Important Factors to Ponder Before Choosing Distilled Water as Your Hydration Source

Before you switch to distilled water, two primary factors should be considered: your taste preferences and the mineral content of your regular diet.

Distilled water has a unique taste due to its extremely low Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) level, ranging from 1-2 parts per million. The distillation process also removes dissolved gases such as oxygen, contributing to what some describe as a flat or laboratory-like taste. Whether this is appealing or not varies from person to person.

Unlike distilled water, other types of low TDS water, like iceberg water and rainwater, retain atmospheric gases, lending them a lighter and fresher taste. This difference in taste is another factor to consider when deciding on the type of water to consume.

If your diet lacks sufficient healthy minerals like calcium, magnesium, and potassium, non-distilled water can supplement these nutrients. However, the mineral and electrolyte content in most tap and bottled water is minimal, so the impact of drinking distilled water on your overall mineral intake is typically insignificant.

Lisa Richards, a nutritionist, and author of the Candida Diet, emphasizes the importance of including adequate nutrients in your diet to counterbalance the absence of beneficial elements like calcium and magnesium in distilled water. She warns that a lack of electrolytes in our primary hydration source and diet can lead to severe dehydration and chemical imbalances, which may result in serious health issues. Therefore, if you drink distilled water, ensure you get your daily recommended nutrition servings through fruits and vegetables.

The pH of distilled water, another important factor to consider, ranges from 5.8 to 7. While pure distilled water in a sealed system has a pH of 7, exposure to air allows it to absorb atmospheric gases, including CO2, making it more acidic. Any remaining trace elements post-distillation can also alter the pH.

While water pH usually has no direct health implications, it determines how water interacts with its environment and can influence its susceptibility to other impurities. Extreme pH levels, far beyond any potable water, can pose health risks. However, according to The Merck Manual of Diagnosis and Therapy, the human body uses buffers to balance pH, so neither alkaline nor acidic water significantly alters the body’s pH level.

Water types similar to distilled water include deionized water, reverse osmosis water, and arctic water from icebergs. Deionized water is produced by processing feed water in ion exchange resins which remove ionized salts. It can potentially remove all salts but usually doesn’t eliminate organics, viruses, or bacteria.

Reverse osmosis water is purified using a fine membrane under pressure to filter out impurities. This process removes the most beneficial and harmful minerals like distillation, making the water pure. This purity makes it suitable for various applications, such as hospital dialysis, cosmetic production, and pharmaceutical manufacturing.

Arctic water from icebergs is one of the few natural waters that match the high purity and low mineral levels of distilled water. It is now preserved as ice thousands of years ago, free from modern pollutants and ground geology contact, making it exceptionally low in TDS. Its pH tends towards the lower end of distilled water’s range due to the absorption of atmospheric gases.

In conclusion, while distilled water is safe to drink, several factors should be considered before making it your primary hydration source. These factors include taste preferences, the mineral content of your diet, the pH level of the water, and potential alternatives. Also, it’s essential to remember that while distilled water is a pure form of hydration, it’s not a complete source of necessary minerals. Therefore, maintain a balanced diet to ensure your body gets all the nutrients it needs.