Raw water: Inside the latest health drink craze

Drinking unfiltered water can be extremely dangerous

“Raw water” is the latest health drink craze that’s gaining popularity… and it could be putting a lot of people in danger of becoming ill.

2017 saw a surge in a number of health trends, including the use of activated charcoal, greater awareness surrounding veganism and an increase in people trying intermittent fasting.

Many in the United States have now decided to forego drinking tap water in exchange for “raw water”, putting their health at risk in the process.

Raw water is spring water that’s unfiltered, untreated and unsterilised - and costs a mini fortune.

Live Water, a raw water company based in Los Angeles, charges $27 (£19.92) for a glass orb containing one litre of water and $69 (£50.91) for a glass gallon dispenser holding 2.5 gallons of water.

Their founder, Mukhande Singh, is a strong believer in the power of raw water.

“Tap water? You’re drinking toilet water with birth control drugs in them,” he told The New York Times.

“Chloramine, and on top of that they’re putting in fluoride. Call me a conspiracy theorist, but it’s a mind-control drug that has no benefit to our dental health.”

Zero Mass Water, a company from Arizona, has raised a $24 million (£17 million) in venture capital since November by installing systems in people’s houses that allow them to collect water directly from the atmosphere surrounding their homes.

Despite this trend’s steadily rising popularity, many have expressed concern over people drinking water that hasn’t been treated thoroughly.

“Without water treatment, there’s acute and then chronic risks,” Dr Donald Hensrud, director of the Health Living Programme at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota told The New York Times.

“There’s evidence all over the world of this, and the reason we don’t have those conditions is because of our very efficient water treatment.”

Hensrud explained that drinking raw water can put you at risk of ingesting E. coli bacteria, viruses, parasites and cancerous chemicals.

According to the World Health Organisation, drinking contaminated water causes over half a million diarrhoeal deaths every year.

Health, science and environment editor at The Washington Post Laura Helmuth tweeted about the dangers of wilfully drinking unfiltered water.

“To: Anybody who drinks or is considering drinking “raw water.” From: Everybody who has ever died of cholera, dysentery, typhoid fever, or tooth decay.

“Message: Do! Not! Be! A! F! -ing! Idiot!"