We're All "Drinking Like Fish"

For a mere $3.99, you can get three liters of this form of
liquid junk food at your nearest supermarket.  

"It's OK to drink like a fish," someone has quipped, "if you drink what a fish drinks." 

I'm told fish actually absorb the water they need rather than drinking it, but that being said, there's clearly no good substitute for our consuming lots of good, plain H2O, especially in the increased heat we're experiencing on our planet these days. And it doesn't need to be purchased in environmentally awful plastic bottles, either, at a cost that's a thousand times higher than tap water, while normally being neither better nor safer.

So just draw plenty of good fresh water from your tap, add a bit of ice if needed, and enjoy.

The huge volume of alternative drinks we consume are of course mostly water mixed with added flavors and excessive amounts of sugar. Even real fruit juice, or real carrot, apple or grape juices, consist mostly of water. Real orange juice, for example is just under 90% H2O. So based on sources I've read we'd all be better off drinking pure, plain water and then simply eating real oranges and real grapes, carrots or other fruit or vegetables we grow in our gardens or purchase from the outer aisles of the supermarket.

Understandably, the production, sale and consumption of alcoholic beverages has gotten most of our attention due to the potential harm they cause to personal and community health, but we've paid little attention to the health and other costs associated with sugar-laden soft drink and other non-alcoholic beverages. A 20 oz. can of Coca-Cola, for example, contains 39 grams of sugar, exceeding the total daily recommended limit of sugar, which is no more than 9 teaspoons for men and 6 teaspoon for women.  According to Hartford Healthcare much of that sugar and many of the calories we consume in processed food and drinks are in the form of high fructose corn syrup, known to contribute to weight gain and to other health problems like heart disease, diabetes, and liver disease. This widely used sweetener also tends to increase our appetite, leading to overeating and obesity.

Are diet drinks better? According to the Mayo Clinic,"Although switching from regular soda to diet soda may save you calories, it's not yet clear if it's effective for preventing obesity and related health problems in the long term. Healthier low-calorie choices abound, including water, skim milk, and unsweetened tea or coffee."

So let's drink lots of fluids to stay healthy, but make good plain water our primary choice.

The US produces and consumes more soft drinks than any other economy on the globe, and the total amount spent is on the rise.