We’re regularly told the importance of drinking water, yet many of us still struggle to get our recommended 1.2 litres in a day.
Now, a new water bottle has launched in the UK, which aims to make it easier to incorporate water into your diet.
The water bottle, called AirUp, can be filled with normal tap water, but tricks your brain into thinking this aqua is flavoured, thanks to cleverly-placed pods.
The pods release aromas up your nose as you sip, which pass through the throat to the brain where they manifest as taste.
Speaking to MailOnline, Lena Jungst, founder of AirUp, explained: ‘It’s inviting people to experiment a bit with flavour. It’s a new way of perceiving flavour – nothing like this has existed before!’
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The water bottle, called AirUp, can be filled with normal tap water, but tricks your brain into thinking this aqua is flavoured, thanks to cleverly-placed pods
At first glance, the AirUp bottle looks like any other, with a clear body and a small mouthpiece.
However, users can buy subtle pods that sit on top of the mouthpiece, which release scents up your nose as you smell.
These scents trick your brain into thinking the water is flavoured, thanks to a concept known as retronasal smell.
AirUp explained: ‘This is the technical term for a simple process – tasting with your nose.
‘When you smell something, it passes through the throat to the olfactory centre in the nose and manifests in the brain as taste. Simple. Genius. Mind-blowing.
‘Eighty per cent of the tastes you experience are actually things you are smelling. The tongue may talk the talk, but it’s the nose that walks the walk when it comes to taste.’
The pods come in a range of flavours, including passionfruit, elderflower, coffee, cucumber and cola.
However, the flavour possibilities are pretty much endless, according to Ms Jungst.
‘Generally speaking, everything you can smell, we could make a flavour for,’ she told MailOnline.
‘We could go crazy and pack our pods with bacon, or freshly baked bread flavour!
The scents trick your brain into thinking the water is flavoured, thanks to a concept known as retronasal smell
‘That would all be possible, but what we realised is our consumers are interested in those flavours, but not necessarily consuming them regularly.’
The AirUp bottle is already on sale in several countries across Europe, but is finally launching in the UK today.
The Starter Set includes one bottle and two scent pods, and is priced at £29.95 to £34.95, depending on the colour of the bottle.
The AirUp bottle is already on sale in several countries across Europe, but is finally launching in the UK today
Each additional pack of three pods then costs between £5.95 to £8.95, depending on the flavour.
Ms Jungst added: ‘One scent-pod flavours at least five litres of water.
‘This is also the reason why our system uses 25x-50x less plastic per flavoured litre of water than comparable flavoured drinks from the supermarket.
‘The Pods are also very convenient in terms of transportation, as they are very small and lightweight and therefore reduce C02 emissions on that end as well.’
The Pods are very convenient in terms of transportation, as they are very small and lightweight and therefore reduce C02 emissions on that end as well
Water is a healthy and cheap choice for quenching your thirst at any time, and has no calories or sugars that can damage your teeth!
The NHS advises: ‘It’s easy to overlook, but choosing healthier drinks is a key part of getting a balanced diet.
‘Many soft drinks, including instant powdered drinks and hot chocolate, are high in sugar.
‘The Eatwell Guide says we should drink 6 to 8 glasses of fluid a day. Water, lower fat milk and sugar-free drinks, including tea and coffee, all count.’