Your body needs water to function properly, as it is made up of 50-60% water. Adequate water intake helps cushion and lubricate joints, regulate body temperature, protect organs, improve circulation, and remove waste from your body.
There are several types of water you can choose from to keep your body hydrated and functioning at an optimal level. Each type of water, such as tap, mineral or carbonated, has a slightly different composition that sets it apart in terms of feel and taste. Some waters may also be associated with more health risks or benefits.
Knowing the potential composition of each type of water can help you determine which beverage best suits your goals and preferences.
Tap water is the most accessible, accessible and most commonly used type of water. About 150,000 public water systems provide this drinking water across the country. Municipal water systems treat water to remove hazardous impurities, making it safe to drink.
Despite these purification methods, about 1 in 7 (15%) adults in the United States believe tap water at home is unsafe to drink, and 39% believe bottled water is safer than tap water. About 26% of people do not like the taste of tap water. However, most of the time, your tap water is safe to drink.
If you are concerned about the safety of your tap water, contact your local water supplier and ask for information about contaminants in your drinking water. You can also ask them to send you a copy of the Consumer Confidence Report, which is an annual report on water quality.
About 10% of people in the US get their drinking water from a private well. Once the well is dug, these structures provide an easily accessible and affordable option for water. However, private wells are not regulated by the Safe Drinking Water Act, which means that homeowners are responsible for ensuring that their drinking water is safe.
One study of 2,100 private wells found that about one in five wells contained water with contaminants higher than human health standards for drinking water. The most common contaminants found are metals, radionuclides and nitrates. It’s important to get a good test every now and then to make sure it’s safe to drink and to rule out any underlying problems.
Some people use a water filter to improve the taste of tap or well water. These filters can be included in the water jug that you keep in the refrigerator or attached to the faucet.
Filtered water does not remove anything harmful from the water. If your tap water has fluoride, lead or other undesirable elements, a water filter will not significantly change the composition of the water.
Most water filters use charcoal or activated carbon to filter out minerals and some chemicals. However, there are no federal guidelines regarding the design or efficiency of water filters. Four of the 50 states—California, Iowa, Massachusetts and Wisconsin—have some regulations regarding water filters.
Carbon filters need to be changed regularly to avoid them becoming dirty or clogged. Some experts warn that a clogged filter can lead to the growth of bacteria and fungi, making your water more toxic than if you didn’t use a filter.
Purified water can come from any source — such as a tap, well or spring — but has been treated to meet the purified or sterile standards of the US Pharmacopoeia. To meet this standard, treated water must not contain any chemicals and must not contain more than 10 parts per million of total dissolved solids. It must also be free of microbes if treated by distillation or reverse osmosis.
To purify water, companies will use distillation, deionization, reverse osmosis, or another process to ensure it meets purified water guidelines.
Spring water comes from an underground formation and naturally flows to the surface of the earth. In order for bottled water to be labeled as spring water, the water must be collected at a source or through a well that celebrates the underground formation that feeds the source.
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requires that source water collected using an external force must originate from the same underground formation as the source and have the same composition and quality as water flowing to the surface.
Mineral water has a natural, constant level of minerals and trace elements. It comes from an underground source, and mineral levels are measured when the water is collected at the surface.
To be considered mineral water, water must contain at least 250 parts per million of total dissolved solids, according to FDA regulations. The minerals and trace elements in the water must also come from the original groundwater source for it to be labeled as mineral water. These elements cannot be added later.
However, some artificial mineral water products are available. For example, some products offer purified water with added electrolyte salts.
Drinking mineral water may have some health benefits. However, more research is needed before mineral water can be recommended over other types of water.
Carbonated water is water that has been carbonated with carbon dioxide. In some cases, this aims to restore the original level of carbon dioxide in the water source. A sparkling effect occurs after the treatment.
Carbonated bottled waters are sometimes labeled as “sparkling drinking water”, “sparkling mineral water” or “sparkling spring water”.
Drinking sparkling water may offer some health benefits, such as reducing drowsiness, increasing blood flow to the brain, improving motivation, and inducing feelings of euphoria.
However, carbonated water fails to regulate thermal perception (the ability to feel temperature) like still cold water does.
Alkaline water contains alkalizing minerals and electrolytes and has a higher pH than normal drinking water, meaning it is less acidic. Proponents of this type of water claim that it can neutralize acidity in the body, improve hydration and provide other health benefits.
For example, one small study found that drinking alkaline water had a positive effect on increasing bone density. Researchers suggest that this type of water can help neutralize the harmful effects of an acidic diet and prevent osteoporosis in postmenopausal women. However, more research is needed.
Meanwhile, another study found that eating a plant-based diet and drinking alkaline water worked as well as medication to relieve symptoms of laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR) — a type of acid reflux in which stomach acid travels all the way up to the throat.
Although distilled water is safe to drink, most people dislike the taste, finding it flat or bland. This can happen because the distillation process strips the water of minerals like calcium and magnesium that give tap water and some bottled waters their pleasant taste.
Distilled water is produced through a distillation process and is considered one of the purest forms of water, especially because this process kills microbes and removes minerals. Because of its purity, distilled water is often recommended for use in humidifiers and nasal rinses rather than for drinking.
There are no universal guidelines on the exact amount of water you should drink per day. Each person’s needs vary depending on age, climate, weight, activity level and health status. However, some health experts recommend 11.5 cups of fluid per day for women and 15.5 cups of fluid per day for men as a general guideline.
Your daily fluid intake comes from water, food, and other beverages. Food usually provides about 20% of your daily water needs, with the remaining 80% coming from plain water and other beverages. This means that women should drink about nine cups of water and men should drink about 13 cups a day.
If you are sick, live in a hot climate, or exercise regularly, you may need more water than the general recommendation. People who are pregnant may need about 12 cups (96 ounces) of water per day, while those who are breastfeeding may need up to 16 cups of water per day.
If you have questions about how much water you should drink per day based on your individual circumstances, ask your doctor for advice.
One of the biggest risks of not drinking enough water is dehydration. Dehydration occurs when your body loses more water than it takes in or you don’t drink enough throughout the day to maintain your hydration status.
Even mild dehydration can cause symptoms. Feeling thirsty is often a sign that your body is already dehydrated. Here are some other signs that you’re not drinking enough water:
- Have dry skin and lips
- Feeling tired or fatigued
- Experiencing dizziness
- Headaches
- Having muscle cramps
- Feeling dizzy
- Dark urine or decreased urine output
Water is essential for your survival. Your body uses water to cushion and lubricate joints, regulate body temperature, protect your organs, improve circulation and remove waste.
There are several types of water, including tap water, well water, spring water, alkaline water, distilled water, mineral water, filtered water, and sparkling water. Each version has a unique composition that can affect the mouthfeel and taste of the water. In addition, some types may offer more benefits or have health risks.