An article from Today's Dietitian debates the issue. Currently, 60% of bottled water is packaged and sold in the same state, so it is exempt from any FDA regulations. Another not so well known fact is that “some bottled waters do not meet EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) standards.” I know that I usually try to avoid unregulated food items, but I never thought water to be one of them.
Water from the tap is actually very well regulated by the EPA and is accepted to be generally safe. If you choose bottled water, it is very important to know where your water is coming from and how it has been processed, or you might as well just drink from the faucet! You have to make sure that is has been distilled or processed through reverse osmosis to ensure it is quality bottled water.
So, which is actually better? I guess the important thing is preference. I like bottled water for convenience and portability, but in actuality, it may not be any better (and it may actually be worse) than drinking straight out of the faucet. Also keep in mind that if you keep water bottles in a hot environment, they can be a site for bacteria growth! Yuck! I think I'm going back to the tap (at least most of the time). How about you?
Nutrition Specialist
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