Water Bottles: Healthy?

4 Surprising Secrets About Bottled Water

If you think you're drinking smarter by sipping from a water bottle, you may be mistaken

Think Before You Drink

4 Surprising Secrets About Bottled Water // woman drinking out of a water bottle © Thinkstock

Image: Thinkstock

I have a product I want to sell you, and I call it AirFlow 3000. It's a ventilation system that pumps air into your house. AirFlow 3000 air comes in an elegantly packaged delivery system that will lend you and your family style and sophistication. And it’s available for just $5 per day, per person! Interested?

Well, just to be clear: AirFlow 3000 is 100 percent identical to the air outside. It contains all the same pollutants and funky odors, and it doesn't do anything special for your health. You’re really just paying for the packaging, because you’re already breathing the exact same air for free. Still interested?

Search: How water helps you lose weight

Of course you aren't. But the AirFlow 3000 pitch is essentially the same pitch water bottlers are making right now. The difference is they're not so straightforward about their wares. They're not selling water, they're selling "mineral" and "spring" water. And we're buying. The average American chugs nearly 30 gallons of bottled water a year, making it the second-most consumed commercial beverage in the United States. (Sadly, soda is the first.) But, as it turns out, bottled water is no more pure than the federally regulated—and virtually free—H2O that comes out of the tap. (Related: Try one of these sleek, reusable water bottles packed with features)

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Below, I shed some light on what’s really going on behind the fancy names and pristine labels of your favorite bottled water brands. It's time to rethink your relationship with water.

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