Entry #6: Let's Talk About...Dasani

Hey, you! Yeah, you! Did you drink any water today? Well, you should be. Stay hydrated, pleaaasseee.

You got Dasani water? Oh...I mean I guess.

If you drink Dasani water...well...you may want to rethink the water you drink. There are SO many options out there. Take it from me.

So as a lot of you may know, for whoever actually does read my posts, I'm a Chemistry major! This week we learned about the different pH levels in certain brands of water. I'll link the video here. 

Now, naturally, I know that not all brands of water are going to be the same pH, but what really stood out to me in this video was the Dasani water, because a couple of months prior, I had just watched a video about how it was actually bad for you to drink due to the ingredients inside. So when the guy actually determined the average pH it was at, it was more acidic than I thought. 

Water should be around a neutral pH or slightly basic, between 7.0-7.5 is the ideal range. Even 6.5 is acceptable. Going for water that's too acidic, and even too alkaline, can make you very sick. The estimated pH, according to the paper I saw in the video, determined that Dasani water most likely sits around a pH of 6.0 or lower.

And before you ask, no, that's not good at all. In all honesty, though, the ingredients explain all of the complaints I've heard about it. Let's break it down.

First ingredient: tap water...need I say more? The first ingredient in Dasani bottled water is purified tap water...let's just move on to the next one.

Magnesium sulfate is a soluble chemical compound that is often seen in traces in water. The ingredient itself is used as a drying agent, which most definitely explains why people have complained about dry mouth. Magnesium sulfate may cause birth defects in pregnant women as well, so it's something to look out for! 

Potassium chloride is used in drinking water as a water softener. Again, no harm is done really, because there's not much inside of the water, but an increased intake of this substance can cause muscle weakness, nausea, and vomiting. In some videos on YouTube, many users talk about how it tastes "softer" compared to other water brands, and not in a good way either. This may explain why. 

And the final ingredient...salt. Yes, salt. Apparently, it's added to water for "taste", which is EXACTLY what I want in a water bottle (taste the sarcasm? Yeah, me too). This is most likely what makes Dasani so popular. From personal experience, every time I've drunk a bottle of Dasani water, I'd end up getting more thirsty than when I first took a sip. And this is why you usually see Dasani water in most vending machines, amusement parks, and movie theatres. It's seen as a marketing tactic to make you more thirsty, so you have no choice but to buy more water. Smart idea, Dasani. Almost got me there. Almost

Want some better options? Try some alkaline water! It's good for your blood too (the pH of your blood is actually slightly basic!) I'll leave a few options for you to look at here. Stay hydrated, Sunflower Socialites! The right way