Do you dislike/hate drinking plain water?

[gigi]

I always get looked at funny for my dislike, nigh on hatred of plain water. It makes me feel sick. I remember a thread a while back where others said they didn't like it either; please let me know I'm not alone!

[Bridget Burke]

Originally Posted by gigi

I always get looked at funny for my dislike, nigh on hatred of plain water. It makes me feel sick. I remember a thread a while back where others said they didn't like it either; please let me know I'm not alone!

No.

[gigi]

Thanks.

[runner pat]

I dislike plain water. I use a 72 oz Camelback on my handcycle, enough for 2 hours even in the summer here. Even though I try to drink as much as I can,I usually come in with 8-10 oz still in the bag(plain water). With a diluted sport drink on board, I often go dry with 3-5 miles to go.

[There Goes a Tenner]

I used to be fine just drinking plain water, but after I tried the water with some Crystal Light, I can never go back. Now water just tastes terrible by itself.

Its kind of funny how most (or at least it seems like) people on this message board hasn't met a person who dislikes the taste of water, but I always known people who hated the taste. Now that I drink the water with Crystal Light (or whatever powerded mix is on sale), I drink more water than ever.

Anyways, in the words of Michael Jackson, you are not alone. I am here with you. Though we we're far apart, I hate the taste of water too.

[myskepticsight]

Can I add a side question?

Here in my area of St. Louis, we have pretty "good" tap water. At my house it never smells funny or has any pronounced taste of chlorine or minerals or anything. And the bottled water we buy is Ice Mountain (which is likely bottled tap water, but who knows) and I also will buy Fiji every once in awhile. I think waters like Dasani and Aquafina taste gross (aka they have a noticeable flavor) so I do not drink those. And when I lived in Columbia, MO the water smelled like chlorine and I disliked drinking it even after it was ran through a Brita, but got used to it enough to drink it.

For the people who don't like water, is the tap water (or well, etc) at your residence/childhood residence "bad"? Have you tried a variety of bottled that is less offensive to the palate? Or do you just hate all plain water?

[aruvqan]

My favorite beverage is my own tap water on ice - but then again, my tapwater is from my own well, and tastes fantastic, no wierd chemicals in it. We test regularly to make sure it is safe.

I hate my mothers tap water, they have a water softener and it tastes like I am drinking saline solution for contact lenses =(

[phreesh]

Even though you didn't ask, Ill chime in for the pro-water camp. I can get with tap water having some bad taste, but what about bottled water or water-cooler water? Plastic-y taste? Maybe. But woudln't any beverage in a bottle have that? I guess it gets overpowered by whatever's added to the water (i.e. sugar/artificial sweetener) in pop/beer/milk/whatever.

If I didn't ever drink water I'd be somewhat worried about what I was putting in my body. You have to drink a bunch of something in order to stay, you know, alive, so if you're not drinking water, you're taking in quite a bit of something not so good like sugar or chemicals.

I know I wasn't invited, but my two cents.

[Markxxx]

Ever try to drink distilled water? It's amazing how bad that tastes

[Cunctator]

No, I don't dislike drinking plain water. And I'm happy to drink tap water. I never buy the overpriced bottled stuff.

[Nzinga, Seated]

I hate plain water. I never admit this to anyone because when I do, I get scorned and lectured.

[Tranquilis]

Water is good. Well water is better.

[Dr. Woo]

I don't particularly like the taste of water, but that's what I drink for hydration. If I want a treat, I drink fruit juice. If I want liquid and nourishment, I drink milk. On the rare occasions when I want carbonation, I drink champagne or beer. If I want a headache, I drink red wine.

I don't like a lot of tastes, but I've gotten used to the taste of water over the years and since it's 1.) virtually free and 2.) easy to come across, that's what I drink most of the time.

[SeaDragonTattoo]

Water is the basis of life. It seems like it should be natural and ingrained in us to like water. I always think people who don't like water are oddities (my mother included). I understand not liking chlorine or heavy mineral taste, but, the dough people shell out for bottled water? Insanity! My water's "free" as in, included in the rent, available at all workplaces, restaurants, almost anywhere. Maybe I like water because it's free and I just can't see spending all that money for something that's so freely available.

On the other hand, I wonder if the dislike for water goes back to when water was mostly unsafe to drink? Maybe it's an instinct that developed so some folks are more likely to make "safe" beverages. After all, weren't our forefathers mostly buzzed all the time? I suppose boiled water for coffee and tea was fine, but no one drank plain boiled water. They either infused something into it or fermented stuff, no?

[Khadaji]

I've begun drinking more water and less diet soda - but I still don't like it plain. I drink seltzer water instead.

[Monstera deliciosa]

You are not alone. I don't care for plain water. Although it doesn't happen all the time, I have gotten slightly nauseated from drinking it on an empty stomach. I don't eschew plain water all together, but I don't drink it often. Especially not since I moved to northern Illinois, where the tap water is godawful.

My husband and stepson also dislike drinking water, as did my mother.

[Anaamika]

I don't hate plain water, or get sick from it. It's just really boring. I drink tons of seltzer water, which has carbonation and natural flavoring but no salt (really! check the label). Just add some carbonation and I'm fine; I even will drink plain seltzer over plain water.

[cmyk]

I find water boring and unappealing in general. Granted, when I'm thirsty as a dog, there's nothing I want more than an tall, dripping, glass of cold ice-water. But day-to-day, I'm a huge pop-drinker. I love carbonation, and sweet drinks. Pepsi is my default beverage. But lately I've tried to make the switch to Propel Flavored Water. I can't stand diet drinks, but this uses very little artificial sweetener, and has good flavor. Plus it feels light and water-like, so it feels like a better alternative over soft-drinks. And a step on the way to drinking straight water.

[Xema]

Originally Posted by SeaDragonTattoo

Water is the basis of life. It seems like it should be natural and ingrained in us to like water.

I'd be surprised to hear that dislike of water in favor of carbonated & flavored liquids is not (at least in the vast majority of cases) a learned behavior. What percentage of aboriginal people shun water?

[Hockey Monkey]

Tap water is fine as long as it doesn't have any weird taste from chemicals or minerals. Sometimes all I want is plain cold water, but more often than not, I'll put a sugar free powdered drink mix in it.

[Ephemera]

I don't hate it, though I used to. Now I just prefer not to drink it.

[MoodIndigo1]

I drink about 3 liters of water a day, either from the tap or the water filter/cooler in my fridge. There is no better drink, in my book. I enjoy beer, wine, scotch, juices, but water is the best. I don't like soft drinks (sodas) and might only have one every 2 or 3 years, and prolly by distraction whe I eat out.

[billfish678]

As W C Fields once said :

I don't drink water. Fish phuck in it.

Personally, I really dont care for plain old water unless really thirsty and nothing else is available.

[MLS]

Another chime-in for well water. Ours tastes better than any bottled water I've ever tasted. Our well is really deep, and must tap into a really tasty source. My daughter's house is only a few blocks away and their water isn't nearly as nice.

[apollonia]

Mmm, tap water. I go through about a half liter to a liter of it every day. It tastes delicious to me and I quite prefer it ahead of sugary juices and powdered drink mixes. They don't quench my thirst, they leave a sugary taste or residue in my mouth. No thanks, plain tap water is good for me.

[DrDeth]

Originally Posted by gigi

I always get looked at funny for my dislike, nigh on hatred of plain water. It makes me feel sick. I remember a thread a while back where others said they didn't like it either; please let me know I'm not alone!

I also hate plain water, tap or bottled. But iced with a little lemon and I am OK.

[Lumpy]

I grew up drinking soda, milk, fruit juice, sweetened tea, Kool-Aid- anything but water. Admittedly the tap water wasn't the best (kinda sulphery at times), but I definitely didn't form good eating habits as a kid. As an adult, I first gave up sugared soda and then gave up caffeinated soda. Until recently I oscillated between caffeine-free diet cola and seltzer water. But as part of trying to reform my eating habits I decided I was drinking too much high-acid liquids. I don't drink tap water but I don't drink the expensive name-brand water either; my compromise is the 80-cent a gallon spring water sold at the grocery store. It's ok when well chilled.

I still find myself craving soda occasionally but I think that's psychological. One thing I've noticed is that if I'm not getting enough potassium (which most sodas are loaded with) in my diet, I get a dry mouth that water won't relieve. I bought some potassium-based salt substitute and that helps.

[Auntbeast]

I don't like drinking water. However, I drink tea and coffee in copious amounts. It isn't that I don't like the taste, even on a well, it is that when I drink plain water I feel...uncomfortable? I don't know, it just doesn't sit as well as virtually anything else. I can feel it and it feels icky somehow. Hard to describe, but I just do not like.

[lavenderviolet]

Originally Posted by Xema

I'd be surprised to hear that dislike of water in favor of carbonated & flavored liquids is not (at least in the vast majority of cases) a learned behavior. What percentage of aboriginal people shun water?

I agree. In my younger days, I did not like the taste of water. I drank mostly carbonated beverages and juice. When I became serious about losing weight I realized I had to curtail my addiction to cherry Coke and started drinking water almost exclusively. I have acquired a taste for water over the years since and now crave it when I'm thirsty. Pop just doesn't satisfy my thirst like water does now.

[Eyebrows 0f Doom]

Originally Posted by MoodIndigo1

I drink about 3 liters of water a day

Wow, I can't imagine drinking that much liquid in one day! The only time I would get near that amount is when I was traveling in Israel during the summer and carried a 2 liter CamelBak in my backpack.

I dislike water. I'll have it if there is nothing else, but it's not preferable to me. My drink of choice is the XXX flavor of Glaceau Vitamin Water.

[gone2thedogs]

[quote=Monstera deliciosa;11212559]You are not alone. I don't care for plain water. Although it doesn't happen all the time, I have gotten slightly nauseated from drinking it on an empty stomach.

I definitely get nauseated from plain water on an empty stomach and have thrown up enough after doing this that it's a proven fact...

[amarone]

What is "plain water"? Here in Atlanta I don't drink tap water because it is full of chlorine and tastes nasty. Head for south Georgia and north/central Florida and it is full of sulphur and tastes worse.

Bottled water is okay if cold, but if allowed to warm up tastes of plastic.

Maybe I am too sensitive. The above aside, I don't dislike water but there is almost always a tastier alternative.

[Dallas Jones]

I am blessed with such good water right out of the tap. Local water system comes out of some wells in the Coast Range, deep into the basalt. No sulfur, sweet water, and cold for most of the year. Better than any bottled water you can buy.

[sunacres]

The water in my tap from East Bay Municipal Utilities District (EBMUD) is just fine. I keep a jug of it in the fridge and take a swig every morning. I feel sorry for the bunch of you who need sugar or corn syrup to feel ok.

[DaddyTimesTwo]

Aside from coffee and beer, water is my drink of choice, albeit Brita filtered water for the most part. I rarely drink sodas or tea or fruit drinks. It's mostly due some urinary/bladder issues and a meager attempt at controlling my weight, but also because I don't want to buy any of those other drinks.

[gonzomax]

Dearborn Hgts water is fine. I drink black coffee in the morning and then water all the rest of the day. No juice, no pops, just water. I chill it in the refrig in bottles and drink it out of the bottle. I like water.

[overlyverbose]

When I was in high school, I just couldn't imagine drinking water for anything other than rehydrating during sports practices and games. Drinking it all by itself when I didn't need to it replenish water lost through sweat seemed weird and tasted kind of gross. Then again, that was before bottled water became really popular. Other than that, I chain-drank diet cokes.

After I started college and couldn't afford to buy diet coke all the time, I switched largely to water. Now it's the most refreshing drink I can think of. I'm not sure if it has something to do with coming from a town where a lot of water came from wells, (where I grew up the water can smell strongly of sulphur) to St. Louis where the water is pretty clean and odorless. Regardless, if I want something I can guzzle and feel truly satisfied, it's always cool water.

What's odd is that before I was pregnant, I didn't mind room-temperature water out of our water filter; now it squicks me out if it isn't on ice or at least chilled (chilled, no ice is best).

[Emmy2635]

Originally Posted by There Goes a Tenner

Now that I drink the water with Crystal Light (or whatever powerded mix is on sale), I drink more water than ever.

I don't get this line of thinking. Drinking Crystal Light does not equal drinking water. Crystal Light is the same as drinking diet soda. Just because you are starting with a bottle of water, people seem to think it "counts" as drinking water.

[runner pat]

Originally Posted by Emmy2635

I don't get this line of thinking. Drinking Crystal Light does not equal drinking water. Crystal Light is the same as drinking diet soda. Just because you are starting with a bottle of water, people seem to think it "counts" as drinking water.

It does count as far as fluid intake is concerned.

[wunderkammer]

No and yes!

I like my water barely above freezing*, with lots of ice. If I have my precious ice, I tend to drink two or three glasses of water with a meal (probably 32 oz) and a lot more throughout the day, but water without ice, even if it's still cool to the touch, is about as appealing as a tall glass of saliva. (I don't like the taste of minerals or plastic, or wet, tepid things in general.) Sure, if I'm truly thirsty, I'll drink whatever water is available, but I'll try not to taste it.

*I swear, if there was a kitchen appliance for producing supercooled water, I'd be all over it, even if it led to grievous bodily harm.

[sulawesi]

Originally Posted by Emmy2635

I don't get this line of thinking. Drinking Crystal Light does not equal drinking water. Crystal Light is the same as drinking diet soda. Just because you are starting with a bottle of water, people seem to think it "counts" as drinking water.

Why would it possibly not "count"? If I drink a liter of water and then, later in the day, eat a packet of Crystal Light, does that undo the original act of drinking the water? What's the difference?

I don't like water. I drink a lot of store-brand diet soda, which isn't a very big expense (under 40 cents per liter). There's never any shortage of people waiting to tell me I need to drink water instead, though. Why? There's no evidence that drinking small amounts of aspartame is unsafe. I really think it offends people's moral sensibilities that I avoid the act of drinking plain water by sweetening it. It's seen as cheating, perhaps because it's "unnatural," and people struggle to find some reason I shouldn't get away with it. I can't think of any other reason so many people would be bothered by my aversion to water, and bothered in the particular way that they seem to be, which doesn't seem driven by a concern for my health.

[pulykamell]

Water's pretty much been my default beverage of choice since I was a kid. I love water, especially in the middle of the night or first thing in the morning. I probably drink about six to eight 12 oz glasses of it a day. After a workout, though, I prefer a little sugar in my water for some simple carbs to aid recovery, so I'll take a scoop of dextrose, douse it with some Real Lemon, and make a quick lemonade.

[Rushgeekgirl]

I don't like plain water. It makes me feel slightly sick and I feel like maybe it hits my metal fillings because no matter what brand it's always slightly metallic.
The only way to make it drinkable is to add a splash of Da Vinci sugar free syrup. Raspberry or any other fruit flavor. Just a splash though; barely enough to change the color. That I could drink all day.

[elfkin477]

I have trouble imagining someone hating water if they weren't making the mistake of drinking distilled water or your ickier tap waters. 90% of what I drink is water or milk. I only drink bottled spring water, though. We don't drink the well water because they hit an iron vein drilling the well - the water tastes like blood or pennies. yum.

[RickJay]

Originally Posted by elfkin477

I have trouble imagining someone hating water if they weren't making the mistake of drinking distilled water or your ickier tap waters.

I find all water pretty horrible. I wouldn't say it's undrinkable, and if I'm very thirsty and it's the only good option I'll drink it, but it always tastes bad.

I also hate wine, so I definitely would not do well at any party Jesus was at.

[Myrrajh]

In a week, filtered (Brita) water makes up almost 100% of everything I drink. Some Sundays I'll crack open a caffeine-free Diet Pepsi, but the rest of the time, just water. Oh, sorry, apart from the cup of OJ I have every morning. The older I get, the less tolerance I have for really sweet things, so my soft drink consumption has pretty much vanished.

The tap water here is great, but I still filter it because it takes away the chlorine smell, and I like it cold from the fridge. It's cheap, healthy, and if I'm drinking it while driving I'm not going to get distracted by a spill because it's hot or it will stain.

[NinetyWt]

Originally Posted by DaddyTimesTwo

Aside from coffee and beer, water is my drink of choice

This was me until I quit drinking beer. Now, it's coffee and water.

I prefer cold water, either from a bottle in the fridge or over ice, but I'll drink it tepid. If I'm really thirsty I don't even care if it's hot - sometimes I'll be in the car, and the only thing to drink is a piece of a bottle from the day before - I'll drink it in a heartbeat. That's a kind of a weird sensation, drinking hot water.

[even sven]

Originally Posted by sunacres

The water in my tap from East Bay Municipal Utilities District (EBMUD) is just fine. I keep a jug of it in the fridge and take a swig every morning. I feel sorry for the bunch of you who need sugar or corn syrup to feel ok.

I've never had better water than that sweet sweet liquid that flowed from my Oakland tap.

I used to think I hated the taste of water. I'd go through all sorts of work with filters and bottles and mixes. Then I decided I was just being high-maintenance and difficult, and that wasn't the kind of person I wanted to be. So I poured myself a nice tall cup from the tap. It sucked. But I kept doing it.

Now I can't get enough of the stuff. I have to drink distilled around here (though I do let it "cure" a few days) and I even suck that stuff down like crazy. Cold, hot, whatever. Water is the most singularly perfect beverage.

[Kayeby]

When I was younger I hardly ever drank water. I had either soft drink or juice with every meal.

One year I bought a couple of glass bottles to pre-chill my tap water because my New Year's resolution was to drink a glass a day. Now it's pretty much all I drink. It turned out that when I drank juice or soft drink it usually wasn't the taste I was after so much as the coldness and thirst-quenchingness of it. So chilled water just became my default beverage. Which also worked out to be cheaper and much more convenient for me - Melbourne has good tap water and drinking juice or soft drink means an extra couple of kilos to carry home from grocery shopping. Now I only buy drinks if we're having guests or if my husband mentions that he'd like some Coke.

[Mosier]

Originally Posted by Markxxx

Ever try to drink distilled water? It's amazing how bad that tastes

Distilled is my favorite. I dislike every type of "spring" bottled water I've tried. Tap water (especially in places like Vegas and Tucson, AZ where I grew up) is startlingly awful in taste. Distilled is the only bottled water I have found which I can be certain will taste like actual water no matter what brand I buy.