We all know that in order to keep our body hydrated and in good health we need to drink water regularly, but how to choose between all the different types of drinking water? There are so many options for drinking water these days that it is difficult to determine which type is the healthiest.
Water is not just water; there are various types of water and some of them are healthier to drink than others. Some are tastier, and some are more pure than others.
Different Types of Drinking Water
The main types of drinking water are bottled water, filtered water, natural mineral water, spring water and tap water. Of course there is also vitamin water, enhanced water, distilled water, artesian well water, deionised water and probably a few more, but we will only concentrate on the main ones in this article.
Bottled Water
Bottled Water can originate from a mixture of sources. Bottled water can be “Still†or “Sparkling.†Sparkling bottled water contains carbon dioxide, which makes it bubbly.
Although there are stringent rules governing bottled water, some unscrupulous water companies are passing off bottled tap water as pure, healthy water; what they are is merely tap water that that has possibly undergone further processing such as reverse osmosis or ozonation, deionisation, distillation, or other similar process.
Reverse osmosis removes most of the minerals, especially calcium, to the point that in the UK, it is compulsory to add calcium back into this type of water on the advice of UK Medical Authorities because of concerns about heart disease.
Some bottled waters are ozonated, which can result in dangerous by-products called bromates.
Filtered Water
Filtered Water is water that has been passed through one or more filters in order to remove chlorine and fluoride residue in order to improve the taste and smell of the water. The cheaper and smaller filters unfortunately do not remove the parasites Giardia and Cryptosporidium, which are occasionally found in UK water.
Natural Mineral Water
Natural Mineral Water is water that originates from a single natural source and is bottled at source. Natural mineral water is governed by the UK water authorities and can only be marketed as natural after stringent micro-biological testing to ensure that the source is protected from risk of pollution.
Spring Water
Some bottled water is from an underground spring; hence it is called Spring Water. Spring Water must originate from and be bottled at an officially recognised source and may not be altered in any way or form. This water is normally named for the origin.
Tap Water in the UK is safe to drink according to the Health Department, but many individuals do not like it because it is often treated with chemicals such as chlorine, which is not healthy in the long-term and may leave a smell and after-taste.
Unfortunately UK tap water has also been found to have traces of fluoride, pharmaceutical drugs such as birth control drugs and recreational drugs like cocaine in it. Cryptosporidium, a bug found in surface water sources and which can make one really ill, has also been found in the tap water on occasion.
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