There are many health benefits of drinking water.
However, drinking just any kind of water is not ideal, and not all water is created equal – some are cheaper or provide more nutrients than others.
So, to help you choose, here are the different types of water and what you should know about them.
1. Tap Water
Tap water originates from dams and rivers, which gets treated at a water treatment facility, stored in a water reservoir, and then supplied to homes through pipelines.
Even though tap water has to meet government guidelines, intermittent supply through old distribution pipes can leave the water unsafe.
PROS
Many people dislike the idea of drinking tap water because of the issues with taste or safety, but the reality is that tap water is safe to drink throughout much of the country.
Furthermore, apart from its safety, tap water is still less expensive than many bottled water options.
CONS
While industry standards help prevent lead and other harmful elements from polluting the water supply, it often doesn’t work.
Public water sources may also contain pesticide residue, aluminium, and other unwanted chemicals.
2. Mineral Water
Mineral water, as its name suggests, contains important minerals like calcium and magnesium. The water is extracted from underground sources with high mineral content before being packaged and marketed.
As you can imagine, this source-to-bottle process is more expensive. Still, natural mineral content does have certain health benefits, including improving immunological function and assisting the digestive system.
PROS
Since mineral water contains nutrients your body cannot produce on its own, it does have some health benefits, like helping with digestion.
CONS
The price of mineral water is one of its main drawbacks, and in most cases, people can obtain these nutrients from a balanced diet.
3. Spring Water
Since spring water is drawn straight from the source, it is often pure and free of contaminants. In most cases, the water may also contain important minerals.
PROS
In theory, spring water should be relatively clean and could contain similar raw materials found in mineral water.
CONS
Depending on how much you drink, spring water can get pricey, especially when compared to tap water. Additionally, some spring water is raw, unfiltered, and untested, which could pose potential health risks depending on its contents.
4. Alkaline Water
Alkaline water is a much-hyped term these days. In essence, alkaline water has a higher pH level than normal tap water and contains alkaline minerals and negative oxidation-reduction potential (ORP).
PROS
While you should not drink acidic water, many people believe that drinking alkaline water can help neutralize the acid in the body, which can then help slow the ageing process and even prevent cancer.
Unfortunately, there isn’t any scientific data to back up these statements.
CONS
Alkaline water is generally safe; however, it could reduce stomach acidity, lowering its ability to kill off harmful bacteria. In excess, it could also lead to metabolic alkalosis – producing symptoms like nausea and vomiting.
As a result, a general rule of thumb would be to drink water with a normal PH level. Drinking water with an uncomfortably high PH (alkaline) level or too low PH level can and will have detrimental effects on your body.
5. Purified Water
Purified water is usually tap or groundwater that’s been treated through Filtration, Reverse osmosis, UV, and Ozone to remove harmful substances like bacteria, fungi, and parasites.
PROS
If the water in your immediate area is contaminated, purified water is an excellent alternative. You get clean, pure-tasting drinking water after it eliminates unpleasant tastes brought on by chemical treatments, organic matter, or metal piping.
CONS
Purified water lacks some potentially advantageous chemicals added to tap water supplies since all potentially harmful components are eliminated.
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