Questions about Dr. Ayala
Q: Who is Dr. Ayala?
Dr. Ayala (Ayala Laufer-Cahana, M.D.) is the creator of these
drinks. She is a pediatrician, a mom, a lifelong vegetarian
and an artist.
Q: How did she come up with the idea for this beverage
company?
As a mom, Dr. Ayala was constantly searching for healthy ways to
nourish her family. She started making these drinks at home
using herbs from her garden. Her family and friends enjoyed
her herbal waters so much that Dr. Ayala considered sharing them on
a larger scale. She decided to start a company offering this
unique and healthy alternative to sugary mainstream beverages.
Q: How do you pronounce her name?
"Eye-ah-lah"
Q: How can I get in touch with Dr. Ayala?
Email her at ayala@herbalwater.com.
Questions about our ingredients
Q: Why do you use herbs?
There are several reasons why we use herbs:
Herbs have been used by cultures throughout the world for
thousands of years for food and medicinal purposes.
Herbs have a high concentration of flavor and aroma
molecules.
Herbs are naturally virtually calorie free.
There is nothing else on the market like this. Every other
flavored water uses "fruit essence"-no one has explored the rich
variety of herbs.
Q: Where do you get the herbs from?
We get our herbs exclusively from organic growers
grown locally and around the world.
Q: What is the source of your water?
Our water comes from an Artesian Well in the
Shenandoah Valley, Virginia.
Q: Why don't you use spring water?
Spring water is a limited resource. There are a finite
number of "drinkable" springs on the planet. Not all
"springs" are pure, free of environmental contaminants, and
available for commercial use. The term "spring water" does
not guarantee cleaner, healthier water. Shipping this spring
water across continents and oceans damages the environment, wastes
fuel, and raises the price of manufacturing, which means the
consumer pays more.
Questions about allergens and safety
Q: Does Herbal Water contain gluten?
Herbal Water is gluten-free and is safe for people with celiac
disease.
Q: Does Herbal Water contain allergens?
Herbal Water is free of the eight major food allergens, including
milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts (such as walnuts and almonds), soy,
wheat, fish, and shellfish.
Q: Is Herbal Water safe for pregnant women?
A: Yes. Herbal Water uses only culinary herbs that are safe to
use during pregnancy.
Q: Is Herbal Water safe for babies and young children?
A: Yes. Herbal Water uses only culinary herbs that are safe to
use at any age, just like vegetables.
Q: Is it safe to drink from a plastic bottle?
Ayala's Herbal Water is packaged in polyethylene terephthalate
(PET-1) bottles, which are perfectly safe. Bottle safety was
the subject of e-mail hoaxes, but there's no basis to them.
The concern raised in the media and science community regarding
the reusable rigid plastic bottles is with Bisphenol A (BPA), which
is an estrogen like compound that can act like estrogen in the
body. The bottles with BPA are those marked with a "#7," such as
some of the Nalgene bottles and baby bottles. After prolonged
use, those plastics may wear out, and BPA may leach in small
amounts. Whether that is a risk or not, OUR BOTTLES DO NOT
CONTAIN BPA.
Questions about manufacturing
Q: How is Herbal Water made?
The herbs are extracted; the extracts are infused into purified
water; the herbal water is bottled and sealed.
Q: How do you purify your water?
We use a multi-step purification process, which includes
filtration, ultraviolet light, and reverse osmosis. We make
sure to remove all dissolved impurities, so the water is a "blank
canvas" to which we add the herbs.
Q: Why do you use plastic bottles?
Plastic weighs less than glass: it's easier and more
efficient to transport and carry; it's also easier for a store
owner to stock in their backroom.
Plastic does not shatter or pose a hazard like glass.
Plastic is a safer, more cost-effective option.
Plastic is lightweight and ideally suited for people on the
go.
Our plastic is 100% recyclable.
We have not ruled out the use of glass and are considering
future changes. However, for the time being, plastic is the
most viable option.
Q: Producing and using plastic has a huge impact on the
environment. In what ways does your company offset this?
Herbal Water is developing a range of initiatives that benefit
the environment and lessen our environmental impact. These
include:
- Using sustainably harvested paper products for ALL our printed
materials.
- A vigorous recycling program.
- We aim to manufacture in proximity to distribution and make the
product in the most energy economic way.
- Our ingredients are organic, eliminating harmful chemicals from
soil and the water that drains that soil.
Questions about product attributes
Q: Is Herbal Water organic?
Yes, Ayala's Herbal Water is USDA Organic
Certified.
Q: What do you mean by "organic"?
The herbs in Herbal Water are organically grown. (Water
itself cannot be "organic.")
Q: Is being organic important?
Herbal Water is organic-certified. This means there are no
toxic pesticides and herbicides in the product, and no synthetic
fertilizers are used.
Therefore the product is better for you. Organic is also
important to the environment. By buying and supporting
organic, Ayala's Herbal Water and you as a consumer are
contributing to agriculture that doesn't pollute farmland, endanger
farm workers, and wreak havoc on the environment downstream.
Organic food also usually tastes better and has better nutritional
value.
Q: Is Herbal Water vegan?
All six of our flavors are vegan.
Q: Is Herbal Water raw?
No. We flash pasteurize our product at 180° and then
immediately seal it, which prohibits bacterial growth. This
process enables us to forgo the use of preservatives.
Q: Is Herbal Water Kosher?
Yes, we're certified Kosher by the Orthodox Union.
Q: Does Herbal Water contain trace minerals?
No. Our water is triple filtered and twice purified;
virtually all dissolved mineral content is removed during the
reverse osmosis process.
Q: Does it have any calories, caffeine, or
carbonation?
No, Herbal Water has zero calories, contains no caffeine, and is
not carbonated.
Q: Don't the herbs lose their potency through the
pasteurization process?
Herbal Water goes through a "flash pasteurization," meaning it
is warmed for seconds and then cooled. The beneficial
molecules in the herbs are not heat sensitive the way some vitamins
are and are not affected in any significant way.
Q: Why don't you add vitamins and minerals to your
drink?
The best source of vitamins for most of us in the long term is
properly prepared whole foods. For this reason, the
importance of eating nutrient-dense meals, rich in vitamins and
their co-factors, cannot be underestimated. Most vitamins
produce optimum results in the presence of certain naturally
occurring "cofactors," such as trace minerals, enzymes, and
coenzymes, as well as other vitamins. It is futile to think
we can provide all factors necessary to life in pill form or as a
supplement in water.
Vitamin supplements haven't really been shown to affect actual
health outcomes in large studies the way food fruits and vegetables
do. You can't get out of eating right with adding vitamins to
water. Minerals are also abundant in food, and there's no
reason to add them to drinks provided you eat food.
Q: Does Herbal Water come in a larger size or 4/6
pack?
Herbal Water comes in one size-a 16 fluid ounce bottle-that you
can purchase in a twelve-pack case.
Q: Is Herbal Water better than plain water?
Herbal Water delivers hydration-just like plain water-but also
great flavor and aroma and adds some herbal goodness.
Q: Isn't it just regular tap water with some
flavoring?
No. Our product is cleaner and more pure than tap water.
Our water goes through an extensive filtration and
purification process. Unlike other brands that use synthetic
or artificial flavoring, we infuse our water with real, organic
herbs.
Q: Is it better than other flavored waters?
YES! Many flavored waters have calories, artificial
sweeteners, and other artificial ingredients.
Q: Do the herbs in this product really have any
benefit?
Replacing sugary drinks with Herbal Water will definitely reduce
lots of empty calories from your diet. Herbal Water is also
free of the artificial sweeteners, colors, and flavors that are of
some health concern.
While we would never assert any health claim, adding herbs and
spices to your daily diet is part of a healthy plant based diet.
While other recommendations change often, there is one
consensus among nutrition experts: eating plenty of fruits,
vegetables, herbs, and spices is the basis of a health-promoting
diet.
Q: Is Herbal Water expensive?
Herbal Water is usually in the price range of other flavored
waters and functional drinks. Herbal Water is made using the
finest organic herbs, is manufactured in the US by workers paid a
fair wage, and is a premium quality product that typically costs
less than half of the price of an international coffee drink.
Q: Is Ayala's Herbal Water available online?
Yes. Please visit our online
store. You can purchase a single flavor 12-pack or
variety case (2 of each flavor). We also offer free Ground
Shipping to anywhere in the US.