‘H3O2’ not better than plain old H2O when it comes to drinking water

Not good ol’ H2O but "H3O2" is the healthiest water to drink, a video shared on Facebook claimed.

"The best type of water is called H3O2" because it is "derived from fruits and is a more structured form of water," the narrator declared. 

H3O2 can be obtained from "hydrating fruits" such as watermelon, according to the video.

The post sharing the video was flagged as part of Facebook’s efforts to combat false news and misinformation on its News Feed. (Read more about our partnership with Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram.)

H3O2 (three hydrogen atoms, two oxygen atoms) is a "mythical" compound that doesn’t have anything to do with fruit, chemistry professor Timothy Schmidt at the University of New South Wales in Australia, told PolitiFact. 

"This has not been shown to exist, and would likely turn itself into hydrogen peroxide and water. Anything with the formula H3O2 would be unhealthy to drink," said Schmidt, who has debunked previous claims about H3O2. 

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration "is unfamiliar" with H3O2, a spokesperson said.

Drinking H2O is recommended.

Registered dietician Amy Bragagnini, spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, said she has not seen scientific research that suggests that water derived from fruit is better for the body than plain water.

"Water, in its simplest and cleanest form, is the healthiest way to hydrate your body," she said.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends drinking water for good health — either through drinking "plain" water or through eating fruits and vegetables.

Featured Fact-check

Critics of water fluoridation

stated on October 4, 2011 in a Pinellas County Commission meeting and web comments

Say water fluoridation started in Nazi Germany ghettos and death camps to pacify the Jews.

The Harvard University School of Public Health says tap water lubricates joints, maintains healthy skin, is necessary for proper digestion and is "the perfect zero-calorie beverage for quenching thirst and rehydrating your body."

The school recommends adding to tap water sliced citrus fruits such as lemon, lime, orange and grapefruit, as an alternative to flavored waters. 

With no evidence to back the video’s claim, we rate the claim False.

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