Flavor of the day!
May 15, 2023 11:51 AM Subscribe
"Natural and Artificial Flavors, Sucralose, Acesulfame Potassium, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Benzoate and Potassium Sorbate (Preservatives), FD&C Yellow No. 5, FD&C Blue No. 1."
Sounds delicious. Pretty much everything in these syrups is terrible for you.
posted by HumanComplex at 12:33 PM on May 15, 2023 [4 favorites]
Sounds delicious. Pretty much everything in these syrups is terrible for you.
posted by HumanComplex at 12:33 PM on May 15, 2023 [4 favorites]
I'm strangely reminded of how my Mom kept a subscription to SPORTS ILLUSTRATED coming to the house for 5 years for my brother's sake - because even though it was junk, at least he was reading.
Yeah, people are going to spin out going batshit about crazy water flavors, but - if it is overall getting them to drink water when they previously weren't, then...how is that bad, again?
(Yes sure okay the syrups probably have all these other health-impacting things in them, but let's leave that as a discussion to be had between them and their doctor, eh?)
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 12:39 PM on May 15, 2023 [10 favorites]
Yeah, people are going to spin out going batshit about crazy water flavors, but - if it is overall getting them to drink water when they previously weren't, then...how is that bad, again?
(Yes sure okay the syrups probably have all these other health-impacting things in them, but let's leave that as a discussion to be had between them and their doctor, eh?)
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 12:39 PM on May 15, 2023 [10 favorites]
Grab your Stanley tumbler.
Dump one citrus and one orange 4C Energy Rush Packet into the tumbler.
Add ¼ teaspoon of Waka peach green tea.
Next add ⅛ teaspoon of guarana powder.
Then add 5 ounces of hot water.
Add 1 ounce of Skinny Mixes Peach Syrup.
Stir.
Fill the cup with ice.
Add two ounces of aloe vera juice to the ice.
Separately, mix 1 ounce of Skinny Mixes Pina Colada with one ounce of Skinny Mixes Cherry.
Add 8 ounces of cold water to the pina colada and cherry mix.
Pour the concoction over the ice.
That's a lot of work for to get to knockoff Herbalife.
posted by box at 12:43 PM on May 15, 2023 [6 favorites]
Dump one citrus and one orange 4C Energy Rush Packet into the tumbler.
Add ¼ teaspoon of Waka peach green tea.
Next add ⅛ teaspoon of guarana powder.
Then add 5 ounces of hot water.
Add 1 ounce of Skinny Mixes Peach Syrup.
Stir.
Fill the cup with ice.
Add two ounces of aloe vera juice to the ice.
Separately, mix 1 ounce of Skinny Mixes Pina Colada with one ounce of Skinny Mixes Cherry.
Add 8 ounces of cold water to the pina colada and cherry mix.
Pour the concoction over the ice.
That's a lot of work for to get to knockoff Herbalife.
posted by box at 12:43 PM on May 15, 2023 [6 favorites]
TikTok is not a good indicator for liifestyle choices. Sorry Brandon.
Doing this seems like fun, I’m not taking it too seriously, and not criticizing anyone doing it. Sure, don’t over do it, but what the hell, let’s have some strange flavor combinations.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 12:48 PM on May 15, 2023 [21 favorites]
Doing this seems like fun, I’m not taking it too seriously, and not criticizing anyone doing it. Sure, don’t over do it, but what the hell, let’s have some strange flavor combinations.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 12:48 PM on May 15, 2023 [21 favorites]
These comments, jeez. Just let people have a tiny bit of joy in their lives.
posted by lunasol at 12:50 PM on May 15, 2023 [45 favorites]
posted by lunasol at 12:50 PM on May 15, 2023 [45 favorites]
People are allowed to enjoy whatever they want, but this is being sold as some fun/healthy way to stay hydrated when it's essentially no different than drinking diet soda.
posted by HumanComplex at 12:55 PM on May 15, 2023 [8 favorites]
posted by HumanComplex at 12:55 PM on May 15, 2023 [8 favorites]
Eh, I often add a bit of lime or orange juice to water to cut the monotony of hydrating, so I get the impulse. All the artificial flavors aren’t for me, but no one’s forcing me to do it, so….
posted by GenjiandProust at 12:58 PM on May 15, 2023 [2 favorites]
posted by GenjiandProust at 12:58 PM on May 15, 2023 [2 favorites]
I am all for WaterTok but watching these makes me think we've gotten to a weird place in terms of entertainment.
posted by swift at 12:59 PM on May 15, 2023 [4 favorites]
posted by swift at 12:59 PM on May 15, 2023 [4 favorites]
Capitalism has brought us all kinds of water-adjacent products - this stuff, vitamin water, citrus seltzer, fruit seltzer...
But if I ever see Raisin Water I'm gonna need to speak with someone's manager.
posted by Greg_Ace at 1:01 PM on May 15, 2023 [7 favorites]
But if I ever see Raisin Water I'm gonna need to speak with someone's manager.
posted by Greg_Ace at 1:01 PM on May 15, 2023 [7 favorites]
I prefer all natural sea water. Wine-dark and full of healthy minerals.
posted by gwint at 1:24 PM on May 15, 2023 [21 favorites]
posted by gwint at 1:24 PM on May 15, 2023 [21 favorites]
When I was much younger, before I started seriously drinking too much coffee, one of the best evening drinks was steamed milk with almond syrup in a tall latte glass. Could do it with grenadine too, a bit too syrupy for me but still nice.
A-and this may also be relevant; I used to buy seltzer from them when I lived in Brooklyn, that was so long ago it couldn't possibly have been $5 a bottle.
posted by chavenet at 1:24 PM on May 15, 2023 [4 favorites]
A-and this may also be relevant; I used to buy seltzer from them when I lived in Brooklyn, that was so long ago it couldn't possibly have been $5 a bottle.
posted by chavenet at 1:24 PM on May 15, 2023 [4 favorites]
But if I ever see Raisin Water I'm gonna need to speak with someone's manager.
A warrior's drink.
posted by Zalzidrax at 1:30 PM on May 15, 2023 [6 favorites]
A warrior's drink.
posted by Zalzidrax at 1:30 PM on May 15, 2023 [6 favorites]
I still find it amusing that we now talk about "hydrating" as a specific activity that requires all this time and attention.
That said, wacky flavors sound fun, and putting together complex concoctions is also fun.
posted by onetime dormouse at 1:34 PM on May 15, 2023 [3 favorites]
That said, wacky flavors sound fun, and putting together complex concoctions is also fun.
posted by onetime dormouse at 1:34 PM on May 15, 2023 [3 favorites]
As a salesperson, I do a lot of traveling. When it comes to lunch, I grab what I can, usually on the run. And when I want mineral water, I keep it simple, and I keep it domestic.
I drink Swill. The water that’s dredged from Lake Erie.
posted by prinado at 1:35 PM on May 15, 2023 [4 favorites]
I drink Swill. The water that’s dredged from Lake Erie.
posted by prinado at 1:35 PM on May 15, 2023 [4 favorites]
> That's a lot of work for to get to knockoff Herbalife.
There's something to be said for how this sort of content is produced by the incentive structure of social media. It seems very much in the same vein as previous rounds of viral custom Starbucks orders. That it's a lot of work is sort of the point? High-effort codes as luxury or fancy, which is selected for in aspirational contexts like TikTok and Instagram. There's additional incentives for increasing complexity to one-up the previous person. Even without that aspect the ability for each influencer to produce a truly unique version of the same core subject matter is a huge bonus provided by the high complexity.
This is not to say that that's inherently bad! But it is a specific sort of thing that we encounter because of specific structural aspects. The backlash here is, I think, more of a backlash against these structure, against aspirational social media in general, than it is a backlash against silly fun flavor mixes.
So let's let people enjoy their water without misplacing our ire.
posted by vibratory manner of working at 1:44 PM on May 15, 2023 [9 favorites]
There's something to be said for how this sort of content is produced by the incentive structure of social media. It seems very much in the same vein as previous rounds of viral custom Starbucks orders. That it's a lot of work is sort of the point? High-effort codes as luxury or fancy, which is selected for in aspirational contexts like TikTok and Instagram. There's additional incentives for increasing complexity to one-up the previous person. Even without that aspect the ability for each influencer to produce a truly unique version of the same core subject matter is a huge bonus provided by the high complexity.
This is not to say that that's inherently bad! But it is a specific sort of thing that we encounter because of specific structural aspects. The backlash here is, I think, more of a backlash against these structure, against aspirational social media in general, than it is a backlash against silly fun flavor mixes.
So let's let people enjoy their water without misplacing our ire.
posted by vibratory manner of working at 1:44 PM on May 15, 2023 [9 favorites]
As an extraordinarily lazy person, I just put 2 rosehip hibiscus tea bags in 1 L of cold water, leave it in the fridge overnight, and sweeten to taste.
posted by Gerald Bostock at 1:46 PM on May 15, 2023 [8 favorites]
posted by Gerald Bostock at 1:46 PM on May 15, 2023 [8 favorites]
Pepsi Blue?
I'm sincerely bummed to see this kind of TikTok influencer content that's basically all about brand consumption on MeFi, and it's a little more upsetting to see it being posted by a mod and staff member.
We used to rightfully mock this kind of thing. And, frankly, I come to MeFi to get away from this.
Anyway if you want a real life hack you should try squirting full strength Mio energy into your eyeballs.
This comment contains sponsored content from Mio brand liquid water enhancer, a product of Kraft Heinz Food Company.
posted by loquacious at 2:08 PM on May 15, 2023 [8 favorites]
I'm sincerely bummed to see this kind of TikTok influencer content that's basically all about brand consumption on MeFi, and it's a little more upsetting to see it being posted by a mod and staff member.
We used to rightfully mock this kind of thing. And, frankly, I come to MeFi to get away from this.
Anyway if you want a real life hack you should try squirting full strength Mio energy into your eyeballs.
This comment contains sponsored content from Mio brand liquid water enhancer, a product of Kraft Heinz Food Company.
posted by loquacious at 2:08 PM on May 15, 2023 [8 favorites]
Um, just drink water.
I wish I could.
I mean, I can, but for some reason, just plain water makes my stomach hurt. Tap water, bottled water, distilled water, purified water, water from the hose... doesn't matter.. makes my stomach hurt. I don't know if I had some early childhood trauma involving plain water or what, but it does not agree with me.
Now, bubbles can be enough of an additive to make this unpleasant side effect go away. I find myself drinking a lot of local brand La Croix knock-off waters. A few drops of Mio or a slice of lemon... Warehouse work involved gatorade powder mixed with water because why pay for the remade stuff that is 10x more expensive?
But just water? Man, I wish I could. Cramping for like 45 minutes.
posted by hippybear at 2:15 PM on May 15, 2023 [4 favorites]
I wish I could.
I mean, I can, but for some reason, just plain water makes my stomach hurt. Tap water, bottled water, distilled water, purified water, water from the hose... doesn't matter.. makes my stomach hurt. I don't know if I had some early childhood trauma involving plain water or what, but it does not agree with me.
Now, bubbles can be enough of an additive to make this unpleasant side effect go away. I find myself drinking a lot of local brand La Croix knock-off waters. A few drops of Mio or a slice of lemon... Warehouse work involved gatorade powder mixed with water because why pay for the remade stuff that is 10x more expensive?
But just water? Man, I wish I could. Cramping for like 45 minutes.
posted by hippybear at 2:15 PM on May 15, 2023 [4 favorites]
Gerald Bostock has the right answer. All the flavor, none of the weird additives. Toss a couple bags of tea in a water bottle, let it sit for an hour, and you're good to go! There's no end to all the flavor combos you can make with tea, bagged or loose, herbal or caffeinated.
posted by kittensofthenight at 2:36 PM on May 15, 2023 [7 favorites]
posted by kittensofthenight at 2:36 PM on May 15, 2023 [7 favorites]
"Natural and Artificial Flavors, Sucralose, Acesulfame Potassium, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Benzoate and Potassium Sorbate (Preservatives), FD&C Yellow No. 5, FD&C Blue No. 1."
Sounds delicious. Pretty much everything in these syrups is terrible for you.
really? can you kindly link some meta-analyses/reviews that demonstrate that preservatives and non-nutritive sweeteners (NNS) that are generally regarded as safe are actually harmful for you? my understanding is that once you control for confounders like lifestyle/SES/etc NNS are associated with a slight decrease in weight and not much else. the same for preservatives
posted by paimapi at 2:37 PM on May 15, 2023 [7 favorites]
Sounds delicious. Pretty much everything in these syrups is terrible for you.
really? can you kindly link some meta-analyses/reviews that demonstrate that preservatives and non-nutritive sweeteners (NNS) that are generally regarded as safe are actually harmful for you? my understanding is that once you control for confounders like lifestyle/SES/etc NNS are associated with a slight decrease in weight and not much else. the same for preservatives
posted by paimapi at 2:37 PM on May 15, 2023 [7 favorites]
Gerald Bostock has the right answer.
Yes, but he still doesn't know where the hell was Biggles when he needed him last Saturday.
posted by hippybear at 2:39 PM on May 15, 2023 [6 favorites]
Yes, but he still doesn't know where the hell was Biggles when he needed him last Saturday.
posted by hippybear at 2:39 PM on May 15, 2023 [6 favorites]
For years I didn't drink enough water. Worse, I drank tons of coffee.
Then I dehydrated. Nothing special caused it, just an unlucky mix of flu and overwork during a dry winter. A friend and my then-fiancee dragged me to the emergency room, where the triage nurse couldn't believe I was still conscious (she pulled at my arm's skin, tugging it an inch away from where it should be, and it stayed that way for a few delirious seconds). In a hospital room a doc visited and was shocked I wasn't in a coma.
I was low, mentally, and didn't really get how bad this was. I was to take a GRE exam the next morning, so kept studying my test exam while IV fluid poured into me.
Then I had to pee. Oh ye gods and little fishes, it was epic. A glorious torrent! Then - it felt like an hour later - I realized just how dehydrated I'd been.
Ever since then I have drunk plenty of water.
posted by doctornemo at 2:41 PM on May 15, 2023 [9 favorites]
Then I dehydrated. Nothing special caused it, just an unlucky mix of flu and overwork during a dry winter. A friend and my then-fiancee dragged me to the emergency room, where the triage nurse couldn't believe I was still conscious (she pulled at my arm's skin, tugging it an inch away from where it should be, and it stayed that way for a few delirious seconds). In a hospital room a doc visited and was shocked I wasn't in a coma.
I was low, mentally, and didn't really get how bad this was. I was to take a GRE exam the next morning, so kept studying my test exam while IV fluid poured into me.
Then I had to pee. Oh ye gods and little fishes, it was epic. A glorious torrent! Then - it felt like an hour later - I realized just how dehydrated I'd been.
Ever since then I have drunk plenty of water.
posted by doctornemo at 2:41 PM on May 15, 2023 [9 favorites]
Um, just drink water.
counterpoint: water is gross
posted by We put our faith in Blast Hardcheese at 2:46 PM on May 15, 2023 [10 favorites]
counterpoint: water is gross
posted by We put our faith in Blast Hardcheese at 2:46 PM on May 15, 2023 [10 favorites]
paimapi: there is no data that I am aware of, save for some really unhelpful in-vitro studies that have not been replicated in human controlled trials. Artificial sweeteners have no discernible ill effects on health, though personal preference obviously plays a big role in what people consume.
posted by Dark Messiah at 2:55 PM on May 15, 2023 [4 favorites]
posted by Dark Messiah at 2:55 PM on May 15, 2023 [4 favorites]
> counterpoint: water is gross
This depends heavily on where you live. I'm sure many people dislike any plain water, and you may be one of them, but I suspect many more live somewhere with objectively gross tap water, and haven't spent enough time elsewhere to realize that's not universal.
In conclusion, water is a land of contrasts.
posted by vibratory manner of working at 2:59 PM on May 15, 2023 [8 favorites]
This depends heavily on where you live. I'm sure many people dislike any plain water, and you may be one of them, but I suspect many more live somewhere with objectively gross tap water, and haven't spent enough time elsewhere to realize that's not universal.
In conclusion, water is a land of contrasts.
posted by vibratory manner of working at 2:59 PM on May 15, 2023 [8 favorites]
I thought I read some research about artificial sweeteners not being directly harmful, but leads the body to release insulin based on the sweet-sensory response expecting sugar and thus leading to the imbalances that lead to diabetes 2. Here's an NIH study about this.
posted by hippybear at 3:00 PM on May 15, 2023 [7 favorites]
posted by hippybear at 3:00 PM on May 15, 2023 [7 favorites]
water is a land of contrasts.
Fry_squinting.jpg
posted by Greg_Ace at 3:11 PM on May 15, 2023 [12 favorites]
Fry_squinting.jpg
posted by Greg_Ace at 3:11 PM on May 15, 2023 [12 favorites]
The WHO just released conditional guidance on artificial sweeteners, but the headline recommendation only goes as far as "WHO suggests that non-sugar sweeteners not be used as a means of achieving weight control or reducing the risk of noncommunicable diseases (conditional recommendation)" and the rationale notes that it's based on evidence of low certainty overall.
posted by ectabo at 3:11 PM on May 15, 2023
posted by ectabo at 3:11 PM on May 15, 2023
We need switchel to make a come back. More refreshing than water!
posted by leotrotsky at 3:36 PM on May 15, 2023 [7 favorites]
posted by leotrotsky at 3:36 PM on May 15, 2023 [7 favorites]
Those who think this is weird: Do you also think the people who DIY soda by putting flavoring in seltzer are also weird?
...."But at least they're honest about making soda!" Yeah, okay, fair point, and I'm sure it's also one that many in the syrups-in-still-water crowd will come to on their own.
But in the meantime - just let people have their own fun for god's sake.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 3:59 PM on May 15, 2023 [5 favorites]
...."But at least they're honest about making soda!" Yeah, okay, fair point, and I'm sure it's also one that many in the syrups-in-still-water crowd will come to on their own.
But in the meantime - just let people have their own fun for god's sake.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 3:59 PM on May 15, 2023 [5 favorites]
I thought the whole deal with WaterTok was that these folks *needed* to be extra-hydrated because they were recovering from bariatric surgery.
From the AllRecipes link up top:
I can see that the trend is undergoing a kind of memetic mutation (e.g., Brandon Blatcher's third link, where the TikToker explains that WaterTok is just a buncha people who take joy in drinking fun waters), but it seemed to me that the original influencers were talking to a very specific crowd of fellow-patients.
Also, I dunno. This sounds fun! I drink a lot of plain ol' tap water but I definitely look forward to occasionally spritzing a lil citrus in there. Or, for want of a lemon, half a teaspoon of crystallized lemon powder.
posted by IcarusFloats at 6:00 PM on May 15, 2023 [8 favorites]
From the AllRecipes link up top:
Tonya Spanglo is a TikToker from Marietta, Oklahoma, who started sharing recipes for flavored water on TikTok after losing 220 pounds through weight loss surgery. Spanglo’s goal is to drink 64 ounces of water daily, but she found that plain water didn’t “sit well in [her] stomach” after surgery. When she started using sugar-free drink powders and syrups to create flavored waters, reaching her goals got easier.Penn Medicine link on the particular importance of hydration after weight loss surgery
I can see that the trend is undergoing a kind of memetic mutation (e.g., Brandon Blatcher's third link, where the TikToker explains that WaterTok is just a buncha people who take joy in drinking fun waters), but it seemed to me that the original influencers were talking to a very specific crowd of fellow-patients.
Also, I dunno. This sounds fun! I drink a lot of plain ol' tap water but I definitely look forward to occasionally spritzing a lil citrus in there. Or, for want of a lemon, half a teaspoon of crystallized lemon powder.
posted by IcarusFloats at 6:00 PM on May 15, 2023 [8 favorites]
Additional color on this phenomenon from Ryan Broderick.
posted by german_bight at 6:17 PM on May 15, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by german_bight at 6:17 PM on May 15, 2023 [1 favorite]
counterpoint: water is gross
This depends heavily on where you live.
Say, in Flint, Michigan.
posted by doctornemo at 6:19 PM on May 15, 2023 [1 favorite]
This depends heavily on where you live.
Say, in Flint, Michigan.
posted by doctornemo at 6:19 PM on May 15, 2023 [1 favorite]
This part is really funny to me:
But really, if it’s named after a mythical creature, chances are people are loving it.
It's just that when I read the phrase "unicorn water" I think of bodily functions. Like "mermaid water" brings to mind the warm area of water in the public pool.
Sasquatch water. See what I mean? Maybe it's just me. I have enough trouble staying hydrated without getting into mythology.
posted by RobinofFrocksley at 6:42 PM on May 15, 2023 [7 favorites]
But really, if it’s named after a mythical creature, chances are people are loving it.
It's just that when I read the phrase "unicorn water" I think of bodily functions. Like "mermaid water" brings to mind the warm area of water in the public pool.
Sasquatch water. See what I mean? Maybe it's just me. I have enough trouble staying hydrated without getting into mythology.
posted by RobinofFrocksley at 6:42 PM on May 15, 2023 [7 favorites]
I think the tap water here in Toronto tastes good. Can't think of a place I've been where the water's tasted better. But unless I'm really thirsty I'll try to avoid drinking water that isn't either ice cold or boiling hot. I've got a Sodastream at home because I'll drink more fizzy water than I will regular water and maybe a year after getting it I got some flavour syrups because I had a rose lychee soda at a takeout place that was really good and I wanted to make it at home. Since then I always have 3-4 different bottles of syrup to see which syrups, or combinations of syrups, we like best. If we hit upon ones we like then the bottles will be finished in a couple of months but the latest group doesn't have any good combinations so its taking a bit longer. (For a small glass you need 3-4 pumps of the syrup to get a decent flavour but doing 4 pumps of the same syrup feels like you're putting in too much while doing 1 pump of one syrup and 2 or 3 of a different one feels less somehow so a good combination will finish the syrups much quicker).
posted by any portmanteau in a storm at 6:45 PM on May 15, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by any portmanteau in a storm at 6:45 PM on May 15, 2023 [1 favorite]
I have enough trouble staying hydrated without getting into mythology.
That could totally be an Achewood quote, probably by Roast Beef.
posted by Greg_Ace at 7:14 PM on May 15, 2023 [8 favorites]
That could totally be an Achewood quote, probably by Roast Beef.
posted by Greg_Ace at 7:14 PM on May 15, 2023 [8 favorites]
Siren water. Holy water. Fountain Of Youth. Tears Of Mary. Sweat Of The Pope.
Oh, wait, I'm just getting warmed up!
posted by hippybear at 7:19 PM on May 15, 2023 [5 favorites]
Oh, wait, I'm just getting warmed up!
posted by hippybear at 7:19 PM on May 15, 2023 [5 favorites]
Sweat Of The Pope
Stealing that for my next sockpuppet name.
posted by Greg_Ace at 7:24 PM on May 15, 2023 [3 favorites]
Stealing that for my next sockpuppet name.
posted by Greg_Ace at 7:24 PM on May 15, 2023 [3 favorites]
I thought the whole deal with WaterTok was that these folks *needed* to be extra-hydrated because they were recovering from bariatric surgery.
Yep, agreed -- what I'm sure commenters are missing here is that this trend (and it is now a trend) was started by women who were undergoing bariatric surgery and as part of the process of prep and then recovery were on all liquid diets for extended periods of time.
When you can only have liquid things, your desire to consume things that just *taste different* increase by an order of magnitude. Also, they're not allowed carbonated or caffeinated beverages for at least three months after surgery - sometimes longer - so they're probably trying to replace, to some degree, the role that soda or coffee played for them.
I'm not on WaterTok and I've never had the surgery, but the comments here don't really surprise me, because the people making these videos are all women, and are mainly women from a certain socio economic status that its easy for other people to make fun of.
There's a ton of commentary out there about the roots of the trend, and the issues around food politics that have come up in this very thread.
When you see things you don't understand, maybe don't make fun of them until you understand why they formed they way they did. In general I find trying to understand people is better than simply making fun of them, but maybe that's just me.
posted by anastasiav at 7:47 PM on May 15, 2023 [28 favorites]
Yep, agreed -- what I'm sure commenters are missing here is that this trend (and it is now a trend) was started by women who were undergoing bariatric surgery and as part of the process of prep and then recovery were on all liquid diets for extended periods of time.
When you can only have liquid things, your desire to consume things that just *taste different* increase by an order of magnitude. Also, they're not allowed carbonated or caffeinated beverages for at least three months after surgery - sometimes longer - so they're probably trying to replace, to some degree, the role that soda or coffee played for them.
I'm not on WaterTok and I've never had the surgery, but the comments here don't really surprise me, because the people making these videos are all women, and are mainly women from a certain socio economic status that its easy for other people to make fun of.
There's a ton of commentary out there about the roots of the trend, and the issues around food politics that have come up in this very thread.
When you see things you don't understand, maybe don't make fun of them until you understand why they formed they way they did. In general I find trying to understand people is better than simply making fun of them, but maybe that's just me.
posted by anastasiav at 7:47 PM on May 15, 2023 [28 favorites]
Sweat Of The Pope
Stealing that for my next sockpuppet name.
Pope Sweat IX
posted by chavenet at 1:35 AM on May 16, 2023 [2 favorites]
Stealing that for my next sockpuppet name.
Pope Sweat IX
posted by chavenet at 1:35 AM on May 16, 2023 [2 favorites]
I drink only distilled water, or rainwater, and only pure grain alcohol.
posted by zardoz at 3:34 AM on May 16, 2023 [5 favorites]
posted by zardoz at 3:34 AM on May 16, 2023 [5 favorites]
Well, no one from the global south has showed up yet so here it comes:
You Guys Drink Tap Water? Unfiltered? Unboiled?
posted by cendawanita at 6:06 AM on May 16, 2023 [7 favorites]
You Guys Drink Tap Water? Unfiltered? Unboiled?
posted by cendawanita at 6:06 AM on May 16, 2023 [7 favorites]
Cue The Timmy Brothers, Water Makers
(Pure hipster nostalgia from all the way back in...2015?)
posted by Insert Clever Name Here at 6:43 AM on May 16, 2023
(Pure hipster nostalgia from all the way back in...2015?)
posted by Insert Clever Name Here at 6:43 AM on May 16, 2023
Decoder Ring, April 21, 2021: “The Invention of Hydration”
posted by Going To Maine at 8:00 AM on May 16, 2023 [2 favorites]
posted by Going To Maine at 8:00 AM on May 16, 2023 [2 favorites]
I see 2 types of people in this world. People that do not think about water unless they are thirsty, and people that think anyone not drinking water every minute of their existence needs to be placed in a reeducation camp until they capitulate to becoming a True Believer. I do not know why this is but it is almost always a red flag for suppressed pathology somewhere else.
posted by docpops at 8:28 AM on May 16, 2023 [3 favorites]
posted by docpops at 8:28 AM on May 16, 2023 [3 favorites]
I always see excessive water showing off and conversation as virtue signaling for "fitness" when a person cannot actively display themselves working out and being "fit."
posted by tiny frying pan at 8:38 AM on May 16, 2023 [2 favorites]
posted by tiny frying pan at 8:38 AM on May 16, 2023 [2 favorites]
(That and sometimes OCD - "healthy" behaviors can be this too)
posted by tiny frying pan at 8:39 AM on May 16, 2023
posted by tiny frying pan at 8:39 AM on May 16, 2023
Region has a lot to do with water quality.
I grew up in a town where the water smelled and tasted bad. Kitchens and bathrooms had a distinct aroma from it, mostly a sulphur thing. Virtually noone drank tap water. When we moved to another city (the first in generations to do so), to a home with an artesian well, the water was so dramatically better that relatives frequently visited with jugs to fill from our taps to take home.
posted by kinnakeet at 8:46 AM on May 16, 2023 [2 favorites]
I grew up in a town where the water smelled and tasted bad. Kitchens and bathrooms had a distinct aroma from it, mostly a sulphur thing. Virtually noone drank tap water. When we moved to another city (the first in generations to do so), to a home with an artesian well, the water was so dramatically better that relatives frequently visited with jugs to fill from our taps to take home.
posted by kinnakeet at 8:46 AM on May 16, 2023 [2 favorites]
I was kind of thinking this was going to be about air-up. I have no comments on the health or whatever of this product.
posted by Snowishberlin at 9:35 AM on May 16, 2023
posted by Snowishberlin at 9:35 AM on May 16, 2023
You Guys Drink Tap Water? Unfiltered? Unboiled?
I mean...not if I can help it?
I see 2 types of people in this world. People that do not think about water unless they are thirsty, and people that think anyone not drinking water every minute of their existence needs to be placed in a reeducation camp until they capitulate to becoming a True Believer. I do not know why this is but it is almost always a red flag for suppressed pathology somewhere else.
The tiktok people who started this trend are drinking water because they were told to by their doctors. Aren't you a doctor? Do you frequently think your patients are secretly deranged for following your medical advice?
posted by We put our faith in Blast Hardcheese at 10:08 AM on May 16, 2023
I mean...not if I can help it?
I see 2 types of people in this world. People that do not think about water unless they are thirsty, and people that think anyone not drinking water every minute of their existence needs to be placed in a reeducation camp until they capitulate to becoming a True Believer. I do not know why this is but it is almost always a red flag for suppressed pathology somewhere else.
The tiktok people who started this trend are drinking water because they were told to by their doctors. Aren't you a doctor? Do you frequently think your patients are secretly deranged for following your medical advice?
posted by We put our faith in Blast Hardcheese at 10:08 AM on May 16, 2023
Well, no one from the global south has showed up yet so here it comes:
Not geographically the global south, but I did mention Flint. Gesture in that direction.
posted by doctornemo at 10:13 AM on May 16, 2023 [1 favorite]
Not geographically the global south, but I did mention Flint. Gesture in that direction.
posted by doctornemo at 10:13 AM on May 16, 2023 [1 favorite]
Jackson MI is a state capitol that has undrinkable tap water.
We live in an age of miracles and wonders that were all hatched decades ago and now, unmaintained, are devolving into debasement and horror.
posted by hippybear at 10:20 AM on May 16, 2023 [3 favorites]
We live in an age of miracles and wonders that were all hatched decades ago and now, unmaintained, are devolving into debasement and horror.
posted by hippybear at 10:20 AM on May 16, 2023 [3 favorites]
I thought the whole deal with WaterTok was that these folks *needed* to be extra-hydrated because they were recovering from bariatric surgery.
This I wasn't aware of.
When you see things you don't understand, maybe don't make fun of them until you understand why they formed they way they did. In general I find trying to understand people is better than simply making fun of them, but maybe that's just me.
I'm not making fun of anyone. I'm pushing back against tiktok, tiktok trends and the influencers that use it.
My knee-jerk reaction is because tiktok is absolutely swamped with people doing rage bait videos involving food waste and ridiculous anti-recipes, fast food restaurant "menu hacking" and all kinds of incredibly dumb crap ranging from mildly dubious to generally unhealthy to incredibly unsafe.
And there's a whole segment of these bad food/drink tiktok videos that are thinly disguised fetish videos.
If anything if this "WaterTok" or whatever is for surgery recovery is even more of a reason to not post it to MeFi framed as water flavoring recipes aimed at the general public and this weird trend of people getting over-hydrated and being so very serious about drinking water.
Because this trendy "I need to strictly and militantly drink 64 or 128 oz of water a day" thing is some weird woo and can be super harmful to people both physically (and psychologically) because everyone has different hydration needs.
The potential physical harm should be obvious but I've definitely seen this "drink more water!" thing being framed as a personal failure or other psychological manipulation if you're not doing it enough or doing it right.
I said this about Facebook over a decade ago that it was bad news. TikTok is somehow even worse and we should really think about and question linking to it or content from it, especially for health advice.
I don't really care if people want to flavor their water. I get that part. I do it too and sometimes I get bored of plain old water.
My ire is really all about TikTok and the totally bizarre food hacks and trends that it's been pushing and how influencers are monetizing and abusing TikTok and these trends.
posted by loquacious at 10:27 AM on May 16, 2023 [9 favorites]
This I wasn't aware of.
When you see things you don't understand, maybe don't make fun of them until you understand why they formed they way they did. In general I find trying to understand people is better than simply making fun of them, but maybe that's just me.
I'm not making fun of anyone. I'm pushing back against tiktok, tiktok trends and the influencers that use it.
My knee-jerk reaction is because tiktok is absolutely swamped with people doing rage bait videos involving food waste and ridiculous anti-recipes, fast food restaurant "menu hacking" and all kinds of incredibly dumb crap ranging from mildly dubious to generally unhealthy to incredibly unsafe.
And there's a whole segment of these bad food/drink tiktok videos that are thinly disguised fetish videos.
If anything if this "WaterTok" or whatever is for surgery recovery is even more of a reason to not post it to MeFi framed as water flavoring recipes aimed at the general public and this weird trend of people getting over-hydrated and being so very serious about drinking water.
Because this trendy "I need to strictly and militantly drink 64 or 128 oz of water a day" thing is some weird woo and can be super harmful to people both physically (and psychologically) because everyone has different hydration needs.
The potential physical harm should be obvious but I've definitely seen this "drink more water!" thing being framed as a personal failure or other psychological manipulation if you're not doing it enough or doing it right.
I said this about Facebook over a decade ago that it was bad news. TikTok is somehow even worse and we should really think about and question linking to it or content from it, especially for health advice.
I don't really care if people want to flavor their water. I get that part. I do it too and sometimes I get bored of plain old water.
My ire is really all about TikTok and the totally bizarre food hacks and trends that it's been pushing and how influencers are monetizing and abusing TikTok and these trends.
posted by loquacious at 10:27 AM on May 16, 2023 [9 favorites]
I don't see any health advice in this post...?
posted by tiny frying pan at 10:30 AM on May 16, 2023 [2 favorites]
posted by tiny frying pan at 10:30 AM on May 16, 2023 [2 favorites]
(loquacious, your complaints sound like a good different FPP candidate)
posted by tiny frying pan at 10:31 AM on May 16, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by tiny frying pan at 10:31 AM on May 16, 2023 [1 favorite]
My knee-jerk reaction is because tiktok is absolutely swamped with people doing rage bait videos involving food waste and ridiculous anti-recipes, fast food restaurant "menu hacking" and all kinds of incredibly dumb crap ranging from mildly dubious to generally unhealthy to incredibly unsafe.
A social media platform the size and breadth of TikTok is gonna have lots of videos on just about everything. My feed contains nothing like this. Perhaps if it's showing up in your feed, a few applications of the Not Interested button could help realign the algorithm for you.
posted by misskaz at 10:36 AM on May 16, 2023 [4 favorites]
A social media platform the size and breadth of TikTok is gonna have lots of videos on just about everything. My feed contains nothing like this. Perhaps if it's showing up in your feed, a few applications of the Not Interested button could help realign the algorithm for you.
posted by misskaz at 10:36 AM on May 16, 2023 [4 favorites]
I don't engage with tiktok, have an account or willingly engage with it the same way I don't with Facebook and Instagram because I think tiktok is as a whole a weaponized application of dark patterns.
And just like Facebook or Instagram the content from tiktok bleeds out all over the internet to places like here on MetaFilter.
I'm sure there's good, wholesome content on Truth Social or Gab but I have no interest in giving those platforms my attention, either.
I'll exit this thread but I wanted it to be clear I'm not making fun of anyone with a medical issue or flavors their water just because they're bored with tap water.
posted by loquacious at 10:45 AM on May 16, 2023 [3 favorites]
And just like Facebook or Instagram the content from tiktok bleeds out all over the internet to places like here on MetaFilter.
I'm sure there's good, wholesome content on Truth Social or Gab but I have no interest in giving those platforms my attention, either.
I'll exit this thread but I wanted it to be clear I'm not making fun of anyone with a medical issue or flavors their water just because they're bored with tap water.
posted by loquacious at 10:45 AM on May 16, 2023 [3 favorites]
Let people who like making fun elaborate drinks or watching other people make fun elaborate drinks enjoy their fun elaborate drinks without casting it as a sign of personal inadequacy or societal decay challenge 2023 (IMPOSSIBLE)
posted by eponym at 10:45 AM on May 16, 2023 [9 favorites]
posted by eponym at 10:45 AM on May 16, 2023 [9 favorites]
The tiktok people who started this trend are drinking water because they were told to by their doctors. Aren't you a doctor? Do you frequently think your patients are secretly deranged for following your medical advice?
posted by We put our faith in Blast Hardcheese at 10:08 AM on May 16 [+] [!]
1: yes
2: sometimes, maybe, but not in a bad way, moreso in the way a really cool self-taught artist winds up on a Talking Heads album.
posted by docpops at 12:02 PM on May 16, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by We put our faith in Blast Hardcheese at 10:08 AM on May 16 [+] [!]
1: yes
2: sometimes, maybe, but not in a bad way, moreso in the way a really cool self-taught artist winds up on a Talking Heads album.
posted by docpops at 12:02 PM on May 16, 2023 [1 favorite]
counterpoint: water is gross
fish fuck in it
posted by backseatpilot at 12:48 PM on May 16, 2023 [2 favorites]
fish fuck in it
posted by backseatpilot at 12:48 PM on May 16, 2023 [2 favorites]
I'm a bariatric patient and I can say that you get damn tired to plain still water after about 2 weeks. I can have an 0 calorie non carbonated beverages I want, and at the beginning I was heavily into the Crystal Light stuff and its relatives. It's not so bad now. I rotate two igloo thermos jugs. One in the freezer with some water frozen in it, and the other with me.
posted by kathrynm at 3:59 PM on May 16, 2023 [3 favorites]
posted by kathrynm at 3:59 PM on May 16, 2023 [3 favorites]
Answering the request for research on negative effects of sugar substitutes:
Changes in gut flora and impaired glycemic response
Increased insulin resistance
Links to increased sugar and food cravings
Effects on appetite
Increase in cardiovascular disease
It's a complicated topic but let's not act like highly processed foods and artificial sweeteners don't have effects.
posted by quiet wanderer at 6:09 PM on May 16, 2023
Changes in gut flora and impaired glycemic response
Increased insulin resistance
Links to increased sugar and food cravings
Effects on appetite
Increase in cardiovascular disease
It's a complicated topic but let's not act like highly processed foods and artificial sweeteners don't have effects.
posted by quiet wanderer at 6:09 PM on May 16, 2023
I believe this thread is about things you drink, so highly processed foods aren't really part of the conversation.
I think the device listed upthread that is "you smell the thing while you drink so you taste that flavor" is sort of the principle that La Croix and other "essence-flavored" waters that seem to have zero added anything but still have a taste work. I remember La Croix had a cola flavor a while back and it was like drinking a fizzy water while someone shouted "Coca-Cola" at you from the next room.
posted by hippybear at 6:16 PM on May 16, 2023 [3 favorites]
I think the device listed upthread that is "you smell the thing while you drink so you taste that flavor" is sort of the principle that La Croix and other "essence-flavored" waters that seem to have zero added anything but still have a taste work. I remember La Croix had a cola flavor a while back and it was like drinking a fizzy water while someone shouted "Coca-Cola" at you from the next room.
posted by hippybear at 6:16 PM on May 16, 2023 [3 favorites]
Polar Seltzer. They have an alchemy.
posted by tiny frying pan at 6:39 PM on May 16, 2023
posted by tiny frying pan at 6:39 PM on May 16, 2023
Sucralose has some very negative side effects:
Chemical found in widely used sweetener breaks up DNA
posted by doctor_negative at 10:32 AM on June 1, 2023
Chemical found in widely used sweetener breaks up DNA
posted by doctor_negative at 10:32 AM on June 1, 2023
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posted by doctor_negative at 12:30 PM on May 15, 2023 [20 favorites]