Water is essential to the body. Water intake is the natural way of enhancing your body’s hydration levels. Staying hydrated has several health benefits to the body. It helps the body function better and improves your health.
Health experts advise that you should be drinking more water every day. Drinking at least 8 glasses of clean water is advised for a healthy body. The water levels differ in individuals as others tend to drink more. The type of work or activity you engage in determines the water you should drink. Men tend to drink more water than women as they engage in more tedious activities. Those in hot climate areas should drink more water as they lose body fluids more through sweating.
Water provides higher energy levels and helps the brain function better. However, not all water is the same. Some water sources are cheaper, while others provide more body nutrients than others. There are different types of water. They vary in nutrients and sources. The kind of water you consume determines the effect on the body. The most common water that most people drink is;
Tap Water
Tap water is the most common water type worldwide. It’s cheaply available, making it easy for many households to drink this water. Tap water is accessible through pipes that connect to your house and come out of your home sinks.
Tap water is always safe to drink. The water is passed through a cleaning process before being linked to the pipes. It’s tasteless and safe for any individual to use. However, some people find the taste unpleasing and avoid using them due to safety reasons. It’s a cheaper way of having water than buying water bottles.
Cons
Tap water is mostly public water and is provided in large volumes. The water can be contaminated with harmful substances like lead, plastic particles, pesticides, and other harmful substances. These substances are treated but can still be left as the process is dine-in large scale. Consider using a home filtration system to cleanse your water before drinking for those with doubts about tap water.
Distilled Water
Distilled water is considered highly safe to drink. This water type is formed by boiling and cooling the steam. The steam is condensed back into a liquid after evaporation for those living in areas where tap water is contaminated. It kills the germs and all harmful substances in the water as it evaporates. Only the steam is collected; hence a clean residue that is safe to drink is formed.
However, distilled water has no health benefits. As you boil and condense the water, all the vitamins and minerals in the water are lost. This deprives all the water benefits from this water type. It can also be detrimental as the water tries to pull minerals from your body.
Purified Water
Purified water is water that has no harmful substances in it. This can be tap or groundwater passed through a cleansing process to remove unwanted substances like fungi, parasites, and bacteria. Purified water is considered safer as it’s well treated. Purified water is a great option for those who face contamination problems. Many countries purify their tap water to enhance safety in the water. Drinking purified water guarantees you safety. However, like distilled water, purified water has no health benefits. As the water is purified, all the harmful substances and nutritious minerals are removed from the water. Purchasing purified water or installing a purifying system comes at a higher cost making it expensive to access purified water.
Flavor or Infused Water
Flavored water is also known as infused or sweet water. This is water that’s added with sweetening flavors. These artificial sweeteners have natural or artificial flavorings that give the water a sweet, pleasing taste. For those who like tasty fluids, hint and propel are a great type of water to take. They are alternatives that allow you to drink more water in larger amounts. There are many flavor variations available to add to your variation. The flavors can be added naturally by incorporating vegetables and fruits into tap water or artificially using artificial flavors.
Artificial sweeteners contain added sugars that can lead to weight gain or allergic reactions in some people.
Alkaline Water
Alkaline water is water that has a higher PH value than normal tap water. It contains alkaline minerals and has a negative oxidation-reduction potential. Alkaline water helps neutralize body acids and slows the aging process due to the higher ph levels. It’s safe to drink. However, it lowers stomach acidity, reducing its efficiency in destroying harmful bacteria in the stomach. Excess drinking of this water can lead to metabolic alkalosis. Its symptoms are nausea and vomiting.
Well Water
Well, water is water that comes directly from the ground. A well is an artificial hole drilled to provide water. Well, water has many nutrients and minerals that are beneficial to the body. It’s advisable to treat well water before drinking to kill the harmful bacteria. Untreated well water is contaminated more so with parasites and bacteria. Drinking this water leads to health problems. Before drinking well water, ensure that it is well treated to avoid getting water-related diseases.
Sparkling Water
Sparkling water is also known as carbonated water or soda water. Sparkling water is formed by infusing water with carbon dioxide under high pressures. They are mineralized hence nutritious to the body, especially teeth. Soda water offers a different water taste that is an alternative to flavored or flat water. The flavors are natural and have no added sugars. It’s expensive to get sparkling water.
Mineral Water
This is water that is sourced from a mineral spring, mountains, or other natural water sources. As the name suggests, mineral water contains lots of minerals like sulfur, magnesium, and calcium. These minerals are beneficial to your body. It provides the body with minerals it can’t create. Mineral water has its own downside as it’s very expensive, making it difficult for many to drink frequently.
Glacier Water
Spring or glacier water is available in bottle forms. Its sourced directly from the source, either the spring or glacier. The water is clean and free from toxins. It has beneficial nutrients to the body. It’s readily available for use. However, it comes with potential risks as the water is raw and contains harmful substances.
Conclusion
The main goal of drinking more water is to stay hydrated. Water tastes and preferences vary in individuals. Whichever water you find best and sweet to you has common body benefits. Ensure that the water is clean and safe before drinking. Drink enough water daily for a healthy body.
MS, Lund University, Sweden
Nutrition plays an important role in human life. Eating habits are one of the factors that affect our health. There is often a misconception among people that nutritionists force a very restrictive diet, but that is not true. In fact, I don't ban any products, but I point out dietary mistakes and help change them by giving tips and new recipes that I've tried myself. I advise my patients not to resist change and to be purposeful. Only with willpower and determination can a good result be achieved in any area of life, including changing eating habits. When I don't work, I love to go climbing. On a Friday evening, you are most likely to find me on my couch, cuddling with my dog and watching some Netflix.
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