Paging Dr. Frischer: What should we be drinking?

We’ve all been told how important it is to be well-hydrated: Symptoms of dehydration can include fatigue, dizziness, confusion, headache, dry mouth and dry cough, rapid heart rate, low blood pressure, loss of appetite, muscle cramps, constipation, and chills. Many find that it is difficult to hydrate well, so let’s address alternatives to plain water.

What are the best things for us to be drinking? Allow me to give away my conclusion, and save some of your time: Make the effort to try to drink mostly water, even if it’s a bit boring. Allow exceptions for flat and sparkling drinks that contain nothing but water and natural flavors.

I am astounded by the variety available to us everywhere we go. Take a look at some of our many, many choices – and start with my wife’s favorite: A standard 16-ounce Grande Chai Tea Latte from Starbucks contains 4.5 grams of fat, 42 grams of sugar, 95 mg of caffeine, and 240 calories. A 12-ounce can of Coke has 0 fat, 39 grams of sugar, 34 milligrams of caffeine, and 140 calories. A 12-ounce glass of orange juice has 0 fat, 35 grams of sugar and 165 calories. Seeing all of these numbers actually makes me even more encouraged to stick with plain water (or to eat an orange).

Healthier lifestyle trends are on the increase across every age group, and along with these trends, many are shifting to more healthful and innovative drinks. The global sparkling water market, for example, was estimated at almost $33 billion in 2023, and is continuing to grow rapidly. Sparkling water is a refreshing alternative to soda, tea, and juice, and is just as hydrating as still water. Is it healthful? It depends. Some sparkling waters do contain salt, sugars, or artificial sweeteners.

If you need to moderate your salt intake, or are concerned about tooth decay, diabetes, and weight gain, you need to be aware of what is in your water. To make water bubbly, it is infused with carbon dioxide gas under pressure. Different forms of sparkling water include seltzer (water with the carbon dioxide), club soda (with the added minerals potassium bicarbonate and potassium sulfate, giving it a slightly salty taste), and sparkling mineral water (such as Perrier and San Pellegrino, which come from a mineral spring and contain naturally occurring minerals, such as salts or sulphur compounds). Tonic water is a carbonated water that contains quinine, which is bitter, along with sugar and either high-fructose corn syrup or artificial sweetener.

In the past, it was believed that consuming carbonated water could harm the bones, due to its slightly acidic content. Studies have not supported this. What has been shown, however, is that soft drinks do indeed lower bone density, because they contain phosphorus.

Perhaps you are fed up with spending money on small bottles of water (not to mention other drinks), and creating yet more harmful plastic waste? A variety of sparkling water makers (like SodaStream), make it easy, inexpensive, environmentally conscious, and fast to make carbonated beverages in reusable bottles at home. Filtering water by the pitcher (like Brita) does the same for flat water.

I encourage you to enjoy a glass of water - flat or sparkling; plain or with natural flavors added. It is enjoyable, calorie free, and a great substitute for soda, juice…and Starbucks. I urge you to understand just what you are consuming, and always read the label!