# What the hell is wrong with WATER? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [August 21, 2006, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-wrong-with-water/369610 "2006-08-21T17:01:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2006, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-wrong-with-water/369610/41 "2006-08-22T18:29:44Z")
I hate water. Drinking water (tap, bottled, filtered, water cooler, whatever) makes me feel nauseous. I just cannot do it, and I’ve tried. I got the Brita pitcher, the carbon filtered squeeze bottle, etc., and I still feel sick. My father can’t stand it either. So I sometimes drink diet soda or coffee, but mostly my baseline drink is flavored, carbonated, Splendaed water. It will have to do. Carbonated water citric acid natural flavor Potassium benzoate sucralose acesulfame potassium No calories, fat, sodium, carbs, sugars, protein or other nutrients. ---
**Author:** ![NDP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ndp/32/55_2.png) [@NDP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NDP)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2006, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-wrong-with-water/369610/42 "2006-08-22T18:33:21Z")
[QUOTE=Anaamika] Add me as another person who doesn’t particularly like water. Oh, sure, I try to drink my share, but I doubt it comes to 8 glasses a day. But why is it assumed the only choices are water or soda? I do drink plenty of seltzer water. The brand I drink has carbonated water and natural flavoring. Nothing else…no sodium. I fail to see how it’s really any less good for me, especially since I drink it as opposed to not drinking water. I don’t plan to give it up just because some stranger on a message board thinks I should. [/QUOTE] I agree. What is it with the Health Puritans\* like the OP and carbonation anyway? I could see the problems they would have with sugar, artificial sweeteners, artificial coloring, artificial flavoring, alcohol, and caffeine but all carbonation does is make you burp more. Speaking for myself, I prefer carbonated water over pure plain water because I like the bite carbonation adds to the taste and I find it relieves the swallowing problems I used to have. - I was going to say “Health Nazi” but I didn’t want to Godwin this thread. ---
**Author:** ![Podkayne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@Podkayne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Podkayne)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2006, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-wrong-with-water/369610/43 "2006-08-22T18:39:05Z")
I drink water, but I find that there’s a limit as to how much plain water I can consume. Eventually, I’m just looking at the glass thinking, “Urk, I can’t drink another swallow of that.” I have to switch it up with some fruit-flavored seltzer, or diet soda, or water with a twist of lime, or _something_. What I like best is flavored water that has very little or no sugar, and no artificial sweetener, but the hubby and I seem to be alone in that preference, because it’s awfully hard to find. We like Glaceau Vitaminwater and Fruitwater, but it’s expensive, so we only get it when we can score a case on sale. ---
**Author:** ![YaWanna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/bbce88/32.png) [@YaWanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YaWanna)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2006, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-wrong-with-water/369610/44 "2006-08-22T18:52:29Z")
[QUOTE=Alessan] Yeh, and it also averaged a 37 year life-span. [/QUOTE] …based on high _infant mortality_ rates, high numbers of _women dying in childbirth_, lots of people dying from _injuries and illnesses for which we now have treatments_, not to mention _wars, famine, and natural disasters_. But if they’d only **drank enough water** … :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![GingerOfTheNorth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/cdc98d/32.png) [@GingerOfTheNorth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GingerOfTheNorth)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2006, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-wrong-with-water/369610/45 "2006-08-22T19:08:08Z")
I shall come into this discussion as firmly on the side of “WATER RULES!” I drink about three litres a day. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2006, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-wrong-with-water/369610/46 "2006-08-22T19:40:43Z")
[QUOTE=MagicEyes] I’ve been thinking exactly the same thing when I see those Crystal Light commercials–what’s wrong with drinking plain water? [/QUOTE] This is the essence to the thread, before it got sidetracked into a debate on the healthiness of water vs. non-water beverages. It just strikes me as weird when people don’t like to drink plain water because it has no taste—it’s like not liking to breathe plain air because it has no smell. > [@](#): > > I did a double-take the first time I saw an Aquapod commercial. It’s fun! It’s exciting! Oh, it’s just water. In a bulgy bottle. 😕 No free surprise inside, not even any Sea Monkeys, just water. It doesn’t surf, it doesn’t skateboard, it just sits there in the cute little bottle. I think this will go down in history as one of the worst marketing ideas ever. Do not taunt Aquapod. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2006, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-wrong-with-water/369610/47 "2006-08-22T19:45:25Z")
[QUOTE=Thudlow Boink] This is the essence to the thread, before it got sidetracked into a debate on the healthiness of water vs. non-water beverages. It just strikes me as weird when people don’t like to drink plain water because it has no taste—it’s like not liking to breathe plain air because it has no smell. [/QUOTE] To me, water does have a taste and I can’t stand it. ---
**Author:** ![Lionne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Lionne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lionne)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2006, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-wrong-with-water/369610/48 "2006-08-22T19:59:08Z")
Water holds absolutely no appeal to me. I have to force myself to drink it when I exercise. I’d much rather down a cold glass of milk to quench my thirst. Weird, but it works. ---
**Author:** ![BiblioCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed8c4c/32.png) [@BiblioCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BiblioCat)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2006, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-wrong-with-water/369610/49 "2006-08-22T20:01:48Z")
[QUOTE=Thudlow Boink] It just strikes me as weird when people don’t like to drink plain water because it has no taste—it’s like not liking to breathe plain air because it has no smell. [/QUOTE] I’d have to agree. I drink a lot of water every day (60-some ounces so far today). The water where I live is pretty good, tastewise. I just can’t understand that mindset of “Water tastes bad!” **Mindfield** , I’ve gotten the individual iced tea things that you dump into water bottles - they were a different brand, though - Nestea, maybe? I got them at the grocery store. They were pretty good. I wouldn’t have even tried the fruity combo ones. I know they’d be too sweet for me. _:: wondering how he knows what “Strawberry Shortcake’s ass with Splenda” tastes like :::_😉 > [@](#): > > **GingerOfTheNorth** said: > I shall come into this discussion as firmly on the side of “WATER RULES!” I cannot read this without hearing it in the voice of Monica from _Friends_. There was a very early episode where she was drunk and stuck her head under the kitchen tap for a drink. Rachel pulled her up and Monica dunkenly proclaims, “Water rules!” 😃 I do agree, though - water rules! ---
**Author:** ![Mindfield](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mindfield/32/19759_2.png) [@Mindfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mindfield)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2006, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-wrong-with-water/369610/50 "2006-08-22T20:35:29Z")
[QUOTE=BiblioCat] **Mindfield** , I’ve gotten the individual iced tea things that you dump into water bottles - they were a different brand, though - Nestea, maybe? I got them at the grocery store. They were pretty good. I wouldn’t have even tried the fruity combo ones. I know they’d be too sweet for me. [/quote] That’s good to know. Yes, given that Crystal Light is Nestle, I’d imagine the iced tea one was their Nestea brand. I like their bottled iced tea (better than Lipton, certainly, especially that Brisk crap), but powdered iced tea somehow doesn’t sound as appealing. Maybe I’ll try it, just to satisfy my curiosity. > [@BiblioCat](#): > > _:: wondering how he knows what “Strawberry Shortcake’s ass with Splenda” tastes like :::_😉 I was young and needed the money, okay? Christ, you give a cartoon _one_ dirty sanchez and it follows you around for fucking _ever_… ---
**Author:** ![Excalibre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/898d66/32.png) [@Excalibre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Excalibre)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2006, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-wrong-with-water/369610/51 "2006-08-22T20:36:05Z")
[QUOTE=gigi] To me, water does have a taste and I can’t stand it. [/QUOTE] I just have to say that I find that incredibly puzzling. I don’t doubt it, I just can’t understand it at all. To me, nothing but water actually quenches my thirst; coffee makes my mouth dry, as does alcohol. And even diet soda is still sweet enough that I don’t feel like it really relieves my thirst. Not drinking water seems miserable to me. ---
**Author:** ![Uvula\_Donor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e19adc/32.png) [@Uvula\_Donor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uvula_Donor)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2006, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-wrong-with-water/369610/52 "2006-08-22T22:49:36Z")
[QUOTE=Excalibre] Not drinking water seems miserable to me. [/QUOTE] Eww. Fish \*fuck \*in that water. Blecccch. ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2006, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-wrong-with-water/369610/53 "2006-08-22T23:44:35Z")
[QUOTE=Uvula Donor] Eww. Fish \*fuck \*in that water. Blecccch. [/QUOTE] Fuckin’s the least of it, they pee in it, and they poo in it. When they can be bothered to wash their fins, where do you think they do that? IN THE WATER! That’s where. The lakes and oceans of our planets are nothing if not the vilest gas station bathrooms you could ever see, only they’re filled with water and we, WE DRINK IT! Boycott all water until fish have learned the basic skills of stewardship needed to protect this valuable commodity. ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2006, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-wrong-with-water/369610/54 "2006-08-22T23:45:49Z")
The preceding message brought to by, The Beer, Wine, Soda, & Fruit flavored stuff Bottlers Consortium. Bring you tasty beverages using only the minimal amount of water required to make our fine products. Some products may contain up-to 99% water by volume. Drink wisely, but drink! CMC fnord! ---
**Author:** ![Excalibre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/898d66/32.png) [@Excalibre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Excalibre)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2006, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-wrong-with-water/369610/55 "2006-08-22T23:51:11Z")
[QUOTE=Uvula Donor] Eww. Fish \*fuck \*in that water. Blecccch. [/QUOTE] They’re not the only ones. Did I ever mention that I work at an Aquafina factory? ---
**Author:** ![kaiwik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaiwik/32/3978_2.png) [@kaiwik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaiwik)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2006, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-wrong-with-water/369610/56 "2006-08-23T00:41:17Z")
The water in this town is so heavily chlorinated that it smells strongly of bleach, not my idea of a refreshing beverage. Some old timers get their drinking water fetched from one of the creeks and one can watch the little…creatures swimming around in it. Plus I know more than a few folks who have gotten “beaver fever” from drinking creek water. So it’s either bottled water or bagged ice purchased from the grocery store that fills our drinking water needs. I also like sugar free fruit flavored carbonated water as an alternative to soda. Crystal Light is my substitute for koolade, which the kids drink by the quart, and I would like to try the Crystal Light water bottle additions, but the grocery store hasn’t stocked them yet. ---
**Author:** ![Excalibre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/898d66/32.png) [@Excalibre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Excalibre)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2006, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-wrong-with-water/369610/57 "2006-08-23T01:01:15Z")
[QUOTE=kaiwik] “beaver fever” [/QUOTE] I saw that porn film. Modern classic, really. ---
**Author:** ![Lissa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lissa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lissa)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2006, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-wrong-with-water/369610/58 "2006-08-23T01:57:20Z")
[QUOTE=kaiwik] Crystal Light is my substitute for koolade, which the kids drink by the quart . . . [/QUOTE] You don’t worry about the aspertame? On second thought, I admit to a bit of prejudice against powdered drinks in general. My mother had vague and scary memories of Red Dye #5. Not only was I forbidden to consume any Kool-Aid type drink, I caught enough of that paranoia to eschew it as an adult. I’d never tasted it until last year when Hubby insisted I try a sip of it. “Just for the experience, you know.” Secondly, while I know some people insist there’s no medical basis for it, aspartame gives me migraines. (They ceased when I learned what might be causing it and avoided aspertame.) And while I know that the rats in the study were fed incredibly massive amounts of it, I still have a fear of any food product which carries a cancer warning lable. ---
**Author:** ![kaiwik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaiwik/32/3978_2.png) [@kaiwik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaiwik)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2006, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-wrong-with-water/369610/59 "2006-08-23T02:38:50Z")
[QUOTE=Excalibre] I saw that porn film. Modern classic, really. [/QUOTE] Sheesh, you all just can’t let a straight line pass you by. 😛 Fine, I was referring to Giardiasis. Trust me, it’s not a good time. Lissa I do have concerns about aspartame, but since I am diabetic artificial sweeteners are the only choice I have if I want any sweet tasting drink. And I do. I do not get headaches from it personally, but I do accept that it is not well tolerated by a lot of people. My personal taste preference is splenda, but it’s not available in everything “diet”, so choices must be made. So many of our acquaintances/friends/family/my husband consider koolade\* “juice” that it’s difficult to keep the kids from quaffing it in quantity. Keeping in mind that I live in an isolated community where the majority of comestibles are freighted in, and good nutrition has only recently been promoted. Yes, I am speaking primarily about the Native population, I was not raised on anything other than water, milk and fruit juice. koolade\* and soda were very rare treats, and generally only consumed when we were spending time with the maternal grandparents. (They even ordered take-out, which didn’t happen at our house until I was in my teens.) I don’t want to hijack the thread, which is one of the reasons I do far more reading than posting. The fact is I live in a far different situation than the majority of posters here. My input was intended to emphasize how heavily chlorinated our water is, it is truly not a favorable drinking experience without something to mask the odor and taste of chlorine. It’s like drinking out of a swimming pool. \*koolade is referring to all of the powdered “juice” drinks, not only Kool-Aid. ---
**Author:** ![Excalibre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/898d66/32.png) [@Excalibre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Excalibre)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2006, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-wrong-with-water/369610/60 "2006-08-23T03:16:22Z")
[QUOTE=Lissa] You don’t worry about the aspertame? On second thought, I admit to a bit of prejudice against powdered drinks in general. My mother had vague and scary memories of Red Dye #5. Not only was I forbidden to consume any Kool-Aid type drink, I caught enough of that paranoia to eschew it as an adult. I’d never tasted it until last year when Hubby insisted I try a sip of it. “Just for the experience, you know.” [/quote] It’s not a particularly great experience, is it? > [@](#): > > Secondly, while I know some people insist there’s no medical basis for it, aspartame gives me migraines. (They ceased when I learned what might be causing it and avoided aspertame.) And while I know that the rats in the study were fed incredibly massive amounts of it, I still have a fear of any food product which carries a cancer warning lable. Actually, I get migraines, and when I was a kid my doctor put me through a regimen of eliminating things from my diet and testing them individually to see if they caused cancer. I’m fairly sure aspartame was one of those things, so I imagine there is some medical basis for the connection. What people react to is the scaremongering by certain groups that blame aspartame for, well, virtually every disease known to medical science. It’s not ridiculous to avoid something that makes you sick - it’s just ridiculous to go around claiming that aspartame causes brain damage. Incidentally, it’s saccharine that causes cancer in rats fed large quantities, not aspartame. The only special labeling on products with aspartame is the warning to people with phenylketonuria. > [@kaiwik](#): > > Fine, I was referring to Giardiasis. Trust me, it’s not a good time. Never heard of that term for it. But from what I’ve heard, giardia is quite unpleasant. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-wrong-with-water/369610.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-wrong-with-water/369610.md?page=4)