Projected to become the #1 drink by 2016,
the average US consumption per capita reached 34 gallons last year, as opposed
to a mere 1.6 gallons per capita in 1976. So, one would assume that
bottled water is a naturally healthy alternative to that nasty-tasting tap
water, right? Well... Not so quick.
Drinking a cool bottle of water (in of
course a plastic bottle, which is fodder for a whole other conversation), gives
us images of fresh mountain springs, natural runoffs from the snow-capped Alps,
etc. Unfortunately for our health, we don't always get such
"pure" water in our plastic bottles. Yet, some of the labeling would
have us believe that we are drinking pure, liquid glaciers. We have become conditioned
(thanks to effective marketing) to think that this pristine bottled water has to
be better than our dirty old tap water. Such a notion could actually be
quite far from reality.
In fact, not all bottled water is the same.
And, with the lack of mandatory, precise labeling, we're often times not
sure where our selected H2O in effect comes from - regardless of the mountain
images and marketing campaigns. Thankfully, people are starting to
question how healthy bottled water really is, as well as the environmental
impact of the packaging it comes in.
While some bottled water does come from
streams and are supposedly "treated", others come from regular
municipal water supplies. Other brands purify their water through
distillation or reverse osmosis. Regardless, we can't deny the
convenience of carrying a bottle of H2O in our cars, in our office, or at the
gym. "But no one should think that bottled water
is better regulated, better protected or safer than tap,” says Eric Goldstein,
co-director of the urban program at the Natural Resources Defense Council
(NRDC), which is a nonprofit organization whose mission is toward protecting
community health and the environment.
Surprisingly, more than 25 percent of
bottled water comes from a municipal supply. The water is treated, purified to
some degree, and sold to us with a thousand-fold increase in price. So
what are we paying for - more healthy, purified water or simply glorified tap water?
Three of the biggest sellers of bottled
water are coming clean. This year Nestlé Pure Life bottles will
indicate whether their water comes from private, public, or deep well sources.
Aquafina will begin labeling that its contents come from public water
sources. Dasani states on its website that its water is sourced from
local water, but not on the label itself. For a health review of some of
the major brands, visit http://www.cleanairpurewater.com/best_bottled_water.html.
The inconsistencies with the actual
sourcing and purification processes of so many bottled
water providers makes choosing a good brand that much more difficult for
all of us. Plus, there is little imperial data available on the
purity of one brand vs. another vs. simple tap water. In fact, there have
been reports showing that tap water along with a good home filter
can actually be one of the best solutions available. And,
if you want a bottle for the road, go for it. Just make sure it's
environmentally friendly and health-wise.
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Disclaimer: This information has been provided by Dr. Kevin Crawford, Lubbock Sports Medicine as general information only. It is not intended for any patient or specific situation. Exercise with care and under a doctor's supervision.
Lubbock Sports Medicine
4110 22nd Place Lubbock, TX 79409
(806) 792-4329
4110 22nd Place Lubbock, TX 79409
(806) 792-4329
