Stupid poll - Watertok

[pixy0stix]

I've been recently made aware that one of the TikTok trends/niches is Watertok. What is watertok, you ask? From my understanding it's people putting flavored powders/syrups into 40 oz Stanley cups with water. ( www.bustle.com/life/what-is-watertok-flavored-water )

Proponents (aka the people doing this on tiktok under the hashtag) say that it's still water, and it's hyDRaTiOn and should still count as water. Opponents say that with all the sugar/flavoring/etc. that it's no longer water.

Humor me: What say you? 

[TR]

lol I think it's hilarious. At first I was very WTF, but I use Mio water flavoring every day and yes, it's a simpler version, but basically the same idea so I don't feel like I can judge haha.

ETA: I do not have a Stanley, though, I have a Simple Modern cup with a screw on lid because I'm clumsy, but cheap.

[kath16]

for the purposes of hydration? yes. it's water.

for the purposes of overall health, no, not comparative to water.

[AJL]

Most of those water flavoring packets/syrups don't have sugar. And yes, it's still hydration. It's flavored water. I put an herbal tea bag in my 40oz hydro flask every day. It's still hydration. No caffeine. No sugar. It's fine.

I don't get what the critics are about.

[AJL]

From the article:

" Frances Largeman-Roth, RDN, told Today.com that people with eating disorders may feel inclined to trade in their meals for a Stanley cup filled with flavored water."

THIS is a problem. If it's contributing to someone's ED because the flavoring may also have vitamins in it thus making that person feel like they're getting nutrients without calories (thus forgoing food), then it's a major problem.

However, it's still hydrating. 

[pixy0stix]

May 3, 2023 13:23:11 GMT -5 AJL said:

I don't get what the critics are about.

Here's generally what I've found - www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/watertok-recipes-tiktok-hyderation-b2325209.html

I thought it was interesting to note that a lot of the packets have a high concentration of citric acid.

[pixy0stix]

Full disclosure - I have a giant Stanley cup and I hate it. LOL!

My only beef is that they're calling it water, it's not water it's a flavored drink. Lemonade is lemons and sugar, and I'm not calling that water.

[icedcoffee]

I think watertok is a misnomer. It should be drinktok.

[sonrisa]

Okay, I really don't care about this topic. And I agree that If you put something in it, call it what it is. Not being WATER doesn't make something terrible.

But - where do you personally draw the line? Is it still water if you put in a thin slice of lemon or cucumber? On the flip side, camomile tea has less flavor than many of these waters, does it lose it's name?

[pixy0stix]

May 3, 2023 13:36:15 GMT -5 sonrisa said:

Okay, I really don't care about this topic. And I agree that If you put something in it, call it what it is. Not being WATER doesn't make something terrible.

But - where do you personally draw the line? Is it still water if you put in a thin slice of lemon or cucumber? On the flip side, camomile tea has less flavor than many of these waters, does it lose it's name?

I didn't really care either, but then I started thinking along these lines. LOL! My brain needed the stupid break to think about something that doesn't really matter.

[AJL]

I'm dubious about this claim re: high concentration of citric acid. I need more information and I'm having trouble finding it. Is it higher or lower than acidic fruits like lemons, limes, pineapple?

I mean, lemon juice is 7-10% citric acid and people will put copious amounts of that in their water/tea.

I'm more concerned about the water flavors that have herbal stimulants, caffeine, and the like.

[Jalapeñomel]

Flavored water is flavored water

Seltzer water is seltzer water

water is water


If I ask for water in a restaurant, I get water. I don't ask a server for water, and get seltzer or tea or some Crystal Light flavored water.

[laladypoet]

some people who have had bariatric surgery can't drink plain water (including me). it hits the stomach wrong, for lack of a better term. it makes us nauseous. but putting flavoring in it really helps. so I consider it water.

[sonrisa]

What about this water:
wearedaytrip.com/collections/cbd-sparkling-water

[bimbi284]

My only contribution is that for a long time I thought people were talking about hockey and I was confused but didn’t care enough to find out otherwise.

So then I’m picturing basic people carrying around THEE Stanley Cup, and frankly that’s pretty amusing to visualize so I’m sticking with it.

[kath16]

May 3, 2023 13:38:41 GMT -5 pixy0stix said:

May 3, 2023 13:36:15 GMT -5 sonrisa said:

Okay, I really don't care about this topic. And I agree that If you put something in it, call it what it is. Not being WATER doesn't make something terrible.

But - where do you personally draw the line? Is it still water if you put in a thin slice of lemon or cucumber? On the flip side, camomile tea has less flavor than many of these waters, does it lose it's name?

I didn't really care either, but then I started thinking along these lines. LOL! My brain needed the stupid break to think about something that doesn't really matter.

i actually love debating meaningless nonsense. 

this sounds sarcastic but it's not! 

[Deleted]

It counts for hydration. Plenty of things are hydrating. Juice is hydrating. Even caffeinated beverages can be hydrating. Food is hydrating.

Is it water? I mean, no, it’s not “H2O.” When does flavored water become something else? I dunno.

It’s definitely icky how this trend overlaps with disordered eating.

[gardengal]

My teeth hurt from watching that video. Although I suppose many of those syrups & packets are “sugar free”. Does sugar or fake sugar affect hydration like caffeine does? (Answer: quick google search says both require more water to metabolize so are slightly dehydrating. I’m positive it’s more complex than that…)

If those additions, which is what it looked like was mostly going on in those videos not fruit or veg, and those additions affect hydration, I’m firmly “not water” camp.

HOWEVER, I think this is a great trend if combined with non alcoholic bev/sober movement. Make NA beverages trendy for get together! But, it’s alarming these being equated with nourishment.

[archiethedragon]

May 4, 2023 7:01:07 GMT -5 @villainv said:

It counts for hydration. Plenty of things are hydrating. Juice is hydrating. Even caffeinated beverages can be hydrating. Food is hydrating.

Is it water? I mean, no, it’s not “H2O.” When does flavored water become something else? I dunno.

It’s definitely icky how this trend overlaps with disordered eating.

Even plain water in not H2O.  There is a lot of other stuff in there which gives water a flavor.   Pure H20 is not pleasant to drink. 

[msmerymac]

I don't care enough to click on any links, but I wouldn't consider crystal light, or countrytime lemonade, or powdered nestea to be "water." Then coffee is water, an italian soda is water, etc.

A drop of flavoring, like in my soda stream sparkling water? With no sweetener? Sure, that's water. As much as LaCroix is water.

[lostrn]

90% of my "water" every day is flavored with crystal light. I still call it water lol. By flavoring the water with crystal light I drink much more water every day. I can usually get close to 90 ounces a day if it's flavored. And it does sit better in my stomach vs plain water due to a history of gastric bypass.

[mpm]

May 3, 2023 13:57:14 GMT -5 laladypoet said:

some people who have had bariatric surgery can't drink plain water (including me). it hits the stomach wrong, for lack of a better term. it makes us nauseous. but putting flavoring in it really helps. so I consider it water.

My dad had throat cancer a few years ago and all the directed radiation really messed with his taste buds. He says plain water tastes disgusting now, so he only drinks it when mixed with a flavor packet - a recommendation from his oncology team because apparently this is common. So I don’t know anything about a TikTok controversy, but I agree these are necessary for some medical reasons.

[livinitup]

I’m just over here drinking my water … out of a Coca-Cola bottle.

[MixedBerryJam]

I would consider it hydration as long as it was not caffeinated, but I would not consider it healthy.

[sent]

Is this what the youths are fighting over these days?

[Jalapeñomel]

May 5, 2023 8:00:03 GMT -5 sent said:

Is this what the youths are fighting over these days?

Clearly, this is what Gen X and older Millenials are discussing these days! 

[Deleted]

May 4, 2023 20:29:22 GMT -5 MixedBerryJam said:

I would consider it hydration as long as it was not caffeinated, but I would not consider it healthy.

Caffeinated beverages can be hydrating. They do have a slight diuretic effect, but they also usually contain a lot of water so they have a net hydrating effect. Even the Mayo Clinic and NIH say that coffee in moderate amounts doesn’t dehydrate.

[gardengal]

May 5, 2023 8:39:06 GMT -5 Jalapeñomel said:

May 5, 2023 8:00:03 GMT -5 sent said:

Is this what the youths are fighting over these days?

Clearly, this is what Gen X and older Millenials are discussing these days! 

But one of the most famous looks to be in one of these groups? I think she's in her 40s. 

Not just for kids!

[mccallister84]

To me, it’s not water if you add something to it. I don’t care what anyone does and if a little bit of flavoring gets someone to drink more, more power to them.

[twilightmv]

I have been reflecting.
Are those packets literally water?….No
But if they fall under the umbrella of what people might be searching for when looking to engage with the broad topic of “drink more water”, I think they belong. As is demonstrated in this thread, drink more water doesnt literally mean exclusively water to many people.
If the tag was limited to only water, would it even need to exist? It’s not about like campaigning for clean water or noble causes. It’s about people trying to find fun ways to hydrate, right?
I’m not on tiktok.