CodecJay:
Water is the world most important substance, without water one can barely survive for just a day. , and across the country millions of people are reaching for bottles of water to keep cool.

But when you’re faced with a bewildering choice of different brands, how do you decide which is best value, which might be healthiest — and whether any of them are better than a simple glass of tap water?

bottle water and tap water

When you’re paying for water, it’s important to read the label carefully. If a bottle boasts that it contains ‘natural mineral water’, its contents must be sourced from a recognised spring, be safe and free from toxins and not be doctored.

‘Spring’ water, meanwhile, must have come out of the ground ready to drink, but can be blended from different springs.

However, if the label simply says ‘bottled water’, it can come straight from the mains — just like Del Boy’s infamous Peckham Spring variety from the TV series Only Fools And Horses. Believe it or not, around a third of bottled water sold in supermarkets is nothing more than re-processed tap water.


The taste of bottled water varies with its mineral content and acidity — and that depends on local geography. If it comes from a deep aquifer (an underground layer of water-bearing rock) it will probably contain more minerals, such as silica, potassium and sodium, than one from a shallow aquifer. And, for example, water from granite mountains will taste different from water from chalky rocks.

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If water has lots of calcium and magnesium, it will be ‘hard’ and have a crisp taste on the tongue. If levels are low, it will seem softer.

You can see how many minerals are in a bottle by looking on the label for what are called its total ‘dissolved solids’, or ‘residue value’. The higher the number, the more minerals, and water with lots of minerals may taste saltier.

The natural acidity of water also alters its flavour. Water that is more acidic — with a pH value less than 7 — will taste more bitter. Alkaline water — with a pH above 7 — will be sweeter on the tongue.

Even so, while the natural minerals in spring water will alter its flavour and feel, do they make it any ‘healthier’ than the stuff from the tap?

Well, the minerals in water include calcium, magnesium and sodium, which taken in the right quantities have a positive effect on our health.



Calcium (recommended daily amount: 800-1,000mg) aids the nervous system, regulates the heart rhythm and lowers blood pressure. It also helps guard against tooth decay and osteoporosis.

Magnesium (RDA: 300-400mg) aids bone growth and also protects against heart attacks and heart rhythm disturbances, as well as asthma and kidney stones.

Sodium (RDA: 1,100-3,300mg) regulates blood pressure, and aids muscle and nerve function. As it is found in many foods, it is easy to exceed the daily allowance. An excess of sodium can lead to high blood pressure and strokes. British Dietetic Association spokesperson Rin Cobb says: ‘Everyone has their own tastes and preferences, but tap water is safe to drink and a good way to meet your daily fluid needs.

‘The minerals found in bottled water are not nutrients we are lacking in diets, so it’s not essential to get them from drinking bottled water.’

But drinking any water is better than drinking none. So which one should you go for?

http://mixtgist.com/bottle-water-and-tap-water/

CodecJay:
Water is the world most important substance, without water one can barely survive for just a day. , and across the country millions of people are reaching for bottles of water to keep cool.

But when you’re faced with a bewildering choice of different brands, how do you decide which is best value, which might be healthiest — and whether any of them are better than a simple glass of tap water?

bottle water and tap water

When you’re paying for water, it’s important to read the label carefully. If a bottle boasts that it contains ‘natural mineral water’, its contents must be sourced from a recognised spring, be safe and free from toxins and not be doctored.

‘Spring’ water, meanwhile, must have come out of the ground ready to drink, but can be blended from different springs.

However, if the label simply says ‘bottled water’, it can come straight from the mains — just like Del Boy’s infamous Peckham Spring variety from the TV series Only Fools And Horses. Believe it or not, around a third of bottled water sold in supermarkets is nothing more than re-processed tap water.


The taste of bottled water varies with its mineral content and acidity — and that depends on local geography. If it comes from a deep aquifer (an underground layer of water-bearing rock) it will probably contain more minerals, such as silica, potassium and sodium, than one from a shallow aquifer. And, for example, water from granite mountains will taste different from water from chalky rocks.

images (5)

If water has lots of calcium and magnesium, it will be ‘hard’ and have a crisp taste on the tongue. If levels are low, it will seem softer.

You can see how many minerals are in a bottle by looking on the label for what are called its total ‘dissolved solids’, or ‘residue value’. The higher the number, the more minerals, and water with lots of minerals may taste saltier.

The natural acidity of water also alters its flavour. Water that is more acidic — with a pH value less than 7 — will taste more bitter. Alkaline water — with a pH above 7 — will be sweeter on the tongue.

Even so, while the natural minerals in spring water will alter its flavour and feel, do they make it any ‘healthier’ than the stuff from the tap?

Well, the minerals in water include calcium, magnesium and sodium, which taken in the right quantities have a positive effect on our health.



Calcium (recommended daily amount: 800-1,000mg) aids the nervous system, regulates the heart rhythm and lowers blood pressure. It also helps guard against tooth decay and osteoporosis.

Magnesium (RDA: 300-400mg) aids bone growth and also protects against heart attacks and heart rhythm disturbances, as well as asthma and kidney stones.

Sodium (RDA: 1,100-3,300mg) regulates blood pressure, and aids muscle and nerve function. As it is found in many foods, it is easy to exceed the daily allowance. An excess of sodium can lead to high blood pressure and strokes. British Dietetic Association spokesperson Rin Cobb says: ‘Everyone has their own tastes and preferences, but tap water is safe to drink and a good way to meet your daily fluid needs.

‘The minerals found in bottled water are not nutrients we are lacking in diets, so it’s not essential to get them from drinking bottled water.’

But drinking any water is better than drinking none. So which one should you go for?

http://mixtgist.com/bottle-water-and-tap-water/