The Definition of Mineral Water
There is no one-size-fits-all definition of mineral water. It became popular early in American history when people found out about the mineral springs and spas where the water reputedly contained healing virtues. Once discovered, people profited from the sale of bottled water from these natural springs. They build hotels and resorts and the guidebooks touted their benefits. Even today, people believe that mineral water is an effective alternative approach to treating various diseases and conditions. Mineral water has to pass the requirements set by the Food and Drug Administration so there are some checks to prevent out-and-out quackery in place.
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Definition
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Mineral water is water that contains very small amounts of mineral salts and oligo elements. Oligo elements are ions of elements like calcium, magnesium, sodium, chromium, copper, iron, chlorine, manganese, selenium, fluorine and boron. Because of the electrical charge carried by the ions, the minerals can dissolve in water that passes over them as precipitation.
Significance
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Modern agricultural methods tend to deplete the minerals that occur naturally in the soil and which would normally be ingested by the plants and eaten by people as vegetables. As early as 1936, the United States Senate Document 264 reported that most Americans, 99 percent in fact, were deficient in minerals and needed them to be supplemented in their diets. Mineral water is considered to be one way that people can obtain these supplements.
Features
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While mineral water historically came straight from the mineral springs, today it can be produced chemically in the laboratory using mineral salts. Only an angstrom in size, the mineral salts combine with water after being treated with an electrical colloidial mineral maker. Mineral water comes in bottles that contain individual minerals or combinations of minerals that are supposed to help specific conditions. Because of the minerals, the water can taste bitter.
History
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Mineral water caused some famous cities and resorts to be located near natural springs. One of the most famous is a healing spring in Berkeley, West Virginia, that George Washington named Bath in 1776. Earlier resorts where people went to bath in the mineral water were at Lynn Springs, Massachusetts and Stafford Springs, Connecticut. President Andrew Jackson named Hot Springs, Arkansas, the first American nature preserve created because of the mineral water there.
Warning
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By the late nineteenth century, mineral water was thought to be the cure for many ailments like digestive problems, skin disorders and rheumatism. Selling mineral water was a popular scam then, too. In fact, the 1901 Pure Food and Drug Act was passed partly to prevent fraudulent claims and sales. The Food and Drug Administration continues to be vigilant against unethical vendors of mineral water that does not meet its safety standards. For example, in 2007, a shipment of mineral water that had been imported to the United States from Armenia, was recalled because it contained trace elements of arsenic, which is a poison.
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