Is Aquafina Water Bad For You?
Short answer
Aquafina is a well-known bottled water brand promoted to be healthy and pure. Could it possibly be bad for you? Yes and no.
A fairly even ratio of beneficial and harmful qualities. Moderation is important. Very general topics that can lean towards both sides of the spectrum will be placed here as well. Rice, for example, can be good or bad depending on the type.
View Full Grading System
Category 'A'
Very healthy and numerous health benefits. Side effects are rare. Things rated an 'A+' are typically necessary for survival (for example, water).
Very healthy and numerous health benefits. A few harmful qualities may be associated, but only under certain circumstances such as an allergic reaction.
Very healthy and numerous health benefits. Harmful qualities may be associated, but aren't usually serious.
It is important to note that even the best things in life can become bad in immoderate amounts. So, although something may be rated an 'A+', overconsumption/overdoing can bring unwanted effects.
Category 'B'
Very beneficial to your health. Things rated a 'B+' may have a few harmful qualities to pay attention to.
Overall beneficial to your health. Things rated a 'B' may have some harmful qualities to pay attention to.
More beneficial to your health than not. However, harmful qualities are most likely associated and shouldn't be overlooked.
The main difference between category 'A' and category 'B' is the harmful qualities typically present in 'B' items. Serious side effects are usually uncommon, but are still possible and should be taken note of.
Category 'C'
Both beneficial and harmful qualities associated. Things rated a 'C+' are typically a bit more on the beneficial side. Still, moderation is important.
A fairly even ratio of beneficial and harmful qualities. Moderation is important. Very general topics that can lean towards both sides of the spectrum will be placed here as well. Rice, for example, can be good or bad depending on the type.
More harmful than beneficial. Side effects are common, especially when consumed/done excessively. Moderation is very important.
Category 'C' usually denotes to both good and bad qualities. When it comes to this category, it is important to keep this word in mind: moderation.
Category 'D'
Harmful to your health. Although benefits may be associated, the bad most likely outweighs the good. Moderation is very important.
Harmful to your health. A few benefits may be associated, but the bad outweighs the good. Moderation is extremely important.
Harmful to your health. Very few, if any, benefits are present. Things in this category should be avoided as much as possible.
Category 'D' is typically for things that are more harmful than beneficial. While consuming/doing something unhealthy once in a blue moon shouldn't hurt, we definitely recommend eliminating 'D' items as a regular part of your routine/diet.
Category 'F'
Category 'F' is for things that fail to bring anything beneficial to the table, and are very harmful to your health. We recommend completely avoiding anything in this category. Long-term side effects of 'F' items are usually very serious.
Category 'N'
'N' stands for neutral. Things placed into this category are generally (a) neither good nor bad for you, or (b) lack the necessary evidence to reach any conclusions.
Long answer
We have all been trained to believe that bottled water is the cleanest water you can consume and that regular tap water does not even come near to its flavor and purity. Aquafina's label even illustrates a scene of snow-peaked mountaintops. One could only assume that the water they package comes from fresh and crisp mountain springs. Is it true? The facts tell all.
PepsiCo's Aquafina has admitted that they source their water from none other than the same water used to fill our toilet bowls, tap (or as labeled, a Public Water Source). Although it took some time for them to admit it, they have and the truth is that neither the FDA nor the IBWA (International Bottled Water Association) feel that it’s necessary to provide this information to the public.
Now, Aquafina does not just take sink water and fill up bottles. They have a rigorous 7-step filtration and purification process called HydRO-7, which eliminates most of the harmful chemicals that are laced into public tap water (such as chlorine and fluoride). At the same time, they also add their own ingredients into the concoction. During the last stage of this process, the treated water is passed through an ozonated tank, which momentarily changes O2 into O3. Ozone sterilizes the water by acting as an anti-microbiological agent and killing dangerous protozoa. Adding ozone to water is used to ensure that it is safe for drinking, but this comes with a warning. This process is reasonably beneficial but ozone in plastic bottles is highly toxic as it actually breaks down the plastic causing it to leach into the water. Why is this bad? Aquafina's bottles are produces using no. 1 PET plastics (Polyethylene terephthalate). Although more research is needed in this area, leached no. 1 plastic may have the potential to cause liver problems, reproductive issues, and even cancer.
Water in itself is not bad for you - it is essential for all life. Drinking a bottle of Aquafina will keep you hydrated and it is exponentially better than soda. But be careful as to where your water comes from and what is added to it, though. You might be better off filtering your own tap water with your own filter, so that way you know its exact source and process. In the end, you'll end up saving money and the environment by not having to contribute to the water bottle waste that fills our landfills.
Possible long-term side effects
- cancer
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reproductive problems
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liver issues
Ingredients to be aware of
- tap water
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ozone process can leach plastic into the water
Trusted water brands
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