But drinking water instead of other things can be a challenge
We all know that drinking water is essential for our well-being, but many of us prefer to drink it mixed with other things such as coffee, tea or soft drinks (which are often loaded with sugar) simply because we think they taste better. Given that the recommended intake is between 1.5 and 1.8 litres of water per day it isn’t surprising that we are interested in how it tastes. Of course, the amount we need depends on a number of factors including how much exercise we are doing and how hot and dry the weather is. Also, we often need to drink more if we are sick – perhaps with the flu, for example. In addition we do get a certain amount of water in our food, particularly vegetables and fruit such as lettuce and watermelon. And keep in mind that certain medical conditions such as kidney and heart problems do require careful monitoring of fluid intake under medical supervision.
Drinking the water we need in beverages such as coffee and tea isn’t necessarily a bad thing if we do it in moderation, but the fact is that drinking water by itself has advantages. Firstly tap water costs very little, particularly compared to soft drinks and secondly, it doesn’t contain any sugar, which of course is a real plus if working with a weight-loss program. Drinking sufficient water every day is a fundamental element of most exercise and weight management regimes.
If all we are used to drinking is tap water, we may not realise just how refreshing pure water can be. Municipal supplies are generally safe to drink, but the potential for pathogens such as bacteria and viruses breeding in the water necessitates its treatment with chlorine. This treatment is very effective, but it does affect the taste and smell of the water. Also, it is supplied through an extensive network of pipes and sediment particles such as rust flakes, grit and fibres are often delivered along with the water!
Filtered water makes great-tasting fruit drinks!
The good news is that easy to use and highly effective water filter systems are readily available and are not expensive to purchase and maintain. For example, a Filtaflo Counter Top CNB1 filter kit costs only $89.00 and maintenance would typically consist of replacing the Carbon Block cartridge (cost $39.95) every 6 months. This equates to an ongoing cost of less than $0.22 per day – much less expensive than bottled water – for water which tastes like it really should; clean and refreshing. Another great plus is that using filtered water will make your tea and coffee taste way better too – and you may like to experiment with some other drinks such as fruit cocktails, all in the interests of making your daily water intake more enjoyable!