Health professionals keep singing it from the rooftops all the time: you should drink more water every day. How much you drink depends primarily on you, but generally speaking, when you are well hydrated, you will enjoy a wide range of health benefits. This includes, among other things, better brain function and higher energy levels.
But not all water is created equal: in fact, for decades now, there has been several arguments and debates about which type of water is the best for overall health.
Tap water is found almost everywhere and the most popular of them all. You can access it via a piped water supply to water faucets and can be used to flush your toilets or used in the kitchen for cooking or washing your dishes.
Tap water is usually controlled and supplied by local government authorities in most countries.
Believe it or not, tap water is safe to drink in various parts of the United States of America. Many people, however, prefer other types of water over safety concerns or taste.
But tap water is good for you and cheaper to obtain compared to other varieties like bottled water, etc.
There are several industry regulations in place that were created to keep harmful substances such as lead, etc. from contaminating the water supply; sometimes, it does not always work.
Moreover, there have been reports about plastic particles in tap water supplies. It has also been proven that public water supplies may also contain undesirable substances such as aluminum, pesticide residue, etc.
You can always purchase an additional water filtration system for more cleansing.
Mineral water is obtained from a mineral spring and is expectedly full of minerals like magnesium, sulfur, and calcium, all of which are good for your health.
Mineral water is loaded with fantastic, health-boosting minerals for the human body. It aids in digestion and is preferable over tap water by many Americans. That, however, is down to personal preference.
It is costly, especially when it is compared with tap water. You can always get most of the minerals in this type of water if you follow a healthy and balanced diet.
Distilled water is sometimes referred to as de-ionized or de-mineralized water. It is usually boiled, and then the steam is collected, cooled, and condensed into a liquid.
Everything is removed from this type of water, and this includes minerals and ions. It is perhaps, the purest form of water available since it has practically nothing in it, either good or bad, i.e. no nutrients, bacteria, contaminants or minerals. In other words, distilled water is almost sterile.
If you are visiting a very remote area and you are not sure about their water supply, you may take distilled water along with you.
Distilled water holds no significant health benefits since it doesn’t contain any minerals or vitamins. You need to be very careful since it has been proven that de-mineralized water pulls or attract minerals from any source such as your body or even teeth.
Hydrogen water contains hydrogen molecules which act as powerful antioxidants. It is medically claimed that these hydrogen molecules are highly capable of helping the human body to efficiently neutralize free radicals that contribute to the development of diseases, slow down aging, and reduce inflammation.
If you are a health-conscious individual and happy to shell out a few dollars on a health-giving product, then you may go for hydrogen water. However, this is not 100 percent guaranteed.
The only shortcoming about hydrogen water is that its alleged benefit has not been substantially proven.
Alkaline water is a liquid with a much higher pH level – i.e. pH level of 8 – than standard or regular tap water. It contains negative oxidation-reduction potential (ORP) and alkaline minerals. It is recently becoming more popular since research has shown that an alkaline diet is excellent for overall health.
The human body thrives exceptionally well when maintained at a slightly alkaline pH. It is generally considered safe. Some reports have it that alkaline water helps to slow down the aging process, contribute to the neutralization of acid in the human body, and prevent cancer. However, scientific proof is scarce.
The WHO (World Health Organization) has released a report that cautions against the regular drinking of alkaline water or water with low mineral and nutrient content.
Alkaline water can also reduce stomach acidity, and this may lower its ability to destroy harmful bacteria. When consumed in excess, it could bring about metabolic alkalosis, which may induce vomiting or nausea.
You may have a preference for a particular type of water; but in reality, no one type promises and delivers much greater health benefits than others.
Just make sure your drinking water is clean and very safe and should be sufficient enough to hydrate you. So, continue to drink good and clean water every day and regularly.