Health and hydration go hand-in-hand - or do they…? Emma Gunavardhana looks at the hidden health risk in your water bottle
If you’ve received the email, clicked the link on social media or heard tell of the dangers of plastic water bottles, there’s a chance you’ll have questioned whether using them is bad for you.
A warning against drinking out of plastic water bottles has been viral for some time, enjoying a recent resurgence, and its suggestions that toxins from the plastic can be absorbed into the body causing potential health risks is frightening.
It’s all the more worrying considering that drinking at least two litres of water a day has almost become the cornerstone of a healthy lifestyle. Like pushing yourself at the gym and sticking to a healthy diet, keeping yourself hydrated is one of those things you know you can do to be the best version of yourself.
In 2014 we consumed 2,580 million litres of bottled water in the UK and the 500ml bottle is the most popular among those who wanted to stay hydrated on-the-go -the idea it could be inadvertently harmful gives pause for thought.
According to research on the safety of plastic bottles conducted by Cancer Research UK the answer is ‘no’. All single-use water bottles in the UK are made using PET [Polyethylene Terephthalate] plastic and comply with European and national legal requirements. Crucially no BPA [Bisphenol A] is present - BPA has raised some concerns, which is why the general advice is to seek out BPA-free packaging.
That said, the controversy has been enough for us to consider our water vessels more carefully and has led to reusable, sturdy water bottles becoming as much of a fashion accessory as the latest Nike Frees or this season’s ‘IT’ bag.
Best friends Tal Winter and Kate Cutler created their brand BKR after realising, in their own words, that ‘they were drinking from trash: cheap, disposable, plastic water bottles’. Their intention was to create something ‘clean, clear, soft and beautiful that felt like a couture accessory and not camping equipment’.
BKR joined the ranks of other brands who felt the need to move away from plastic bottles. Eric Barnes, the creator of KOR, was urged to stop using his water bottles by his wife Stacey with the warning ‘it’s a bacterial trap, and you’re not supposed to reuse those bottles’. While BKR strive for design, so KOR made function their priority.
What all these reusable bottles have in common is they are BPA-free and give you the chance to find your perfect water partner for your needs; whether it’s for your gym bag, desk, car or physical pursuits.
1: SIGG , £16.99, 100% recyclable. Check out pap pics of celebrities hiking in the canyon and they’ll almost certainly be carrying one of these.
2: Bobble , £9.99. The replaceable carbon filter removes chlorine and contaminates from tap water.
3: H2Onya , £10.50. A sturdy steel design that makes it ideal if it’s likely to be bashed around in your daily pursuits.
4: Nalgene , £10.99. Features a leak-proof click closure - great for outdoor sports.
5: KOR , £19.99. Sport-friendly design and hinged-cap. A favourite with runners and cyclists for its ease of use.
6: BKR , £25, Not as functional as the others - it’s made of glass - but definitely the best looking.
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