You might not think it, but some people have a favorite water. Where some are fine with tap others have a specific brand they love. But really, does water even have a taste?
Well, if you’ve got someone in your friend group that prefers certain waters to others, there’s a reason. Water does, in fact, have a taste.
Well + Good spoke with Inna A. Husain, MD, a board-certified otolaryngologist and medical director of Laryngology Community Hospital who explained that due to minerals and inorganic compounds, water’s taste can change between brands and between the tap and filtered water.
Most people don’t routinely notice the difference, but, if you have gifted tastebuds, you might be able to sense different “flavors” in tap water from different areas, or even bottled water that has been collected from different parts of the world.
According to a study, sulfates, magnesium, calcium, and bicarbonate tend to affect the taste of water the most, when they’re present. While all water typically contains calcium, sodium, and phosphorus, different levels alter taste.
So, if you’re the only one in the friend group that swears you can taste water, and you try to convince others that different waters have different tastes, consider yourself lucky. You just might be a “supertaster.”
Have some fun trying different brands and water from different locations, and see which subtle flavors you pick up on the most.
