We explain what mineral water is and what types of mineral waters we can find. Also, its health benefits.
What is the water mineral?
Mineral water is a type of Water containing minerals and other dissolved substances such as gases, salts or sulfur compounds that modify and enrich its flavor or provide it with therapeutic properties. This type of water can be of natural origin or manufactured artificially.
In the old days, mineral water was available directly from its natural sources, such as thermal baths and mineral wells, where people flocked to receive invigorating or even healing treatments. Nowadays, however, mineral water is usually bottled or packaged directly at its source, to be later distributed and offered commercially, which has made access to natural sources more difficult due to commercial rights.
Mineral water is free from organic or microbiological contamination since it comes from the subsoil, in a state of great purity due to the filtering effect of underground rocks and sand. However, these waters have a high content of minerals and salts, which give them particular chemical characteristics, depending on their extraction region.
For example, carbonated waters naturally present bubbles of carbon dioxide inside (sparkling water), which can be artificially reproduced, but not with the same chemical content as pure 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 presents dry residues of up to 50 mg per liter. Dry residue is the total amount of minerals that water contains.
- Weak mineralization. It has less than 500 mg per liter of dry waste.
- Strong mineralization. Contains more than 1500 mg per liter of dry waste.
- Sulfated. Contains more than 200 mg per liter of sulfates (salts that contain the sulfate ion SO42-).
- Bicarbonate. It contains more than 600 mg per liter of bicarbonates (salts that contain the bicarbonate ion HCO3–).
- Chlorinated. It contains more than 200 mg per liter of chlorides (compounds that contain Cl– chloride ions).
- Calcic. Contains more than 150 mg per liter of calcium.
- Ferruginous. Contains more than 1 mg per liter of iron.
- Sodium Contains more than 200 mg per liter of sodium.
- Magnesica. It exceeds 50 mg per liter of magnesium.
- Acidulated. It has more than 250 mg per liter of carbon dioxide.
- Fluoridated. Contains more than 1 mg per liter of fluoride.
Benefits of mineral water
Water consumption is recommended in the human being, but the consumption of mineral water provides essential mineral elements for the Health, among them:
- Calcium. To harden bones and teeth.
- Magnesium. To regulate electrical muscle function, prevent cramps and fatigue.
- Sodium. Indispensable for him metabolism cell phone.
- Iron. Vital for hemoglobin and oxygen transport.
- Sulfates To restore the bacterial flora.
- Bicarbonates They calm acidity and help digestion.