Think of your body as a houseplant. When a houseplant shows signs of thirst—dry soil, wilted leaves, discoloration—you don’t give it a can of soda or pour a bottle of Gatorade on it. You give it water, usually straight from the tap, and the houseplant thrives.
So why wouldn’t you do the same for your body?
While it’s perfectly fine to indulge in the occasional soda or wrap up an hour-long workout with your favorite sports drink, drinking water is usually the best way to replenish lost fluids. And just like with your houseplant, tap water reigns superior. Here are 4 reasons why:
- Tap water contains fluoride. While nearly all naturally occurring water contains some level of fluoride, many Arizona cities ensure water is fluoridated to the optimal level found to help reduce tooth decay.
- Tap water is sugar-free. Unlike common sports drinks, water contains no cavity-causing sugars. Don’t believe us? Check the labels of your favorite sports drinks. A standard 32-ounce bottle of Gatorade or Powerade has a whopping 52 grams of sugar! Even VitaminWater has 31 grams of sugar in a typical 20-ounce bottle.
- Tap water is environmentally friendly. Bottled water is a huge drain on the environment, according to The Pacific Institute. The environmental group found that bottled water is up to 2,000 times more energy-intensive than water from the tap. In fact, the amount of energy used to produce plastic for Americans’ bottled water is enough to fuel more than 1 million cars for a year.
- Tap water is more affordable. If you are loyal to bottled water, chances are good that you’re spending nearly 300 times more than tap water aficionados. According to an article on Slate.com, Americans spent an estimated $11.8 billion on 9.7 billion gallons of bottled water in 2012. This means bottled water costs about $1.22 per gallon. In contrast, a gallon of tap water costs about $0.004.
Convinced that water from the tap is the best hydrator, but don’t like its taste? Consider buying a water filter that attaches to the faucet. Your water will still taste, well, plain, but it’ll be closer to that bottled water taste you may already enjoy.
Editors Note: This post was originally published August 2014. The content was revised and updated December 2024.
