The Best Drinking Water
5 Key Qualities
by Nancy Hearn, CNC

woman drinking water

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I don’t assume to know what the best drinking water is for every person. After all, “best” is a subjective term.

Many factors come into play when we think of choosing the best drinking water for ourselves and our families.

Just a few of these factors include lifestyle, health objectives, finances, living accommodations, sports and fitness levels, and so forth.

However, getting past the semantics, we could probably all agree that “good” drinking water is: 

(1) safe to drink (relatively contaminant and chemical free) and (2) it tastes good.

Drinking clean, healthy, chemical-free water is the foundation to health. However, just because water is safe to drink and tastes good doesn’t necessarily mean it is healthy.

For example, experts agree that all tap and bottled water contain traces of unhealthy synthetic chemicals. So even though tap or bottled water may not make us sick, the cumulative effects of these chemicals (hundreds of which have never even been tested) in our body are significant.

Even minute traces of these contaminants can lead to a weakened immune system (or worse) with long-term exposure.

The Healthiest Water Is Mineral Rich

Many reputable experts today agree that the healthiest water is mineral rich and free of contaminants.

Even though there are some studies that argue the benefits of de-mineralized water (such as reverse osmosis and distilled water), the most recent and credible studies are conclusive that water that contains minerals is the healthiest and best drinking water.

Dr. Mu Shik Jhon, considered by the scientific community to be the top water expert in the world, writes that the best drinking water contains a balance of essential minerals.

In his book The Water Puzzle and the Hexagonal Key, Jhon says that from a biological and medical point of view, de-mineralized water is simply not healthy to drink.

In fact, Japanese water experts consider de-mineralized water as “dead” water, while mineral-rich water is referred to as “living” water.


5 Key Qualities

If your health is a priority, your best drinking water will have at least the first three of the following qualities—and optimally, all five:

  1. Contaminant free. The water is filtered of unhealthy toxins, including synthetic chemicals, toxic metals, bacteria and viruses, radioactive substances, and other treatment additives such as chlorine and fluoride
  2. Mineral rich. The natural occurring minerals in the source water are not removed through purification processes, such as reverse osmosis and distillation.
  3. Alkaline pH. The drinking water has an alkaline pH between 7.0 and 9.5, which means that the water contains a healthy level of alkaline minerals such as calcium and magnesium.
  4. Antioxidant. Water that is activated in nature through movement (such as water flowing down a mountain stream) or through electrolysis (via a water ionizer) will have a negative oxidation reduction potential (-ORP). A negative ORP is an indicator of concentrated molecular hydrogen (H2)molecules, which are potent antioxidants and easily absorbed at the cellular level.  
  5. Good taste. If your water doesn't taste good, you simply won't drink enough water on a daily basis to stay hydrated enough to optimize the health benefits. Mineral rich water tastes much better than de-mineralized water.


Good, Better, Best

After many years of personal experimentation and research, I have come to the following conclusions about the healthiest drinking water in the U.S.

In numerous locations around the world, the best drinking water available might simply be chlorinated water that is safe to drink. So everything is relative . . .

Good Drinking Water

  1. Drinking bottled spring water or artesian well water might be a good choice if you can trust what's on the label. According to the EPA, about 40% of bottled water is merely reprocessed tap water. So there have been some bottled waters that come from natural springs or artesian wells that are filtered of contaminants without using chemicals. But you really have to do your research because things are always changing with the bottled water industry. I am also not a fan of this option because of the huge environmental impact of plastic bottle waste.
  2. If you have local access to natural spring water that you can collect, this would be a good choice, if inconvenient. In addition, you would most likely still have to filter it through water filter pitcher or portable water purifier to get healthy water.

Better Choices

  1. Even though I don't recommend reverse osmosis (RO) water since the minerals are removed, some manufacturers are now offering re-mineralization cartridges with their RO systems. Thus, RO purified water with re-mineralization is a better choice.
  2. Using a high quality drinking water system in your home with either municipal or well water is another quality option. With NSF certified drinking water filters, you know what types of contaminants are being filtered from your tap or well water and thus you have more control over your drinking water quality than bottled water.

Best Choice

  1. Clean water that also contains a concentration of molecular hydrogen is the best drinking water choice in my opinion. There are two ways I am currently aware of to get hydrogen-rich water. The first is by way of a home water ionizer system (which also filters the water of contaminants) or by adding hydrogen tablets to your choice of clean, mineral-rich water.

Revised October 2018


Further reading . . .

Benefits of Hydrogen Water

Molecular Hydrogen in Water - What Is It and How to Get It?

Drinking Water Filter Reviews and Recommendations

Ionized Water - 3 Key Health Benefits

Ionized Alkaline Water - 4 Major Health Benefits?

Alkaline Water Benefits - 3 Important Factors

Vitamin Water - Unhealthy Bottled Brands vs Homemade

Health Benefits of Coconut Water

Best Water for Kidney Stones

Drinking Spring Water - Health Pros and Cons

Drinking Rain Water - Health Advantages and Disadvantages

Drinking Soft Water - The Health Drawbacks

Benefits of Aloe Water

Drinking Rainwater - An Effective Way to Conserve Water and Save Money

Drinking Infused Water - The Health Benefits

Hydration Beverages - 5 Healthy Choices

Benefits of Aloe Vera Juice for Internal Use

Benefits of Switchel - A Healthy Electrolyte Beverage

Sun-Charged Water - Its Benefits and Uses

Benefits of Ginger Water and How to Make It

Benefits of Green Coconut Water for Health and Hydration

Perrier Mineral Water - Is It Healthy or Unhealthy?


Resource

Ebook: Hydrogen-Infused Water - The Fountain of Youth



Return from Best Drinking Water to Water Benefits Health Home


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