Mineral Water

We explain what mineral water is and what types of mineral waters we can find. Also, its health benefits.

What is mineral water?

Mineral water is a type of water that contains minerals and other dissolved substances such as gases salts or sulfur compounds that modify and enrich its flavor or provide therapeutic properties. This type of water can be of natural origin or manufactured artificially.

In the past, mineral water was available directly from its natural sources, such as thermal baths and mineral wells, where people went to receive invigorating or even healing treatments. Currently, however, mineral water It is usually bottled or packaged directly at its source to then be distributed and offered commercially, which has made access to natural sources more difficult due to commercial rights.

mineral water is free of organic or microbiological contamination since it comes from the subsoil, in a state of great purity due to the filtering effect of the underground rocks and sand. However, these waters have a high content of minerals and salts, which give them particular chemical characteristics, depending on their region of extraction.

For example, carbonated waters naturally have bubbles of carbon dioxide inside (carbonated water), which can be artificially reproduced, but not with the same chemical content as pure water.

See also: Distilled water

Types of mineral water

Commonly, mineral or mineralized water is classified according to the presence and proportion of minerals dissolved in it, as follows:

• Very weak mineralization. It has dry residues of up to 50 mg per liter. The total amount of minerals contained in the water is called dry residue.
• Weak mineralization It has less than 500 mg per liter of dry residue.
• Strong mineralization Contains more than 1500 mg per liter of dry residue.
• Sulfated Contains more than 200 mg per liter of sulfates (salts containing the sulfate ion SO₄^2-).
• Bicarbonated. Contains more than 600 mg per liter of bicarbonates (salts containing the bicarbonate ion HCO₃^–).
• Chlorinated Contains more than 200 mg per liter of chlorides (compounds containing chloride ions Cl^–).
• Calcium Contains more than 150 mg per liter of calcium.
• Ferruginous Contains more than 1 mg per liter of iron.
• Sodic It contains more than 200 mg per liter of sodium.
• Magnesium It exceeds 50 mg per liter of magnesium.
• Acidified It has more than 250 mg per liter of carbon dioxide.
• Fluorinated Contains more than 1 mg per liter of fluoride.

Benefits of mineral water

The consumption of water is recommended for humans, but the consumption of mineral water provides essential mineral elements for health, including:

• Calcium To harden bones and teeth.
• Magnesium To regulate muscle electrical function, prevent cramps and fatigue.
• Sodium Essential for cellular metabolism.
• Iron Vital for hemoglobin and oxygen transport.
• Sulfates To restore the bacterial flora.
• Bicarbonates They calm acidity and help digestion.