Abstract
Water is the most abundant compound in the human body. It is essential for life and the most important nutrient humans must consume. The recent Institute of Medicine Food and Nutrition Board found that healthy people adequately meet their daily hydration needs, which meets market trends suggesting that sales of bottled water have surged to almost 6 billion gallons in 2002. Companies have capitalized on this popularity and now fortify waters with everything from vitamins and minerals to herbs and oxygen. Scientific research disputes the bold claims that come with these products, but sound marketing has surely pushed their demand. It appears that regular, unfortified water is the soundest and most economical way to hydrate the body.