These days, consumers are constantly searching for the latest diet advice in an effort to look and feel our best. The problem is that we are constantly inundated with conflicting recommendations about what is good for us and what isn't. And while it often seems like nutritionists, doctors, and other health authorities can't agree on anything, there is one practice that is promoted across the board -- from Atkins and South Beach to the Grapefruit Diet and everywhere in between, the mantra is clear: drink plenty of water!

Straight Talk on Hydration

Should I buy bottled water?

You don't need to buy bottled water for health reasons if your drinking water meets all of the federal, state, or provincial drinking water standards (ask your local supplier.) If you want a drink with a different taste, you can buy bottled water, but it costs up to 1,000 times more than municipal drinking water. Of course, in emergencies bottled water can be a vital source of drinking water for people without water.

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requires bottled water quality standards to be equal to those of the US Environmental Protection Agency for tap water, but the quality of the finished product is not government-monitored. Bottlers must test their source water and finished product once a year. Currently, any bottled water that contains contaminants in excess of the allowable level is considered mislabeled unless it has a statement of substandard quality.

Regulations require bottlers to inform consumers of "bottled water" contents. Although recent tests have not found any lead in dozens of brands of bottled water, studies have shown that microbes may grow in the bottles while on grocers' shelves.