Are you one of the many who consider that there is not much difference between regular and mineral-rich water? Well, we all know that living organisms need water to survive. But did you know that only a handful of people have access to clean and safe drinking water?
Water is expected to provide vital nutrients that the body does not produce on its own. There comes the difference between regular and mineral-rich water. Let us first clear our concepts about mineral-rich water.
What is mineral water?
Unlike the other types of water that are available to you, mineral-rich water is bottled at its source and contains natural minerals and other trace elements. Mineral-rich water comes from underground reservoirs and unlike regular drinking water, mineral water does not undergo chemical processing.
According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), mineral-rich water must have no less than 250 parts per million (ppm) of total dissolved solids – or minerals and trace elements – from the source. But in addition to it, adding minerals during bottling is not permissible.
The soda which you have at the clubs is artificially carbonated whereas the sparkling mineral-rich water is naturally carbonated, but adding or removing carbon dioxide (CO2) gas during bottling is permissible.
Now let us know a few essential reasons why you must drink mineral-rich water. You will be surprised to know how water can have so many health benefits. In Fact not just that, it also has environmental benefits. So, without much ado, let’s quickly dig in!
1. Great source of magnesium
Drinking mineral-rich water can be a great source of magnesium for your body. This nutrient plays a crucial role in regulating blood glucose levels and nerve functions. Studies reveal that most people consume less than the recommended amount of magnesium.
Insufficient amounts of magnesium lead to loss of appetite, fatigue, muscle weakness, nausea, and vomiting.
The daily recommended permissible limit for magnesium intake is as follows:
- 310-320 mg for adult females
- 400-420 mg for adult males
2. Improves bone health
The mineral-rich water is a good source of calcium. However, after the age of 20, bone loss can start outpacing bone formation, which can lead to brittle, weak bones. Interestingly, studies have revealed that your body has the ability to absorb calcium from mineral water as effectively as calcium from dairy products. And we all know the importance of calcium in bone health irrespective of our age.
In addition to this, the bicarbonate and magnesium found in mineral-rich water may also improve your bone health. Older women with a high magnesium intake, of more than 422.5 mg per day, are believed to have more bone density than those with a lower intake of the mineral.
3. Helps in lower blood pressure
Did you know that inadequate calcium and magnesium levels contribute to high blood pressure? And high blood pressure is a prime factor for heart diseases. Hence, drinking mineral-rich water which has efficient levels of magnesium and calcium helps in lowering blood pressure levels.
A small-scale 2004 study involving 70 adults with borderline hypertension and low magnesium levels found that drinking 1 liter of mineral-rich water per day decreased their blood pressure.
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4. Improving the digestive system
A sufficient amount of magnesium levels in the diet can help prevent constipation and improve the health of the digestive system. What exactly magnesium does in our body? Magnesium is supposed to draw water into the intestines, which improves stool consistency.
In addition to it, it also relaxes the intestinal muscles, supporting regular bowel movements. Drinking mineral-rich water means water containing magnesium sulfate and sodium sulfate which lead to more frequent bowel movements and improved quality of life among people with constipation.
5. Improves the health of heart
Well, carbonated mineral water may also protect your body against heart diseases. To claim this, studies were done on postmenopausal women and it was found that drinking half to one liter of carbonate mineral-rich water per day significantly reduced levels of triglycerides and LDL (bad) cholesterol, while increasing levels of HDL (good) cholesterol.
As you can see, drinking mineral-rich water has sufficient levels of magnesium which decreases the risk of dying from heart disease.
6. Promotes good body blood circulation
By now, we are aware that mineral-rich water has sufficient amounts of calcium, magnesium, and potassium. All such nutrients help in promoting your body’s blood circulation levels. The calcium present in the water helps in regulating the rate and rhythm of the heartbeat.
Now comes a few drawbacks of having mineral-rich water.
1. Plastic toxicity
The mineral-rich water is bottled at the source itself and hence, these plastic containers contain bisphenol A or BPA. This chemical has the ability to interfere with your body’s normal hormonal function.
The existence of microplastics has been confirmed by scientists in bottled drinks. These tiny plastic particles are another potential concern.
2. Carbonated water damages teeth
Well, unfortunately, sparkling, or carbonated, water can damage your tooth enamel.
Carbonated water is slightly acidic due to its lower pH than regular water. Study reveals that sparkling water manufactured by a soda carbonator significantly reduced enamel hardness on teeth in a laboratory setting.
3. Environmental concerns
As mentioned earlier, the bottling of mineral-rich water is a major problem. We are aware of the environmental hazards caused by the large-scale production of plastic bottles.
In this regard, tap water stands as a favorable option for it is not contained in any container that can be a concern for the environment in the future. Producing glass bottles also consumed the largest amount of raw material and required the most energy.
Over to you…
Now that you know the amazing benefits of health from drinking mineral-rich water, what are you waiting for? Are you still going to take a chance of choosing regular water over mineral-rich water? Think sensibly and make a choice.
