- There are a number of people who must carefully control their intake of sodium and/or potassium. This includes patients on renal diets, who have hypertension or diabetes or who have metabolic conditions or are on certain medications. Water that has been softened may be higher in sodium and/or potassium depending on the softening process used. For individuals who need to carefully monitor their sodium and/or potassium intake, hard water may be a better choice.
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Is your tap water hard or soft?Previous studies had suggested that the presence of calcium and magnesium in hard water might help prevent heart disease. The British Regional Heart Study suggests otherwise: researchers from University College London studied a group of over 900 men for more than 25 years and found no protective benefits from drinking hard water. If you are on a diet to prevent heart disease or have heart disease, drinking hard water may provide no benefit unless you are also controlling your sodium and/or potassium intake, in which case hard water may prove beneficial. -
No current research studies definitively support either soft or hard water as being better for weight loss diet. While there are opinions that promote the use of distilled water for health and weight loss, other research has found long-term drinking of distilled water can result in a more acidic condition in the body as well as causing mineral deficiencies. The amount of minerals our bodies absorb from hard water is certainly secondary to the minerals we consume in our food.
Hard and soft water taste different. When it comes to losing weight, choosing the best water isn't a matter of choosing between hard and soft, but rather finding a water that tastes good to you so that you drink enough to stay hydrated and optimize your weight loss. Current recommendations are 1/2 oz. of water per pound of body weight.
