then Del Monte Fit n Right Low-Calorie and No-Sugar-Added is the drink for you.

Each 330ml bottle retails usually at P20, add a few more pesos when you buy it at 24-hour convenience stores like 7-11 or Mini-Stop. If you'll be adding this regularly to your diet, best to buy it in bulk at major groceries where you can buy it at below P20 a bottle.