How do I know if “drinking water” is actually safe or healthy?
MARCH 17, 2020 BY SOFT WATER BY MELISSA
1. “Purified” Water is stripped of minerals which are electrolytes. The result is water that actually flushes out your body and leaves you dehydrated and feeling poorly. But you will feel thirsty and reach for more bottles of “purified” water — great business for companies like Aquafina who strip water until it is the same as distilled (something we know not to buy, but Aquafina fails to report even though it registers at a “2” on a TDS meter; distilled is at “0” whereas healthy water is 30-100!).
2. “Purified” water that is stripped is also acidic. Bacteria, viruses and cancer prefer an acidic environment. Most purified water is below a 6 pH and is not good for you. Shoot for a pH ranging from 6.5-8.5 — not too high or too low.Anything over 7.5 is alkaline, and a pH that is very high (9, 10 or more) can actually be as corrosive as acidic water and cause its own set of issues over time.
3. Good water will be purified and then built back up with essential minerals like potassium, magnesium and calcium, which are extremely important for many body functions, such as your gut, brain, heart, muscles, and when too low, impact you with brain fog, anxiety, sleeplessness, upset stomach, muscle cramps, irregular heartbeats, and more.
But not all minerals are created equal— at least not how you’d think. The hard minerals in tap water are carbonates that your body can’t process and result in kidney stones when your body can’t flush them fast enough. Bi-carbonates are what your body requires, like what are found in fruits and vegetables. The plants break them down for our bodies to absorb properly.Why is this important? Because many bottled water brands are “spring water” and still contain carbonates (Perrier, San Pellegrino, and others) and while having one here and there is not harmful, drinking them all day/every day can cause stones. Arrowhead and other spring waters are not as high and are generally safer for steady consumption (The TDS is usually around 200-250; the cutoff for stones is at approx. 300ppm.)
Lastly, I suggest you stay away from bottled water that adds salt to “improve taste” and artificially raise the pH. It is not something we should be consuming from water but is the cheap way to offset the bitter taste and low pH. Instead, opt for bottled brands that use the 3 basics: magnesium, calcium and potassium. Those are healthier for continuous consumption over the long run.
Ultimately, however, bottled water is a trillion-dollar a year industry. Why make them rich at your expense when you can have an RO in your home that not only purifies but also builds back up the water and makes it pure AND healthy? You’ll save a fortune over the years – a fortune that Pepsi, Coca-Cola, and Nestle want in their pockets, not yours