Spring, sparkling or mineral – whichever type floats your boat, a bottle of water has become the ultimate fashion accessory in today's world.
A study found sales of the stuff have soared by a staggering 17% in the last five years, with experts attributing the rise to 'convenience, maintenance of fluid balance and fashion and culture'.
Its undoubtedly more trendy to care about your health than it has ever been before, and being seen sipping bottled water is a sure-fire way to show the world that you are one of the health-conscious enlightened.
Requesting a bottle of still or sparkling water for the table has become the perfect way to impress when dining out (and it's always a bonus to know your Volvic from your Evian).
However amusing this might sound, a fashionable passion for water is not a bad thing. Drinking water is sexy, because it shows you understand how your body works and want to take care of it.
Dehydration
Experts reckon we need to drink eight glasses of water or water-based fluid a day just to prevent us from dehydrating. And be warned - there's more to dehydration than feeling parched, with scary symptoms ranging from tiredness and headaches to loss of concentration.
Water isn't just there to quench our thirst – it's essential for washing nutrients around our bodies to make sure they reach the parts they ought. In the same way, it flushes toxins (the bad bits deposited by fatty foods and alcohol) out of our body through our kidneys in the form of urine.
Tap versus bottle?
Retailers have been quick to cash in on our latest thirst, and the vast array of different types now on offer can be a bit bewildering.
It's easy to become obsessed with finding the brand to best refresh your mind body and soul. But don't forget the liquid that trickles out of your taps at home. It might not look as sexy as the stuff in the bottles, but it does the trick!
Tap water in Australasia has to pass stringent tests before it's deemed up to scratch for our kitchen sinks, so it's unlikely to do you any harm. And from a health point of view, it fulfils all of the essential functions mentioned above. There is a large range of home-filtering options easily available now too, from filters fitted to taps, to Brita fridge water jugs. And if you're worried about the metallic taste of tap water, try boiling (then cooling it).
There are two basic types of bottled water, spring and mineral. Spring water has been collected directly from the spring where it arises from the ground and must be bottled at source to be classed as spring water.
Mineral water is water that comes out of from the ground and then flows over rocks before it is collected. It has a higher content of various minerals, picked up as it flows over the rock.
There is no hard evidence that either of these is any better for you health-wise than plain old-fashioned tap water, although flavours vary so its more a matter of personal taste.
Sparkling or still?
As long as the water is not flavoured with anything then it still has zero kilojoules and it will leave you feeling just as revitalised whether bubbly or not. The only thing to watch out for with sparking water is the bubbles; as with all carbonated drinks, when drunk in excess it can be bad for your teeth.
Funky flavoured water
The concept seems sound enough – liven up the flavour of water and make a healthy choice as palatable as possible. But beware - these drinks may look like a healthy alternative but a glass of some brands may contain as much sugar as a glass of sugar, so be sure to check the nutritional label first.
Top tips for incorporating water into your day:
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