Water is essential for all life on Earth. Without it, there would be no plants, no animals, and no humans either, with water making up around 60% of our body weight on average and playing a key role in countless bodily processes too.
Drinking water is something any healthy human simply has to do, each and every day, but you’ve got a few options in terms of what water you drink, and more and more Americans are turning away from tap water in favor of filtered, purified alternatives.
But what kinds of health benefits can pure water provide? Is it really that much different to regular tap water, and should you be making the switch if you mostly drink tap water at the moment? Read on to see what makes pure water the healthiest choice.
Clearing Out Chlorine
One of the main issues of concern when talking about tap water is its high chlorine content. Chlorine is used around the world in public water supplies, designed to kill bacteria and make the water safer to drink, but consuming chlorine isn’t particularly healthy either.
Reverse osmosis filtering and other purification processes are able to clean up the water supply in a more natural and safe way, clearing out the excess chlorine for more nutritious water overall. What’s more, once the chlorine is removed, pure water tastes and smells much better.
Sediment
As water passes through the pipes beneath and throughout your home, or up through the well system if you make use of well water, it can pass across various surfaces and collect all kinds of microscopic pieces of sand, silt, and sediment.
Often, you can’t necessarily see these little bits of dust and dirt, but they’re still there, and there are some potential long-term health risks associate with this repeated sediment consumption. Again, filters and purifiers are able to clean sediment and silt from the water with ease.
Heavy Metals
Several studies and reports have shown that many water supplies contain at least trace quantities of dangerous heavy metals, including arsenic, lead, and mercury.
In small quantities, these metals may not do much damage, but long-term consumption could lead to all kinds of issues. Some studies have linked heavy metal exposure and consumption with increased risks of fertility issues, for instance.
The Best Balance
Many people have misconceptions about how filters work; they don’t remove absolutely everything from your water, leaving nothing but 100% pure H2O. Instead, they get rid of the dangerous contaminants and excess minerals, while still leaving some healthy levels of minerals behind.
This can help to protect you from all kinds of diseases and other issues, while still giving you the essential minerals your body needs. It’s basically like having your own spring or pure water source pouring straight out of your faucets.
Bacteria
Even though a lot of effort goes into killing bacteria in public water supplies through the application of chlorine and other techniques, it’s still possible for certain microorganisms to survive these processes.
Bacteria like E. Coli and parasites like cryptosporidium can sometimes make their way into the water supply, entering the human body and triggering all kinds of painful, unwanted symptoms. With a strong water filter with ultraviolet purification, these germs and microbes are destroyed.
Stronger Hydration
Believe it or not, drinking pure water can actually help you feel more hydrated and refreshed than drinking unfiltered water. A study published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, for instance, showed that a group of people drinking pure water showed overall stronger hydration levels than a control group that was given regular non-mineralized water.
There are several benefits to this. For example, athletes and active people will find that they stay better hydrated during their workouts when drinking pure water, able to push their bodies further each time, and those drinking water to stay refreshed on hot days will feel hydrated for longer too. Also if you wonder how to remember to stay hydrated while temperatures drop during winter days, check the tips on this link.
See Also: Can You Drink Rainwater?
Conclusion
In practice, pure, filtered water has been shown to offer a wide range of health benefits, in addition to those mentioned above. It can reduce the risks of several types of cancer, for instance, as well as promoting good heart and brain health.
Pure water has also been linked to better kidney function and digestive organ health, as well as reduced acid reflux, lower levels of appetite in between meals, and healthier, younger-looking skin too, so it’s clearly the best option for those who want to be kind to their bodies.
