Minerals from Food vs Minerals in Water

by Harry

QUESTION:

I am wondering if it is possible to obtain all of the minerals that your body needs from food, does anyone know please???

RESPONSE:

Yes, I believe we can get all the minerals we need from food—as long as we eat a variety of fresh, whole plant-based foods, including sea vegetables (for certain trace minerals such as iodine).

It also depends, to a certain extent, on the quality of food and how and where it is grown. Obviously, the quality of soil that food is grown in will largely determine the mineral content of the food.

In addition, we are going to get considerably more minerals from fresh, organically-grown plant-based foods rather than processed foods and genetically modified (GMO) foods.

Why We Need Minerals in Water

I am glad you asked this question because people mistakenly think that because I recommend mineral-rich water to drink, I am suggesting that we cannot get all the minerals we need from our food. But this is not the reason I recommend it.

I believe the primary reason for drinking water that is filtered of contaminants but still has naturally occurring minerals in the water is because mineral water is more stable, energetic, and hydrating in the body.

According to a comprehensive study by the World Health Organization, drinking water with low mineral content conclusively showed it had a negative impact on specific functions in the body that control water and mineral metabolism.

They said that drinking de-mineralized water creates an imbalance in the body, causing the body to increase urine output, and thus the additional loss of magnesium, potassium, calcium and chloride ions.

It also changes the mineral-water balance in the body, both inside and outside cell membranes. This can significantly impact cellular hydration.

Low-mineral water also affects key hormones involved in managing the body water balance. And remember, our bodies are roughly 70 percent water. So this is significant.

In 1993, the German Society for Nutrition came to the same conclusions and warned against drinking distilled water.

This society explained that water in the human body always contains specific concentrations of electrolytes, or electrically-charged minerals such as potassium and sodium.

They said that when de-mineralized water is consumed, our intestines have to add electrolytes to this water first, pulling them from body reserves. This leads to the dilution of electrolytes and insufficient body water redistribution which may compromise the function of vital organs.

There is another element to this topic. It comes under the category of "electrical nutrition" and the difference the electrical charge of de-mineralized water vs mineral water has in the body. I will write a full article on this topic soon . . .

I hope this helps for now.

Nancy Hearn, CNC

You can read more on Drinking Demineralized Water and the WHO study here.