Is filtered water better than bottled or tap water? What are the various benefits of bottled water in comparison with tap water?
This article compares the two and discovers a scientific answer to our questions. The study was conducted in America and Europe but was also valid in other parts of the world.
Water Nutrients
Before analyzing the individual drinking water sources, it is crucial to understand their nutritional contribution.
Many people drink mineral water because they believe it is more healthful. But what are those?
The World Health Organization (WHO) held a conference in 2005, bringing together experts worldwide.
The conference shared 80 epidemiology studies on water quality over the past 50 years.
The studies answered questions about the consumption of hard water. The conference also aimed to address the impact of water on health and reduce people's ischemic cardiovascular health problems.
Indeed, the water supplies for bottled and tap water can differ in their mineral contents. Some can contribute to the appreciable amounts of minerals due to intentional additions, natural conditions, and leaching from pipes.
Meanwhile, many can provide lesser amounts of essential minerals and nutrients.
With these considerations, the nutrients found in the drinking water that are of particular interest are the following:
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Calcium- This mineral is essential in developing bones and maintaining cardiovascular health.
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Magnesium- This is needed to promote cardiovascular and bone health.
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Fluoride- This mineral is effective in avoiding dental health problems.
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Sodium is an essential extracellular electrolyte that the body can lose due to excessive sweating.
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Copper is an important antioxidant that protects cardiovascular health and promotes iron utilization.
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Selenium- This nutrient is essential in protecting the immune system and promotes the overall antioxidant function.
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Potassium is essential for various biochemical effects. However, it might not be found at significant levels in natural drinking water sources.
2005 WHO conference concluded that the beneficial hypothesis of hard water is valid. If the hard water has more minerals, it can reduce several cardiovascular diseases.
Moreover, they have recommended that magnesium might be one of the positive contributors to several water benefits.
Bottled Water
For years, the mineral and bottled water industry has promoted that their water is the best and healthiest option. But is there any scientific proof to support this claim?
In European legislation, their stand is that natural mineral waters are from underground reservoirs or aquifers. It springs from one or many natural sources. It has hygienic features, which also include nutritional properties.
Benefits of Mineral Water
Various studies focus on the positive health effects of different minerals in bottled water. These include bicarbonate, magnesium, calcium, iron sulfate, chloride, and mixtures.
Indeed, these minerals are healthy. However, it does not necessarily signify that mineral water is healthier than other water types. Food or tap water with these minerals will also give similar health benefits:
- Chloride-vegetables and rock salt
- Bicarbonate-Bread
- Magnesium-Spinach, black beans, and banana
- Calcium-Almonds, kale, broccoli, and dairy
- Potassium-Potato, banana, zucchini, and broccoli
- Sulfate- Garlic, eggs, kale, and broccoli
- Iron- Broccoli, nuts, spinach, and dried fruits
For areas where people lack varied fruits and vegetables with mineral content, the same as drinking water can dictate the difference, as stated by the 2005 conference of the WHO.
Negative Aspects of Drinking Bottled Water
Various studies have focused on the safety of mineral bottled water, specifically on the migration of chemicals from the container to the water. This also involves microbial contaminants and microplastics.
Endocrine Disruptors and Plasticizers
Endocrine disruptors, or EDs, are chemicals that hamper the function of the endocrine system. Meanwhile, plasticizers are additives that impart handling properties and flexibility to various plastics. These are the main compounds in plastic containers that can negatively affect human health.
One major concern about mineral bottled water is the release of chemicals into the water from the container. Examples of these are plasticizers, which are also present in PET bottles.
Moreover, endocrine disruptors provide another alarming issue in bottled water. The experts researched the exposure of chemicals with activities similar to estrogen in bottled water.
In a study by Pinto, 30 samples of Italian water sources were stored in PET bottles. The results show that 90% of the water samples have estrogenic activity, 10% lower than the activity of the reference model.
On the other hand, an analysis of German mineral water, which is also stored in PET glass and TetraPak bottles, found that 10 to 20 brands demonstrate significantly high estrogenic activity.
A recent study involving in vivo experiments and bioanalytical techniques used the molluscan model to determine the estrogenic activity of bottled water. The estrogenic activity of bottled water from PET containers is twice that of products from glass bottles.
Furthermore, the University of Granada studies the 29 plastic bottles and glass sold to consumers in Southern Spain. All of the water samples analyzed showed that there are endocrine-disrupting chemicals that can alter hormonal activity.
Moreover, estrogens at pollutant levels cause prostate cancer in men and breast cancer in women. Estrogens can affect fish physiology, too. Finally, it can alter the reproductive development of both wild and domestic animals.
Microplastics Found in the Bottled Water
In addition to the EDs and plasticizers, microplastics are found in 92% of bottled water. Each liter of water contains 314.6 plastic particles or around 10,000 particles.
For the microplastic debris, which measures around 100 microns, the sample contains twice the microplastics per liter compared to the tap water samples.
Microbial Contaminants
Tap water and bottled water can also contain microbial contaminants. People with AIDS or a sensitive immune system are vulnerable to these contaminants, one example of which is Cryptosporidium.
One way to avoid waterborne cryptosporidiosis is to bring your drinking water. You can use a water filter or boil the water for at least one minute.
Tap Water
In the past years, people have questioned the quality of tap water. People were warned of drinking the public tap water because sensitive stomachs might have difficulty adapting to the bacteria culture. With the growing interest in health, studies about water contaminants have changed the scenario.
We are correct to be concerned about and aware of the fluid we drink daily. What is alarming is that many people have given up drinking tap water and have switched to bottled water for various reasons.
Water treatment and regulation have improved recently, and tap water quality is even better today. Recent developments include filtering, stringent regulation, and monitoring the nitrate level.
Is Tap Water Healthy?
Tap water, around 2 to 3 liters daily, can provide more than 1% of the recommended daily intake of four minerals: 10% copper, 6% calcium, 5% magnesium, and 3% sodium. The maximum concentration can supply the body with 23% Mg, 20% Ca, 33% Na, and 10% Zn.
Tap water can be a great source of magnesium, an essential mineral in the body. It can support the immune system and blood cell turnover.
Drinking at least 2 liters of tap water can fulfill 6 to 18% of the recommended daily calcium intake in some areas. Most water providers provide online water quality reports that include contaminants, minerals, and other substances found in the water.
Risks of Drinking Tap Water
Drinking water is delivered through 7 million kilometers of pipes. Many pipes were installed by the beginning of the 20th century and have a lifespan of only 75 to 100 years.
To modernize the infrastructure, we would have to double the annual investment. This can also protect health and the environment and reduce costs.
In 2009, it was found that 25% of domestic households have a lead pipe connecting to the internal plumbing or the main water line. This can put 120 million people at risk of consuming lead from their drinking water.
According to a study by the United States, there is no safe level of lead in the human body. Lead can have health impacts, expose children, and make management difficult.
Chlorination Issues
Some reports reveal increased colorectal cancer when people are exposed to chlorinated drinking water or its derivatives. There is also evidence that the disinfection by-products of drinking water can be associated with colorectal cancer.
This meta-analysis indicates that the best available epidemiological evidence still indicates that long-term chlorinated water consumption can be associated with bladder cancer, which is true for men.
A 2012 study done by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists has outlined the available evidence linked to maternal-fetal health and lead exposure. Although it does not recommend routine blood-lead sampling for pregnant women, it advises lactating and pregnant women whose blood levels exceed at some point.
Pharmaceuticals
For the past years, there have been alerts regarding birth control pills and other pharmaceuticals in the water.
Although the risk of birth control pills has already been debunked, there are some pharmaceuticals that you need to be aware of.
For example, livestock production accounts for 90% of the estrogen in the environment and the water supply, including bottled water. The remaining 10% comes from industrial chemicals used to manufacture synthetic estrogens, such as BPA, used in crop fertilizers.
Meanwhile, recent studies concluded that estrogen from tap water could pose a small risk versus other sources like unpasteurized milk.
Conclusion
In a nutshell, all water types are generally safe to drink. Thus, the choice is about eliminating the risk and improving the long-term health benefits of the people. It is impossible to eliminate the risk.
Since gauging risk is challenging, safety is essential to manage the risk to a reasonable degree. This is true since you cannot eliminate the dangers of unwanted chemicals in the water.
Tap water and bottled water offer almost the same minerals, which are helpful for the body. If you are doubtful about your home's water source, install Berkey Water Filters now.
These Filters will not remove the essential minerals in the water but can remove lead and mercury.
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