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| To drink or not to drink... That is the question! Image source: Bitstrips |
Our bodies are made up of mostly water. Water carries out many functions and without
it we would die. So it is important that
we replenish our supply to maintain good health. We can get water in a number of ways. For instance, many fruits and vegetables are
predominantly made up of water. In fact,
almost 90-99% of fruits and vegetables are water. So when we eat them, we not only get their
nutrients but we also get water.
We also get water from drinking fluids. When we drink coffee, we get water. When we drink juice, we get water. Even when we eat soup, we get water. And of course, when we drink water, we get
water.
Now where we get the water that we drink has been a topic of
controversy for years. Fearing that municipal
water sources may be contaminated, many people swear by drinking only bottled
water. But is bottled water really our
best bet or as a society?
Many people are under the impression that bottled water is
healthier than tap water. This is an
interesting conclusion because tap water is more highly regulated than bottled
water. Municipal tap water supplies are regulated
by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and are tested several times a
day. Only bottled water being sold
across state lines is regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Concerns are now being raised about the safety of bottled
water, especially in regards to chemicals found in the plastic bottles and the
impact they have on the environment. Another
concern is that some of the bottled water products being sold are actually from
tap water sources.
Take a look at the documentary “Tapped” which sheds some
light on the bottled water industry.
After watching this film share your thoughts about drinking bottled
water. If you currently drink bottled water
do you think that you will continue of have you been ‘tapped’ out? It does make you wonder if the bottled water
company Evian intentionally used the word ‘naïve’ spelled backwards to name
itself…
Tapped from William on Vimeo.
References:
BioMed Central. (2009, July 8). People Think Bottled Water Is Healthy ... Sort Of. ScienceDaily. Retrieved February 24, 2014 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/06/090618200927.htm
Sizer, F.S. & Whitney E. (2013).Nutrition Concepts and Controversies, 12th ed. Belmont, CA:Wadsworth Cengage Learning.
Tapped [Video file]. Retrieved from http://vimeo.com/40519585
BioMed Central. (2009, July 8). People Think Bottled Water Is Healthy ... Sort Of. ScienceDaily. Retrieved February 24, 2014 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/06/090618200927.htm
Sizer, F.S. & Whitney E. (2013).Nutrition Concepts and Controversies, 12th ed. Belmont, CA:Wadsworth Cengage Learning.
Tapped [Video file]. Retrieved from http://vimeo.com/40519585
I drink a lot of water, which is good. However, most of it is bottled, which may be bad. Although I recycle the plastic bottles (most of the time), I still feel like it is such a waste. I am not even certain how I fell into the cycle of drinking bottled water the way I do, but it is a difficult habit to curb. I actually prefer certain brands to others. I dislike the taste of most tap water.
ReplyDeleteAt home, my water source is a well. It goes through a reverse osmosis system before coming out the tap, or ice maker, or refrigerator water dispenser, but I still "can't" drink it. I will be considering the implications of this choice and evaluating my options for replacing the inevitable "bottle" to rid me of my drinking problem!
Thanks for your comment Nealie! I have a question for you…why can’t you drink the well water? Is it the taste?
DeleteFunny thing, growing up in Michigan I had friends that lived in the country that had well water and I remember thinking it tasted horrible. As a dietitian I actually love the taste now! Why? Because I know that it is the minerals that give it that flavor. Minerals like calcium and iron (which also makes toilets and bathtubs look rusty!) which our blood, bones and muscles need.
Although the mineral content of the water in Palm Springs is not quite like that of the Michigan well water, our water does ‘fizz’ a bit from what it does have when it comes out of the tap. And when I first moved here from Los Angeles, that sort of freaked me out. Now, I enjoy it!
So I suggest next time you taste your well water ‘think before you drink’! Think of all the goodness that is provided by the minerals it supplies. Maybe that will make it easier to swallow!
Yes, it is the taste. I have considered placing lemon wedges in it to mask the taste. When we eat out in restaurants, I always order my water with lemon, because even restaurant water can have a funny taste. I will be adding extra lemon to the grocery list and see if that can help me make the transition!
ReplyDeleteAdding lemon is a great option! Not only are you encouraging yourself to drink water by making the taste more appealing but you are adding some nutritious phytonutrients from the lemon as well! Talk about a nutrient dense thirst quencher! ;-)
DeleteWe have MIchigan well water, and I love it. It is cold, and tastes very fresh. Sometimes I buy the bottled water when I am traveling because it is convenient, but not a very green option. This behavior actually began because I was not wanting to drink pop (soda). I need to get better at filling a water bottle at home! I like lime in my water..... :)
ReplyDeleteLime is good but I am with you Stacey! I love cool fresh well water!
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