Staying hydrated during workouts is recommended for every gym-goer or jogger. How much water would be considered enough is a matter of debate and has to take into account other elements like weight, the level of intensity for the specific exercise, age, and many more?
At the root of it, highlighting the importance of drinking water while working out also comes with the question of water quality.
Bottled or Filtered – Which is the Better Option?
Health concerns or tastes drive many to seek out the purest water available. This is the basis by which many households implement water filters, as a guarantee of water quality. When it comes to working out, some logistical issues may influence this decision.
Bottled Water – Conveniently Accessible
Working out most often requires going to the actual place, gym or just outdoors to begin. This can mean that water may be forgotten about and the easiest resort is to simply pop at a store and buy bottled water. To be able to grab bottled water on the go like this is a great advantage and a necessity as water is important in any situation, let alone when working out.
Bottled water comes with a wide variety of options as well, either flat or with bubbles, with added flavors like lemon or cucumber, and already cold from the fridge. Every need is met with
which is made readily available whenever needed.
Filtered Water – Alternative to Bottled Water
Filtered water can be just as good as bottled water, if not better. Most water bottle brands use tap water or have the same source as the regular tap does. This is especially true for cheaper brands, and there is also the fact that not every bottled water label can have its own private mountain water source.
Filtered water can be in many cases far better than bottled water as there usually are far more rigid regulations for water purity that comes out of the tap. Water testing for tap water is done more frequently and analyzed with more scrutiny. Bottled water also has the disadvantage of being stored in plastic bottles which can pose a danger. Studies have shown that Bisphenol was found to have the potential to leach into water from plastic if exposed to UV light.
Where the disadvantage comes, is from the inconvenience of having to find and use a suitable container to carry filtered water. This can mean searching for a reusable water bottle that has a glass lining on the inside and a protective outer shell to block off the light and maintain the integrity of the glass container. These reusable water bottles have to be carried around and properly washed on a regular basis. This extra work is what pushes many consumers to choose bottled water instead.
Value and Pricing of Filtered Versus Bottled Water
One of the more disadvantageous aspects of bottled water is the price. When it comes to cost, water that has been prepared for retail will probably cost more than tap water. This is because manufacturers invest in packaging, transportation, and advertising. Whereas tap water is just there and does not go through the same tax additions that bottled water does.
Even when planning for a hike, cycling, or the next trip to the gym, the convenience bottled water poses will become inconvenient in a home. Buying water bottles will mean carrying them home and storing them.
This will occupy space and create waste which only makes it all that much more tiresome to deal with. Filtered water gets rid of all that, offering only one bottle to worry about as it can be reused. There are also portable water bottles with a filtration system within them so as to be able to replenish the water from any other tap on the go.
The portability of bottled water can additionally be put into question. Plastic waste is a major problem in our modern life, and because of this bottles are being made with far less plastic. This is a step in the right direction to protect the environment from plastic waste, but it can be detrimental when it comes to carrying a fragile plastic bottle around. A reusable bottle with filtered water is much sturdier and can be fitted to easily carry it around, either on a bicycle or at the gym.
One can argue that a home filtration system can be far too expensive. Compared to what would cost to just buy bottled water, a home filtering system makes its money back just by replacing bottled water. This combined with the improved water quality it provides, more than makes up for the hassle of installation and maintenance that a filtering system requires.
Benefits of Filtered Water
Among the many advantages filtered water provides in a workout environment, there are even more benefits to water quality. Bottled water is easy to find but it quite probably will not undergo the same treatment as filtered water will. Tap water that has been filtrated can help improve digestion due to the minerals it contains.
Water filters that have an alkalizing feature can help in improving cardio stress. Alkalizing supplements were found to minimize cardiac stress before going into a workout. With a feature such as this already in place, it makes it easier to implement alkaline water into a workout routine.
All this is possible without overextending one’s budget with overpriced bottled alkaline water. Having this already implemented into the home filtration system benefits both on savings and for workouts.
Conclusion
Hydration is important, especially while working out. The debate over bottled or filtered water is ongoing and in the end, it depends on each individual case or person. There are many pros and cons thrown at both options.
Water quality will differ, portability is either better with bottled or filtered, and the problem with plastic waste still weighs on the bottling industry. The general consensus is that filtered water is better mainly because it has an extra layer of treatment, while bottled water most like only has regular tap water.
