Tap Water vs. Bottle Water - What is better for you?

Since water is a very important part of everyone's life, it is important to know the facts about the water you are drinking.  Water is important because it keeps you hydrated, it helps you lose weight and stay healthy, and your body is made up of about 50% to 75% of water depending on how much body fat you have!  Some experts say you should drink 8 - 8 oz glasses of water a day or 64 oz.  Other experts say you should drink half your body weight in ounces of water.  For example if you weigh 150 lbs., you should be drinking 75 oz. of water a day.  On About.com there is a quiz, that will tell you how much water you should drink a day depending on where you live, the temperature, if your sick, how much you exercise, among other factors in your day.  Here is the link.  In addition, individuals can drink too much water (more than 32 oz within an hour).  It is important not to do this because it can have serious side effects, including death.  So, make sure to space out your water intake throughout the day.

Another important factor to the amount of water you drink, is what kind of foods you eat.  If you eat a lot of water-filled food, such as fruits, like watermelon, and vegetables, like broccoli, then you will not need to drink as much water in a day.  I found a great list of fruits and vegetables and their water content on the following website.  In addition to containing water, which is vital to everyone's health, fruits and vegetables are also great sources to help keep you full with lower calorie amounts than other snacks and side dishes.

So, back to the topic at hand, what type of water is better for you? - Tap Water or Bottled Water?  Tap water is very easily accessible and is fairly safe depending on where you live and whether you use a filter or not.  Bottled water on the other hand can be safe, but it can be harmful, just like tap water.

So, tap water can have toxins and harmful substances in it.  If you live in the city, then you should contact your local health department or water company to find out about the tests that have been done on the drinking water, and see what is in it.  If you have a well, you will need to pay to have your water tested, and some individuals in the city should also pay for this test, because toxins can be leaked into your water through the pipes that it flows through.

If you go through with the test, you will know more about what is in your tap water, so you can better decide what kind of filter you need for your house.  There are plenty of types of filters out there, including filtered pitchers and filters that can be screwed directly onto the faucet.  I believe these are the best two options, over buying bottled water.

Bottled water cost money, can have toxins in the plastic that the bottle is made up of, and most bottled water is just filtered tap water - read more here.  There are several types of plastic that contain toxins, including number 3, number 6, and number 7 plastics.  These plastics all contain toxins that are harmful - read more here.  Another link that list some toxins in plastic is here.

So, my suggestion is to filter your tap water, save money, and use a metal water bottle, which keeps water colder and is safer for you and the environment.  I bought one at Wal-Mart for $5, and it supported breast cancer research.  What could be better?  Know the facts about your water and stay healthy!

Here are some other links about this topic:

http://www.sharecare.com/question/home-filtered-safer-bottled-water?partner=droz

http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/how-safe-your-drinking-water

http://www.sharecare.com/topic/water-liquid-nutrient?partner=droz