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Is hard water bad?
Hard water is water with a high mineral content, which is necessary for our body.
How stigmatised is hard water - is it really bad or is it a false myth?
Read on to find out more!
A false myth
Indeed, believing that hard water is bad is a false statement that continues to ring true. Hard water is harmful for household appliances and makes clothes stiff, but we are living beings. Our bodies have very different needs from those of a washing machine.
Hard water has a high mineral content: calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium... All of them are necessary for our body.
Don't we eat bananas because they are rich in potassium?
The importance of minerals
They are one of the most important elements for our health, because all metabolic processes and enzymes require them.
They are also essential for our genes to function. Without minerals, gene repair and gene expression may become impaired, leading to degenerative diseases.
For our body to function properly, we need 90 essential nutrients that our body cannot produce, and 2/3 of these nutrients are minerals.
Bioavailability
Bioavailability is a measure that evaluates the rate at which a substance, in this case minerals, is absorbed. Bioavailability depends on how the substance is administered or ingested.
And although not all water is the same, as some have greater or lesser bioavailability, the bioavailability of minerals in water is greater than in solid foods. In other words, the body is able to absorb the minerals dissolved in water more quickly and efficiently than it does in other foods.
White water
Do you see white tap water and think it's strange? It's not!
The fact that the water looks more opaque, with a whitish hue, is due to the presence of these minerals, especially calcium.
The Urology Unit of the Puigvert Foundation (University of Barcelona) conducted a study analysing the leading mineral and tap waters in Spain. The study showed how these waters, depending on the minerals they contain, help to eliminate or prevent lithiasis (kidney or gall bladder stones).
Most water in Spain is rich in minerals and is highly controlled. The law requires that tap water supplied to the whole population must comply with certain parameters. The parameters establish maximum levels of chlorine, nitrites, lead... But it does not establish a maximum of minerals, as these are natural substances that complement our food and nutrition.
Sales pitch
Saying that hard water is not good for you is the perfect sales pitch for companies that produce water softeners or osmosis systems that distil water.
Generally these systems introduce chemical substances in their filters such as ion exchange resin, a material derived from petroleum (benzene and styrene) and which can be toxic.
Distilled or mineral-poor water is acidic, dead water, and its consumption can have serious health consequences.
In the 60s and 70s in the United States, this argument was widely used to sell osmosis equipment that carried out a complete purification of the water. It took out toxic substances such as chlorine, heavy metals and pesticides, among others, as well as the necessary substances such as minerals.
As a result, cases of cardiovascular problems in the population were on the rise. The government was alerted and took action. It realised that these diseases stemmed from the lack of mineral intake in the population. It was a direct consequence of the osmosis trend of distilling water.
At present, European legislation prohibits the sale of equipment that distils water for human consumption. It sets the minimum pH for consumption at 6.5 and a maximum of 9.5. (Except in sparkling water, where the pH can be reduced to 4.5).
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(*) WARNING
This information is based on available scientific information. These statements have not been evaluated by EFSA. Our water is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
Alkanatur recommends a balanced and varied diet.
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