Water Looks the Same, Works the Different!

For the past few weeks, we have been discussing the importance of drinking water and its relationship with minerals, our body, and growth. Many people know that drinking water is good for health. Now the question has shifted from "why drink water" to "what kind of water to drink."

In fact, people-non-scientists and non-experts-may be less interested to know about the scientific properties and formula of water. Instead, all they want to know is answers to questions such as "What kind of water should we drink? Or "What are the qualities of good water?"

To answer those questions, first thing we have to do is to go over the types of drinking water on Earth-what are the options that we can choose from. The following is the list of water that people normally drink:

Ground Water / Spring Water

Ground water is from an underground source that is under a pressure equal to or greater than atmospheric pressure. Similarly, spring water comes from an underground formation from which water flows naturally to the Earth's surface.

Tap Water

"We'll just have tap water please." This is what we say when we go to restaurant. Do you know what you're drinking? If not, don't be surprised. Tap water is treated with chlorine to destroy bacteria and viruses in water. However, chlorine, which was supposed to protect body from harmful contaminants, can negatively affect our body. This is because when it is delivered to households, tap water can be contaminated by germs from rusty water pipes.

Boiled Water

There are some households that prefer to drink boiled water at home. To destroy germs and bacteria in water, water is literally "boiled." This can be clean, contaminant-free, yet it can be considered as "dead water" since healthy components that our body needs can be removed during the boiling process.

Mineral Water

Walking through the aisle in supermarket, you'll find different types of "mineral water" bottles. How are they different from other water? Mineral water contains at least 250 parts per million total dissolved solids (TDS). It comes from a source tapped at one or more bore holes or spring and originates from a geologically and physically protected underground water source.

Reverse Osmosis Water

According to the documentary called "Water Secret" broadcasted by MBC, majority of urban Koreans drink RO water at home, school and work. This type of purified water (through reverse osmosis system) is "de-mineralized" water. Removing the important minerals such as Calcium and Magnesium, people drinking RO water may suffer from diseases and illness such as osteoporosis and stroke.

Antioxidant Alkaline Water

Antioxidant Alkaline Water is also known as "ionized" water. Through the process of electrolysis, which breaks up large molecules into groups of five or six, normal water becomes Antioxidant Alkaline Water that can be easily absorbed by the body. Also, this type of water is abundant in minerals which help the balance of metabolism.
 

 

Source:
Jeon, H.T. (2013), Cure the Incurable: Antioxidant Alkaline Water Changes Your Life
NSF International (n.p., n.d.), NSF Consumer Information: Types of Treatment of Bottled Water, Retrieved from: http://www.nsf.com/consumer/bottled_water/bw_types.asp?program=BottledWat