Mineral Water Health Benefits

Did You Know?
Calcium and magnesium content in mineral water is up to 400% of what it is in regular tap water.

Studies reveal that mineral water is the healthiest type of bottled water, and drinking it daily can positively enhance your overall well-being. This is because, it is a good source of essential minerals like magnesium, calcium and iron. Even trace minerals like selenium naturally occur in mineral water.

Moreover, unlike tap water, it does not contain any added chemicals, and is completely natural and free from preservatives. The naturally occurring minerals remain intact in mineral water, which is not the case with purified or distilled water. Some of its benefits are discussed here:

Women after menopause suffer from gradual bone loss, which can be brought under control by having mineral water regularly. This was found out in one study that has been cited in a popular scientific journal suggesting, calcium present in mineral water can be crucial to maintain normal bone density and prevent development of bone diseases like osteoporosis.

Magnesium also plays a key role in maintaining normal blood pressure. In one study, it was observed that hypertension patients who were given a liter of mineral water daily eventually showed a drop in blood pressure values. These patients were suffering from poor magnesium levels. Hence, taking magnesium rich mineral water helped to lower blood pressure.

Too much of LDL or 'bad' cholesterol is a major contributory factor in the development of heart problems. Regularly drinking mineral water can slash your risk of heart diseases as it helps to lower LDL cholesterol. Moreover, minerals like magnesium and potassium found in mineral water support heart function.

Mineral water is a good source of sulfates that help to promote digestion. Sulfates do an important task of stimulating the pancreas to release enzymes like lipases, proteases and amylases that assist to digest food properly. Low levels of sulfates can lead to poor digestive health and cause diarrhea, constipation and bloating.

Magnesium rich mineral water can also play an important role in muscle function. Considered to be an essential mineral of our body, magnesium allows muscles to contract and relax properly. No wonder, muscle cramps and aches is said to be an indicator of magnesium deficiency.

Electrolytes are nothing but salts (sodium, potassium, chloride and bicarbonate) that help the body cells to absorb water, thereby preventing dehydration. As this mineral water is a good source of electrolytes, people experiencing electrolyte imbalance are often asked to drink mineral water to replenish electrolyte loss.

Although increase in intake of a wide variety of fluids is recommended to prevent kidney stones, drinking mineral water is the best choice. Generally, kidney problems occur due to the formation of a calcium oxalate kidney stone.

Drinking mineral water containing magnesium and calcium in adequate amounts helps to decrease calcium oxalate concentration. Studies have also revealed that mineral water can greatly reduce the risk of suffering from uric acid kidney stone.

Certain beverage brands that sell bottled mineral water contain high amount of sodium. So, using only mineral water to fulfill daily fluid intake can actually lead to excess consumption of salt.

Also, drinking too much of mineral water for people with high blood pressure is definitely detrimental to health. So, either go for brands that provide mineral water with low sodium content or limit intake of mineral water altogether.

During pregnancy, it is essential to keep the body hydrated by drinking water from time to time. As far as drinking mineral water is concerned, one should restrict its use to occasional. Bottled mineral water may be high in salt and so swapping it for regular drinking water can raise blood pressure and cause health complications during pregnancy.

When mineral water is carbonated, using some techniques, it is termed as sparkling mineral water. However, this type of mineral water is also found naturally in springs. Sparkling mineral water is just as good as normal mineral water for the body.

In most cases, carbon dioxide is added to natural mineral water through man-made processes and then it is sold in bottles labeled as sparkling mineral water. An added benefit of carbonated mineral water is that it very capable in destroying germs that are a potent source of various viral and bacterial infections.

Disclaimer: The information provided here is solely for educating the reader. It is not intended to be a substitute for the advice of a medical expert.