When water started being bottled and sold in the market, many people used to ask who would buy and drink it. However, times have changed, and today, the business of bottled water has become worth multi-billion dollars. This statistic tells us about the popularity of bottled water across the world.
Moreover, there are many reasons behind the popularity of bottled water, such as its ease of carrying and availability. However, many people believe that bottled water is not good for our health. Therefore, we will analyze and evaluate all the factors of bottled water in this article. This will help you understand whether bottled water is good for you or not.
Get An Understanding Of Bottled Water
You should know that about 70% of our Earth’s surface is covered with water, but about 97% of water is available in the oceans. Moreover, only about 3 % of water is considered fresh and usable for daily use like drinking, washing, and bathing.
As the population increases in the world, the shortage of drinking water also increases. Also, the availability of freshwater in different places becomes a concern. This led the business-minded people to start selling water in little bottles. This innovative idea of selling water in bottles turned out well, and nowadays, you can buy bottled water anywhere.
It is not like businesses fill the water in bottles and sell it because they have to follow certain measures to make sure that the water is safe for drinking. Bottled water is regulated by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and it is treated as a food product. Also, the U.S. FDA ask the manufacturers to list the information about ingredients and nutrients on the labels of the water bottles.
Types Of Bottled Water
There are different types of bottled water in the market. Thus, you should know about these different types of bottled water because it will help you choose the best one for your health. Hence, when you are in the mood to drink clean water without extras like minerals, then you should choose purified water bottles. This type of bottled water is manufactured through reverse osmosis, which is a process that filters out chemicals and minerals from the water.
Additionally, there is artesian bottled water that comes from underground aquifers, and according to the professionals, this is similar to regular groundwater. Also, there is spring bottled water that is like an artesian type that comes from underground aquifers but gets a mineral boost from rocks during its natural rise. Thus, you can get minerals like calcium and magnesium in spring bottled water.
Moreover, there is distilled bottled water in the market that is made by boiling the water and cooling the steam back to liquid form. Then, there comes electrolyte bottled water that contains minerals like sodium, potassium and calcium.
Moreover, you should know that athletes prefer electrolyte bottled water to drink. Additionally, there is sparkling bottled water that is infused with carbon dioxide and can contain added sugar or artificial sweeteners. Also, all these types of bottled water are regulated by the United States Food and Drug Administration.
Also Check: What Are The Silent Symptoms Of Dehydration? A Guide
Benefits Of Bottled Water
1. The Convenience Of Availability And Carrying Is The Best
It is very important to drink plenty of water to stay hydrated, but it can be difficult, especially when you are travelling. Also, when you go shopping and enjoy a picnic with your family, it can be very difficult to get fresh water to drink.
Thus, bottled water comes to mind because you can get it easily and in almost every grocery and convenience store. Also, you can carry one or two water bottles in your backpack to fulfil your water requirements when you are travelling.
2. Bottled Water Tastes Great
Everyone likes the taste of bottled water, which is one of the main reasons for its popularity. As we have mentioned above, some bottled water comes with added sweeteners and nutrients like electrolytes. This is best for people who want to drink water with extra taste and benefits. However, in one experiment, participants were blindfolded and given tap water and bottled water, and they were not able to tell the difference.
3. You Can Easily Store Bottled Water For A Long Time
You can store as many water bottles in your home as you want because bottled water is safe to drink for a long time. Moreover, this is best for times like natural disasters because you don’t have to worry about safe drinking water in such conditions. Also, you can keep water bottles in different places where you might need to drink water, such as a gym.
4. Bottled Water Is Made According To The Guidelines Of The FDA
Bottled water is treated as a food product and is regulated by the FDA, which means manufacturers have to follow all the guidelines. Manufacturers have to purify the water and test it to know whether the quality is up to the mark or not. Also, they have to provide information about the ingredients and nutrients on the labels of water bottles.
Are There Any Side Effects Of Drinking Bottled Water?
Bottled water is safe to drink if it is made by following the guidelines of the FDA. However, if the guidelines are not followed properly, then it may contain parasites like Cryptosporidium that can lead to serious health problems. Moreover, you can look for specific treatments such as reverse osmosis, distillation, and filtration with an absolute 1-micron filter to ensure the safety of the bottled water.
Read More: Hydration Strategies For Peak Athletic Performance: Maximize Your Potential
Final Words
Bottled water is safe to drink because it is made by following the guidelines of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Also, we have explained all the details of bottled water, including its types and some of the reasons for its popularity. However, there are some concerns about the use of plastic bottles because they can cause harm to the environment and human health.
Still, bottled water is considered safe to drink, and the bottled water business is also growing. Thus, if you are not okay with the use of plastic bottles, then you can choose to drink tap water otherwise, bottled water is safe to drink.
References
- Bottled Water Everywhere: Keeping it Safe https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/bottled-water-everywhere-keeping-it-safe
- Lalumandier JA, Ayers LW. Fluoride and bacterial content of bottled water vs. tap water. Arch. Fam. Med. 2000;9:246–250. [PubMed]
