DO WE RECEIVE OUR MINERALS
FROM DRINKING WATER?

Minerals are essential for the basic functions of the human body to take place. They help to control bone growth, regulate fluids, normalize nerve and muscle functions, keep up metabolism, grow connective tissues, and so much more.

However, a big misconception is that that we obtain minerals from our drinking water. This is actually not true because, in reality, the main source of minerals is always from our food and diets, not from our drinking water. Because in order to receive enough minerals for our body, we need to drink a bathtub amount of water everyday! Not very feasible. We are sure that your doctor will not prescribe you a "bathtub of water" if you are deficient in minerals, right?

Therefore watch out for the water products which claims that they can take out ALL of the bad contaminants and leave you only the good stuff (healthy minerals) in the water. There is no real purification method that can be selective and leave you only the "good" stuff. When filters leave you the "good" stuff, they actually leave you "most" of the stuff in the water. "Most of the stuff" meaning besides calciums and magnesiums, they also leave you pesticites and most chemicals. In this era of pollution where water contains much more disease-causing contaminants than beneficial minerals, it makes sense that the water we drink should be as pure and clean as possible.

So remember to eat healthy and enjoy a variety of vegetables and grains everyday, and stay healthy the natural way.

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For your reference, below are the common minerals which can be found in our natural water sources.

Magnesium

“Hard water” is indicative of the presence of higher levels of magnesium. In certain areas, drinking water actually contains 100% or more of the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) for magnesium, which is around 300-400mg daily with levels varying according to gender and age. The need for magnesium increases with age as well as level of stress.

Magnesium controls muscle contraction, protein metabolism, blood coagulation, and energy production, among other vital tasks. Failure to take in enough magnesium over time leads to high blood pressure and osteoporosis.

That said, not only does this mineral aid in body functions, it can also help prevent disease.  Studies show that magnesium in drinking water protects against the deaths of patients with diabetes mellitus, and prevents the development of cerebrovascular disease. Magnesium also lowers the risk of fatality from acute myocardial infarction (heart disease), particularly in females. In high-risk patients, magnesium is recommended to protect against gastric cancer.

Calcium

Areas with hard water are known to provide as much as one-third of the RDA for calcium per eight glasses of drinking water. Adults should consume 1000-1200 mg of calcium per day.  Sure, we think mostly of milk and even orange juice to obtain this essential mineral, but it can also be found in our water supply.

The human body needs calcium to develop strong teeth and bones. With that, calcium can combat osteoporosis and other bone disorders.  It also helps in regulating nerve transmission, blood coagulation, and muscle contraction.

Calcium intake through water sources is shown to protect against death from acute myocardial infarction (heart disease), especially in women. It also protects against rectal and gastric cancers.

Sodium

Sodium naturally occurs in water supplies in varying amounts due to underground salt deposits and sea water. It is also added to water supplies in some areas to make it “soft” (or through home water softeners), and used for water purification in the form of sodium hypochlorite.

Necessary for transporting nutrients throughout the body and balancing fluid levels, sodium is best known for its negative effects—namely raising blood pressure. So, those with high blood pressure may want to avoid water with high levels of sodium.  However, in moderate amounts (under 3000 mg daily), sodium is perfectly safe.

Fluoride

There has been some controversy about fluoride being added to our water, more can be read about this debate here.

While not absolutely necessary, fluoride is proven to protect against cavities when consumed in moderate amounts (under 4 mg/L). Fluoride is partially responsible for the rapid decline in tooth decay seen in the United States since the mid-1980s.

Special care should be taken when fluoride is ingested by children—levels over 2 mg/L can damage developing adult teeth before they break through the gums.

Most water systems add fluoride to their water supplies, but not all; check with your local provider for additive levels in your area