useful

[irinaofr]

Seemed to me that this word wasn't quite right. I questioned if the drink with aloe vera I wanted to buy was a healthy choice.
I said:"Is it useful?"
The sale person looked confused.

How should I have asked?

Many thanks.

 

[GoesStation]

The salesperson was wondering "useful for what?" You'd have to specify what you want the drink to do for that question to make sense. For example, ​Is it useful for gout?

 

[irinaofr]

Yes, that's what I thought.
How should I have said it then, meaning if it was a healthy choice?

Is it healthy? No? Just as I said 'a healthy choice'? Nothing shorter than that?

Thanks.

 

[GoesStation]

You could ask Is it healthy? or Is it a good choice? The first has a logical flaw if read literally but is used frequently.

 

[kilroy65]

"Healthful" might be appropriate in this context.

 

[emsr2d2]

"Healthful" is rarely used in BrE (in my experience). I work in a health food shop and I am frequently asked "Is this healthy?" My response is usually "It depends on what you consider to be healthy. Are you asking me if it has specific health benefits?"

 

[Rover_KE]

Say 'Is aloe vera good for you?'

'What good does aloe vera do?'

 

[Roman55]

Seemed to me that this word wasn't quite right. I questioned if the drink with aloe vera I wanted to buy was a healthy choice.
I said:"Is it useful?"
The sale person looked confused.

How should I have asked?

Many thanks.

You could have asked, 'Is it efficacious?' but the salesperson might still have looked confused.

It's a shame that the word is rarely used these days because it expresses exactly what you want to know, that is, whether it works/has the desired effect.

 

[irinaofr]

"Is it good for you?" - will YOU mean ME?

 

[Rover_KE]

Yes.