Is bottled water healthier than tap water? The short answer is "usually it is not". In this article I will compare tap, bottled, and filtered water. I will give you five reasons why you should avoid drinking straight from the tap, and then discuss a few alternatives for tap water.
Is tap water bad?
Here are 5 reasons why tap water is not the healthiest choice for your source of daily water:
- Tap water can contain more than 2,000 chemicals in your drinking water according to a government report, yet most water-testing facilities only test for 30-40 Chemicals, alarmingly hundreds or thousands of chemicals are left untreated and unfiltered in our municipal water supply.
- Agricultural Pollution - large quantities of run-off from farmland including pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers can often end up in the water-bearing permeable rock, from which our water is extracted.
- Chlorine is added to kill off micro-organisms as a protective measure, but how protective is it to add this when Chlorinated drinking water is linked to the likes of bladder cancer, miscarriage, birth defects and spina bifida? In fact many cities have abandoned Chlorination due to these effects now opting for oxidation to disinfect their water supply.
- The next reason is Fluoride, the much debated and "proven" toxin! Many are at risk of falling victim to the toxic effects of fluoride. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services listed those with cardiovascular and kidney problems, those deficient in calcium, magnesium, Vitamin C and the elderly to be most at risk. Fluoride is also linked to calcium deposits and arthritis and reaping havoc on other vitamin and minerals.
- Aluminium is used to remove organic material. The problem here is it's impossible to remove all the aluminium (as is used for the purpose of clumping the organic matter). Aluminium is also linked to Alzheimer's disease!
Is Tap Water Bad? Well it depends on where you live, but as a general rule it is not the healthiest choice.
Tap Vs. Bottled Water
Many people already drink bottled water rather than tap. But is bottled water healthier for you?
- Bottled water in fact can be just as toxic for you as tap water if not even worse! Strangely enough, bottled water falls under the "food" category in the United States and is regulated by the Food and Drug Administration ( FDA ) where tap water is regulated by the Environment Protection Agency ( EPA ). FDA has no regulations on testing bottled water for bacteria. Furthermore, where EPA makes cities test drinking water daily, FDA regulations require only yearly testing for bottled water. In a study of one hundred of most popular brands of bottled water in the United States, a third contained bacteria, lead, arsenic, and other contaminants.
- Many companies supplying bottled water will admit that their product is filtered and treated tap water, even though the marketing suggests that the water is from a pure source. The FDA passes this without even knowing the source so long as the water meets their testing standards.
- A major problem with bottled water is the fact that the bottle is plastic. Studies show that the chemicals used to make the bottles leave them being more dangerous for your health than it may seem.
Bottled water is usually nothing more than expensive filtered (or even not filtered) water. As a general rule, bottled water is less regulated than tap water in major cities.
Is boiled water good?
Boiling your water is not recommended unless you do not have access to treated water (for instance on a camp). Boiling can kill some bacteria, but does not remove pesticides, herbicides, and other chemicals. Besides, boiling can change the pH of water that in turn makes your body acidic.
Why filtered water?
Filtered water is one of the best kinds of water to drink. There are various options from filtration pitches to full-home filtration systems. Let's discuss a few different systems here to help you choose one that suits your need and budget.
- Charcoal Carbon filters: Pitcher filters are the most inexpensive option. They usually use charcoal carbon filter that removes chloride and lead. However, charcoal carbon filters do not remove heavy metals, viruses, pesticides, or fluoride.
- Solid Block Carbon filters: Solid block carbon filters are more effective than charcoal carbon filters. They last longer, cost more, and do a better job at filtering out the microorganisms.
- Water Distillers: A good water distiller can be very effective in removing bacteria, herbicides, pesticides, and heavy metals. However, they also remove most good minerals. Similar to boiled water, drinking distilled water can make your body acidic in the long term
- Reverse Osmosis: Reverse osmosis water is the purest water you can get. These systems use an excellent membrane to filter water and can remove almost everything including essential minerals. Reverse osmosis systems are the most effective and most expensive filtration systems. The drawback is that, similar to water distillers, they make the water acidic.
- Alkalizing filters: Acidity and alkalinity are measured on a pH scale of 1 to 14. Anything under 7.0 is acidic where anything over 7.0 is alkaline. Your body needs to have a constant pH of 7.4. Alkalizing filters use an electromagnetic process to make water alkaline. When choosing an alkalizing system, make sure they include other filtering methods as well to remove bacteria and chemicals.
Filtered water is one of the best waters for your body. There are a variety of systems to meet different needs and budget. Although all these systems filter the water to some extent, some are more effective than others. You should look for a good home water filter system.
However, if you are on a limited budget, start with a less expensive option such as a pitcher.
Jahan K. lives in Melbourne, Australia and is a teacher, author
and health advocate. Over the last 6 years, Jahan has been looking for
easy-to-do and inexpensive methods to optimize his health. After
achieving enormous success in improving his general health and fitness,
Jahan decided to share with others his "secrets to outstanding health".
To learn how you can "Increase Your Energy Levels in 7 days" visit http://www.basicnaturalhealth.info and download your free eBook.
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http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jahan_KhahTo learn how you can "Increase Your Energy Levels in 7 days" visit http://www.basicnaturalhealth.info and download your free eBook.
