No, Seriously – Doctors Really Don't Want You Hopping On This Hydration Trend

Another day, another trend on Tiktok that makes us question everything we already know. This time it’s related to water.

As most of us know, it’s hard to drink large amounts of water every day. So, influencers on the clock app have found a way to increase their daily water intake.

Influencers on #WaterTok are creating sweetened water recipes as a way to make hydration look more pleasurable. I must admit they’re being quite creative with the water recipes. From salted caramel apple recipes to pineapple upside-down cake water, I do wonder what they taste like.

These drinks aren’t made in small quantities either. They’re usually made in big bottles like huge 1.13-litre stainless steel Stanley tumblers. 

As appealing as this water may look, Dr. Lafina Diamandis who is a GP and Lifestyle Doctor at Deia Health warns us against drinking sugared water like these.

Is flavoured/sweetened water bad for us?

Essentially, yes it is but particularly if it’s consumed in excess. 

Should we be adding sweet-flavoured powders to our water?

“In short, no we shouldn’t,” Diamandis says.

“Unfortunately, there are so many foods and beverages on the market that contain very high levels of sugar, salt, and additives e.g. sweets, soft drinks & cocktails,” she adds.

Occasional consumption of these drinks probably will not lead to long-term hard. However, “adding sweet-flavoured powders to water on a regular basis is a very bad idea for multiple reasons,” Diamandis explains.

How does drinking sweet-flavoured powdered water affect our bodies?

In general, consuming any food with refined or added sugars, sweet flavoured powders regularly can put us at risk of chronic health problems such as diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular disease, fatty liver disease, and high cholesterol as well as impact our mental health and oral and dental health. 

“When we consume refined sugars like these, we get a huge spike in our blood sugar levels,” Diamandis says.

“The body produces a hormone called insulin to help take sugar out of the bloodstream and store it inside our organs to be used. Excessive sugar is stored as fat. High insulin levels also cause a surge in the stress hormone cortisol,” she explains.

Diamandis continues: “Over time, high blood sugar and insulin levels can disrupt hormonal regulation and cause inflammation which puts us at risk of chronic diseases, mood and mental health problems, cancers, and autoimmune problems.”

So yes, drinking flavoured water might look cute and taste more exciting but drinking regular tap, but this in excess is not good for you. It’s nice to try something new but when it comes to our health we should stick to the basics. One tap water for me please.