Natural
Natural mineral water and desalinated filtered water from the sea are two different types of drinking water that may have different effects on your health. Some of the main differences are:
- Source: Natural mineral water comes from natural underground reservoirs and springs that contain at least 250 ppm of dissolved minerals and trace elements1. Desalinated filtered water comes from seawater that has been treated to remove salt and other impurities1.
- Mineral content: Natural mineral water is rich in minerals such as calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, and sulfate that may have various health benefits1234. Desalinated filtered water may have lower levels of these minerals or none at all, depending on the treatment process and the post-treatment additions1.
- Carbonation: Natural mineral water is naturally carbonated to varying degrees, which may enhance its taste and digestion1. Desalinated filtered water may or may not be carbonated artificially, depending on the preference of the consumer1.
- Health benefits: Drinking natural mineral water may offer some health benefits, such as promoting bone health, contributing to heart health, improving blood circulation, replacing the body’s electrolytes, detoxifying the body, and boosting brain function1234. Drinking desalinated filtered water may not provide these benefits, unless it is fortified with minerals or other nutrients1.
- Health risks: Drinking natural mineral water may have some health risks, such as exceeding the recommended intake of some minerals or trace elements that may cause adverse effects in some people1. Drinking desalinated filtered water may also have some health risks, such as consuming microplastics from plastic bottles that may disrupt the hormonal system or cause toxicity2.
Therefore, the choice between natural mineral water and desalinated filtered water from the sea may depend on your personal preference, availability, cost, and health goals. You may also want to consult your doctor or a nutritionist before making any changes to your drinking water habits.
How to Recognise Natural Mineral Water:
One way to tell if a bottle of water is natural mineral water or not is to look at the label. According to the European legislation1, natural mineral water must be labelled with:
- The name of the source and its location
- The date of official recognition of the source by the competent authorities
- The mineral composition and other relevant constituents
- The treatment methods used, if any
- The statement “natural mineral water”
Another way to tell if a bottle of water is natural mineral water or not is to taste it. Natural mineral water may have a distinctive taste and mouthfeel due to its mineral content and carbonation. However, this may vary depending on the source and the individual preference. Some people may prefer natural mineral water for its taste and health benefits, while others may find it too hard or too fizzy.
World Best Premium Water
What Are the Different Categories of Bottled Water?
Different categories of bottled drinking water usually represent different sources or purification methods. In some cases, there are additives as well.
Spring Water
Spring water is sourced from underground springs. However, because its source is a natural spring, this doesn’t mean the water is pure and free of contaminants. In fact, like water from any source, to be safe for drinking or cooking, spring water needs to be filtered or distilled.
Filtered (Purified) Water
This is water that has gone through enough filtration—often involving more than one type of filter—until it tests free (or at an extremely low level) of contaminants. You can either use a home water filter or buy your water in bottles, already filtered.
Distilled Water
Distilled water is the condensed steam of water that’s been heated to a boil. It’s collected in a container separate from the one in which the water was boiled.
Even though people are advised to boil water when the water supply has been contaminated, boiling is not the equivalent to distillation for water purification.
Why Contaminants in Drinking Water Matter
Water contaminants encompass a broad range of substances, including heavy metals, chemicals and other toxic substances, microorganisms, and sediments carried by the water. Most of these are not harmful in small quantities. A few are.
If quantities aren’t monitored carefully, contaminants can get out of control. A good purification process that uses multiple methods, disinfecting agents, and filter types can do a lot to prevent or change this situation.
If these remedies aren’t used—or at least not to the extent they should be—the water supply could be rendered unsafe.
If impure water is bottled and sold by businesses, it probably will result in a lot of sick people.
Why the pH of Drinking Water Matters
A site listing the “absolute worst bottled water” brands uses pH testing (along with the amount of plastic in the bottle) to determine its rankings. What it lists as the ten worst brands have pH levels between 4.0 and 6.0 (relatively acidic pH levels).
The EPA has recommended that municipal drinking water be maintained at a pH between 6.5 and 8.5. One reason for this is that acidic water can be a sign of contaminants and might corrode metal pipes.
The bottled water brands the site mentioned above sees as the best have a pH level in the range from 7.0 to 9.0—meaning the water is between neutral and alkaline. A pH over seven is sometimes touted as good for hydration and quenching thirst.
However, there’s no evidence that drinking water that’s slightly alkaline has health benefits other than, perhaps, for those with acid reflux disease (GERD), high blood pressure, diabetes, or high cholesterol.
If you test the pH of your home drinking water and get a reading outside the safe range, you should contact your water company to alert them to this test result.
Our Picks for the Top Bottled Water Brands
Sadly, some of the top bottled water brands you may have bought in the past—maybe even still use today—could actually be among the worst bottled water on the market. They probably shouldn’t be on the market at all.
Still, a lot of bottled water brands maintain high standards. Below are some drinking water brands we consider the best bottled water to drink based on several different reviews and supporting sources.
Fiji
Fiji water, sourced in Fiji, is generally considered the best. It meets FDA standards, has a pH of 7.5, is bottled at its named source, and is the second most popular imported bottled water brand and the best premium bottled water brand in the United States.
Evian
This brand with a pH of 7 (neutral) is spring water—from a protected source that “lies at the very foot of the French Alps, far from any urban or industrial development.” It’s quality-tested at two stages, popular, and has a clean taste.
Alternatives to Bottled Drinking Water
In some places, such as many larger cities or those with known contamination of the public water supply, there are very few ways to avoid drinking bottled water. In many other places, though, it can be avoided. Here are some ways to avoid bottled water.
Drink Tap Water
If you happen to live someplace with a good, well-maintained local water supply, you will do well just to turn on the kitchen tap and fill a reusable bottle. As long as your municipal water is clean, water from your sink would be fresh and not taste like plastic.
Use a Water Purification System
There are many ways to filter your water at home. Those with concerns about the public water supply or their home well water often do this.
Most home filtration systems use carbon filters made with activated charcoal. Some use these in combination with clay filters, which remove different types of impurities.
Some home water filtration systems use the reverse osmosis process, wherein the tiny water molecules are squeezed through a semi-permeable membrane, leaving the larger impurity molecules behind.
Use Purified Water Dispensers and Reusable Containers
Until purified water dispensers are more widely available in workplaces and public spaces, you should carry your reusable drinking water container. You can use several materials in place of plastic bottles. These include:
- Glass—fragile, but also long-lasting and recyclable
- Ceramic—also fragile, but a good, natural insulating material
- Stainless steel—durable and recyclable
- Plant-based plastics—biodegradable and, if you wish, edible
- Paper containers—convenient and recyclable
Another way to avoid throwing away “disposable” plastic bottles is simply reusing them. As we know, they’re durable and will last a very long time. Just don’t accumulate a lot of them to put in landfills at a later time!
How Do You Like Your Water?
Will you switch your bottled water preference to one from our list of top bottled water brands? Will you consider one of our bottled water alternatives? Perhaps you will become an advocate for more water dispensers in convenient locations?
Along with being responsible users of water containers, we need to recognize that not all bottled water quality is the same. Even though most water looks the same when it’s in bottles, some can be filled with contaminants such as chemicals or microscopic organisms, while others are very pure.
If you would like to know more about our office water services, the water quality, pricing, delivery, or anything else, just let us know.
Acqua Panna
Franklin & Sons
S.Pellegrino
Sohat
Monviso
Evian
Fiji
Fiuggi
Lurisia
Perrier
Upbeat Drinks
Vita Coco
Volvic
Wildalp
Sophia Water
Spring Aqua
Harrogate Spring Water
Highland Spring
Veen
Dolomia
Voss
Ferrarelle