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Mineral water – Tap water: Which is healthier? Not all water is the same!
Is it actually worth buying mineral water or is the quality of tap water just as good? Are some brands of water actually better than others, or does it not matter which variety ends up in the shopping cart?
Tap water vs. mineral water – for many it’s a question of taste, while others are convinced that one is healthier than the other. But to answer this question, some important aspects need to be illuminated.
What makes a good mineral water in the first place?
Three basic classifications can be named here: Taste, the nutrient content of minerals and the potential pollutant load or heavy metal concentration. As we all know, taste is a matter of debate, so we will only provide you with the general information that the higher the mineral content, the stronger the taste as a rule. The mineral content should be high in all types of water, you might think, otherwise you wouldn’t use the word mineral, right? Not necessarily!
Since an EU reform in 1980, mineral water no longer has to have a minimum mineral content. Overall, there are very large variations in terms of nutrient content. In a comprehensive test of 31 mineral waters, Stiftung Warentest found that 15 of the water types tested only had a low mineral content of less than 500 milligrams per liter; tap water usually had more. In addition, “traces of a degradation product of a pesticide, a number of sweeteners and a complexing agent” were found in four waters. However, these were not found to be harmful to health. Overall, the mineral waters in the test were convincing: 25 received the verdict “good”, two the grade “very good”.
Few people take a look at the table of nutrients in water bottles, and those who do find complicated-sounding chemical substances whose meaning and concentration many people don’t understand anyway. Fortunately, the whole thing is not so complicated if you know what to look for – because not all nutrients are equally important. Overall, the mineral concentration of good water should be at least 500 milligrams per liter. A closer look should also be taken at the calcium and magnesium concentration. For these minerals, the water can be a very good source of nutrients, but the amounts contained in the water vary greatly depending on the brand.
Magnesium
Magnesium is an all-rounder and is involved in more than 300 important functions in the body – accordingly, an adequate supply is important. Depending on age and gender, the requirement is between 300 and 400 milligrams per day. The right choice of water can certainly help to achieve the recommended amount of magnesium. Water containing 50 milligrams or more per liter is generally considered to be rich in magnesium.
Water brands from discount stores do rather poorly here and usually have a magnesium content that is lower than 10 milligrams of magnesium per liter. More expensive waters obtained from traditional wells often perform better here. The best-known water brand with a high magnesium content is probably Gerolsteiner Sprudel with 108 milligrams per liter.
— source: Leitungswasser oder Mineralwasser – was ist gesünder? (fitbook.de)/picture: pixabay.com
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