The scorching summer heat is here and in order to survive the intensity of the heat, we must keep ourselves hydrated. We have grown up hearing that 10 glasses of water a day is a must to keep the body hydrated. Only a well hydrated body is able to achieve better skin, hair and digestive health. Moreover, adequate hydration helps to keep blood pressure regulated, boosts up your energy levels and ensures smooth execution of other bodily functions.
Medical studies have found that while 10 glasses of water may be sufficient for one person, even 12 glasses of water may be insufficient for another person. In addition, not all water is the same. Different types of water consist of different nutrient composition and may vary in terms of price too. Here are 9 types of water with their pros and cons that will enable you to keep your body hydrated in this blazing summers in versatile ways:-
1. Tap Water
Tap water is available everywhere and in many developed countries, people don’t feel that their health is threatened by drinking tap water. This is because the government in such countries are making ardent efforts in ensuring that drinking water is easily accessible to all at no cost.
But despite having stringent regulations in maintaining quality of tap water, there are still many loopholes that can endanger the quality of the drinking water. To safeguard yourself against any sort of contamination, it is better to purify tap water by installing home filtration system which may be pricey but can be an investment on your health in the long run.
2. Mineral Water
Typically extracted from a mineral spring, the mineral water comes loaded with minerals like sulphur, calcium and magnesium, which offers marvellous health benefits. Mineral water helps in digestion, tastes good than most types of water and is great for cognitive functioning of the brain. One of the biggest demerits of mineral water is that though they are viable option in places that don’t offer treated water, they are costly.
3. Distilled Water
This type of water is first boiled where the steam gets collected and then condensed to bring back to liquid form. Distilled water is the best option if you live in a place where the available drinking water is unsafe for consumption.
Since there are no minerals or vitamins added in this water, distilled water offers no extra health benefits. Studies on the other hand have found that non-mineralised water can in fact be harmful in the long run as they pull minerals from the body.
4. Purified Water
This is one of the best types of water that can be easily accessible at any time. Any kind of water that has been subjected to a filtration process to removes impurities and bacteria is called purified water. Drinking purified water is the best way to keep your body cool and safe from any kind of diseases. Purifying tap water and carrying this purified water in bottles when you are out of home is the best way to be prepared to beat the heat.
But studies suggest that while purified water eliminates harmful substances, it also causes the water to be devoid of many essential minerals. Purchasing water filtration system can be expensive but investing in one that provides purified water without mineral loss is surely one great deal.
5. Flavoured Water
Drinking one bottle of plain water can seem a tedious task while it is quite easy to gulp down a bottle of flavoured or infused water that contains sweeteners or artificial flavours. These alternatives to plain water can seem quite appealing and make it easier for you to have large amounts of liquids.
But flavoured water comes with high sugar content and artificial flavours which may negatively impact your health in the long run. Instead make your own vegetable or fruit flavoured water as it will be highly natural and easy on pockets too.
6. Alkaline Water
Not many people are aware about the alkaline water. It is a type of water that has a higher pH value than your normal tap water. It also contains alkaline minerals and has negative Oxidation Reduction Potential (ORP). Many studies have found that alkaline water helps in neutralising the acid level in the body aiding in slowing down the ageing process along with preventing cancer. While it is safe to drink alkaline water but over the time, it reduces the acid level in the stomach to a level that it lowers the body’s ability to curb harmful bacteria.
7. Glacier Or Spring Water
People often get lured to buy the glacier or spring water bottles available in the markets that promise to have collected the water from a spot where the spring or glacier water flows. These spring water bottles contain cleaner water that is also free from harmful substances.
Also they are rich in essential minerals that are good for health. These water bottles are available in different sizes and price structures. Despite being good for health, spring water is highly expensive option and in some cases, the water remains untreated which makes it a possible threat to health.
8. Well Water
Many people in different parts of the world prefer consuming ground water or water drawn from a well. If you live in an area which does not have access to treated water, then fresh well water becomes the only source for fetching drinking water. As per many ancient beliefs, drinking this raw and untreated water from the well can be quite beneficial for health.
But health organisations do not recommend drinking the well water directly as there are high chances of contamination. You can definitely have well water after testing it for nitrates and pH level and proper installation of an efficient filtration system.
9. Sparkling Water
Soda water or carbonated drinks are basically termed as sparkling water. It comes with high level of carbon dioxide that has been infused under pressure. Since it has a distinct taste and provides an instant zing, people across the globe love having sparkling water.
These carbonated drinks are a great option when you want to have something fizzy and they also come with the zero sugar option. Sparkling water also comes with mineralised option which is great to derive health benefits of minerals. But this water does not have sufficient amount of minerals and can be expensive than bottled water if you plan on consuming them on regular basis.
