The science is there. Being hydrated is a significant factor in optimum health. After all, water isn’t just something we drink; our bodies desire it and helps it thrive. And our bodies are screaming to be hydrated, America! We’re lax about drinking water, and that’s a problem because the human body — muscles, kidneys, brain, and bones included — is made up of about 76 percent water.
According to the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine, men, on average, should drink 3.7 liters (or 125 ounces a day). Women, on average, should drink 2.7 liters (or 91 ounces a day). That’s a few glasses more than we’re taught as kids. Lubricated and cushioned joints, a robust immune system, weight loss, and brighter skin only scratch the surface of the benefits to drinking water. Knowing which type of water is best for your health may inspire you to drink more.
Hydrogen Water
Despite its fancy-sounding name, hydrogen water is a simple concept. It’s a mixture of pure water that’s been infused with extra hydrogen molecules. The everyday glass of water, too, contains hydrogen, but this enhanced version incorporates more. It’s often packaged in pouches, boxes, and aluminum bottles to keep from the molecules escaping. For the best experience, it’s encouraged to drink the hydrogen water 15-30 after you’ve opened the container.
Hydrogen water is created by injecting hydrogen gas into pure water before it’s packed up and shipped off. And because hydrogen is an odorless, colorless, and tasteless gas, drinkers won’t notice a difference from regular water. The gaseous water is said to have health benefits such as decreasing inflammation, boosting athletic performance, removing free radicals, slowing down the aging process. However, limited testing has been done to back up these claims. But the potential benefits don’t come cheap. A 4-bottle case of hydrogen water can cost up to $20. Hydrogen tablets are also sold at health food stores for those who want to do the infusing themselves.
Alkaline Water
Alkaline water and its benefits have been in the health and wellness world for years. Its name refers to the water’s pH levels. PH measures the acidity or alkalinity of a water-based substance on a scale from 0 to 14. A pH of 1 is considered acidic, and anything past 7 is alkaline. Regular drinking water typically has a pH of 7 or lower, whereas alkaline water has a pH of 8 or 9. Alkaline water’s higher pH count is why some believe that it can neutralize the acid in a person’s body.
But an elevated pH isn’t the only thing that makes up alkaline water. It also contains elements like alkaline minerals and has Negative Oxidation Reduction (NOR), which is the ability of water to be a pro- or antioxidant.
Among its list of health benefits are boosting your immune system, hydrating skin, slowing the aging process, and preventing chronic diseases like cancer. It’s often marketed toward athletes as being able to help them recharge. Like hydrogen water, whether or not alkaline water is truly beneficial is unknown, though limited tests conducted have had promising results. It’s also warned that ingesting too much alkaline water can have its side effects, so sip, but sip carefully.
Spring/Mineral Water
Springwater, also known as mineral water, is said to be collected at the source and championed for being one of the purest forms of water a person can drink. It’s is found in underground water supplies or reservoirs that flow up to the surface either naturally or mechanically.
What makes spring water so popular is that the earth naturally filters the water. As it passes over natural filters like rocks and sand, it picks up traces of the minerals our body needs but doesn’t always produce. Some of those minerals include magnesium, calcium, sodium, and potassium. Some water drinkers like to visit local springs to bottle the water themselves and reap the benefits, instead of purchasing it at the grocery store. We don’t recommend this, as fresh spring water can also hold contaminants from nature. The health benefits of spring water include lowering blood pressure, combating heart disease, and strengthening bones.
Purified Water
Purified water is hailed as the best choice of water because of its purification methods. Regular water undergoes a process similar to filtered water during the purification process. But instead of only being filtered through a carbon filter, which contains activated charcoal, it purifies it further through 3-5 more filtration steps such as distillation, Reverse Osmosis, or deionization. Though, the most effective method is said to be Reverse Osmosis.
Reverse Osmosis is the process of taking well or groundwater and using pressure to push it through a semi-permeable membrane and filtering it. This membrane has tiny pores in it, which blocks any particles larger than a water molecule. And because of this, the filter can remove most contaminants. After its initial filtration, the water filters through the carbon filter to remove chemicals like chlorine before going through 2 or 3 more filtration stages. And at the end of the process, sediments like silica gravel finish the process by polishing the water to sparkling clarity.
The result is water that’s crisp, clean, and said to be purer than filtered, spring, or tap water and features the same benefits as more popular water types. What makes it even more of a winner is that unlike the other options on this list, purified water can be enjoyed in your home at all times by way of a whole house water filtration system.
Enter Puronics. This EPA certified pioneer of purified water and partner of NASA offers the best reverse osmosis filtration systems on the market. Puronics’ lineup features 5 different filtration systems, each specialized to solve your home’s water problems. These systems utilize green technology and incorporate a SilverShield Hygiene Filter, adapted from NASA’s ion technology. Only the best to bring the world safe, clean, and palatable water to your home.
Having one installed in your home has many benefits. It reduces the overall cost of buying water from the grocery store and your everyday chores benefit from using purified water.
Your clothes feel softer, lighter, and cleaner. Your hair becomes healthier and nourished. And the life of your pipes and appliances are extended. Other benefits include reduced allergy flare-ups, more energy, lower blood pressure, and increased organ efficiency.
The Science of Water
The Science of Water is proud to be the exclusive Puronics dealer and installer for Gainesville and Jacksonville, Florida. Learn which Puronics filtration would benefit your home by taking our free water test and solving the puzzle of what’s in your water.
Learn more about Puronics, Reverse Osmosis, and how to get the best water you’ve ever tasted. Contact us!