Tasting Table Asks: What's Your Preferred Way To Drink Water?

For years doctors and nutritionists have been telling us to make sure we drink eight glasses of water every day for optimal hydration, sometimes even more depending on lifestyle factors, per Healthline. When it comes to healthy beverages, you can't get much better than water. The CDC suggests that a healthy intake of H2O regulates your body's temperature, is good for your joints, and keeps you regular, to name a few health benefits. According to Serious Eats even the business marketing behind water — the beverage that tastes like nothing — has been brilliantly successful, so much so that it has become America's drink of choice.

There are a slew of ways to fulfill your daily water goals; from the kitchen faucet to bottles to drinking fountains, the choices are not slim, yet many people have their favorite and stick to it. We asked our readers how they liked to drink water — not flavored, sweetened, hot, or cold, but which source was their preference. The top choice may not come as a huge surprise.

Of the 567 polled, 204, nearly 36%, said they prefer to get their water from a bottle. Data taken from The International Bottled Water Association shows that Americans spent $19.4 billion on bottles of water in 2019. And there's certainly no shortage of water bottle brands available. And they're quite convenient as well; a thirsty individual need only go as far as a convenience or department store for some quick quenching. 

Next on the list is filtered water, taking in 170, or nearly 30% of the votes. Brita is arguably the most recognized brand of consumer water filters, which makes faucet and countertop filtration systems as well as individual water bottle filters, making it simple to fill up from the tap and go.

Speaking of tap water, it comes in as our voters' third most popular option, pulling in 105, or 18.5% of votes. In America, public drinking water is generally very safe and reliable, according to the CDC, in part because the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency regulates the water systems. Dangerous contaminants are filtered or removed from the water using specific treatments. Some may agree that the flavor of tap water pales in comparison to bottled water, but it is certainly more cost-effective. In fourth place is drinking water out of a glass, which is popular among 55, or 9.7% of voters, And pulling up the rear is sparkling water (you know, the kind with bubbles), with just 33 or 5.8% of voters.