About Mineral Water

Mineral water contains naturally-occurring chemicals that have dissolved and have been absorbed by the groundwater. Many people prefer drinking mineral water for the health benefits they believe it offers, and hundreds of brands are available worldwide. People also believe benefits can be gained by bathing in hot mineral springs.

Identification

Mineral water is groundwater that contains dissolved chemical substances, and either reaches the Earth's surface as a spring or is pumped from a well. If bottled water is labeled "mineral water," it must include a certain amount of chemicals and trace elements that occur naturally at the source with none added. Typically, these minerals include chromium, copper, iron, lithium, magnesium, manganese, potassium, and silica. The water must have over 250 parts per million minerals.

Water is determined to be mineral water by the substances it leaves behind after evaporation. Most mineral water contains more than one type of mineral.

Mineral water is not required to be carbonated (sparkling), although sometimes it has this characteristic.

Considerations

Some people like to drink mineral water for the health benefits of these extra minerals, but scientists say that few brands offer a significant level of minerals to justify the extra cost.

Many types of purified bottled water have minerals added because people like the taste of water with minerals better than completely pure water, as in distilled water. These cannot be labeled mineral water, however.

Potential

People also like to visit naturally-occurring hot springs, which are geothermally-heated mineral water springs, believing the hot springs enhance health. Research is inconclusive on the beneficial aspects of hot springs other than for relieving stress. Nevertheless, hot springs therapy is very popular in certain areas of Europe and in Japan, and claims are made of relief from arthritis, fibromyalgia, and digestive problems.

Geography

Italy, which has many mineral water sources including hot and cold springs, produces the most bottled mineral water, more than 9,700 million liters yearly. It also produces the most brands, almost 600 as of 2008. The next biggest player in the market, the United States, produces about 180 brands.

Features

The popular Perrier Sparkling Natural Mineral Water is carbonated and contains calcium, chloride, fluoride, magnesium, nitrates, potassium, sodium and sulfates in varying amounts. The minerals with the highest amounts are calcium, and the sodium bicarbonate resulting from salt interacting with carbonation. Perrier water originates from a spring in France. It is sold in half-liter bottles for about $1.20.

With hundreds of brands available, you can easily find higher-end water than Perrier, however. For example, one of the top brands, Lauquen Artesian Mineral Water, from a confined aquifer in Argentina, runs about $6 for a 750 milliliter bottle, which is about 3/4 liter, or about 25 ounces.

Resources

• Brands of mineral water with beneficial magnesium content
• Information about hot springs
• Brands of water by country