Mineral Water: What You Need to Know
Everything You Need to Know About Reverse Osmosis Filtration.
Are minerals in the water
essential to my body?
Everyone knows that water is life and that it plays a vital role in almost every bodily function. From regulating temperature and supporting digestion to transporting nutrients and keeping our cells healthy, staying hydrated is one of the simplest and most important things we can do for our overall well being.
But while water is undeniably crucial, when it comes to getting the minerals our body needs, there's a common misconception: many people believe their daily water intake can cover their mineral needs.
Let's break that down.
A study found that Drinking water provides:
When it comes to essential minerals like calcium, magnesium, and potassium, it's important to understand that drinking water contributes only a small fraction to our daily nutritional needs.
Daily Calcium
Daily Magnesium
Food as source of Minerals
In contrast, fruits and vegetables are rich sources of these vital minerals. Bananas, for instance, are well-known for their high potassium content, while leafy greens like spinach and kale are excellent sources of magnesium and calcium.
Therefore, while staying hydrated is crucial for overall health, relying on water as a primary source of minerals isn't sufficient. A balanced diet rich in fruits and vegetables is essential to meet your body's mineral requirements effectively.
Reverse Osmosis and Minerals
When choosing a water filter, many people wonder: Does reverse osmosis (RO) remove essential minerals? And is that a problem? Let’s break it down in a simple way.
Why Does Reverse Osmosis Remove Minerals?
Reverse osmosis works using a semi-permeable membrane, which is designed to remove contaminants, bacteria, heavy metals, and other harmful substances from water. This membrane has tiny pores, so small that only water molecules can pass through.
Water molecule:
0.000282 microns
Mineral particles:
Much larger (e.g. calcium, magnesium)
Viruses:
Up to 50x larger than water molecules
Because of this size difference, reverse osmosis removes everything larger than water molecules, including both harmful contaminants and beneficial minerals.
Do We Need Minerals from Water?
Many people worry that drinking demineralised water isn’t healthy. But here’s the truth: we don’t rely on water for minerals.
The amount of minerals in water is tiny compared to what we get from food.
A single glass of milk or a handful of nuts contains more calcium and magnesium than litres of mineral water.
A balanced diet provides all the essential minerals we need—water is for hydration, not nutrition.
So, if your water is free from minerals due to reverse osmosis, there’s no real nutritional loss... just pure, clean water.
Want Minerals Back in Your Water? There’s a Simple Fix!
If you prefer drinking water with minerals, you can add an alkaline re-mineraliser filter to your reverse osmosis system. This filter:
Like calcium, magnesium, and potassium.
Making the water slightly alkaline.
Making the water smoother and fresher.