Fluid Fluency

Water your options

Choices, choices. The beverage aisle in any grocery store overflows with drinks: bottled waters (spring, mineral and sparkling), bottled teas, juices and many other concoctions. And there's always . . . plain tap water. So what's best? Tap water is fine, and it's cheap. Plus, local municipal water supplies must follow strict safety regulations, so if the water out of your faucet tastes okay, by all means drink it.

Many consumers opt for bottled water, which generally tastes better than tap water because bottlers use ozone as a disinfectant instead of chlorine. And though the general perception is that bottled water is better for you than tap water, the fact is, safety regulations are higher for municipal water than bottled.

Some bottled water may offer minerals such as calcium and magnesium, but if you live in an area that has hard water, your local water probably has more minerals than bottled does. For instance, a quart of tap water from my hometown supplies about 10 percent of my magnesium needs. (If you're not sure if you have hard water, just check your water faucets for mineral deposits.)

Bottled teas and juices are tasty, thirst-quenching options, but watch for caffeine, which can increase body water loss by increasing urine production. And you may be taking in unwanted calories, as many of these beverages have a high content of sugar or corn syrup.

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