Dispelling Allegations About Distilled Water

By Author: Jo Alelsto
Total Articles: 405
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Distilled water spurs controversy on the internet and in health circles as different nutritional experts gives different views regarding the true effects of drinking pure water on the human body. Some of the noted myths are explained in the following.

1. Distillation removes important minerals in the water, leaving it flat with no nutritional value.

Nutritionists see water as a nutrient itself whether or not it has minerals in it. The minerals are due to impurity from the natural sources. Much of the mineral content is removed through water treatment procedures. Water coming out of your faucet still has some calcium ions in it, for instance, because water treatment facilities in communities aren't that complex; hence, thorough purification cannot be expected. Distillation, on the other hand, does purification better, giving us water that is devoid of solute.

You might have seen articles that talk about pure water being naked due to lack of ions. This is untrue because the major purpose of water is to regulate body temperature, to aid in digestion and metabolism, and to aid in excretion of waste. ...
... Water doesn't need minerals to carry out these functions.

It is misleading that some write-ups speak about distilled water's lack of calcium or phosphorus as a drawback because water cannot be your source of these minerals. You get minerals from the food you eat.

2. Distilled water can cause mineral deficiency.

In relation to the previous misconception, pure water has been clumsily branded as a mineral leaching agent, primarily because it does not have minerals in it, so it would tend to grab minerals from its surrounding. In other words, when you drink distilled or deionized water, you will lose minerals from the system. There's no scientific literature backing up this claim. The cited studies in some articles, which tackle about the leaching effects of distilled DI water, don't necessarily point to deionized water as the specific cause of mineral deficiencies.

If you have been convinced that distilled water can cause serious mineral loss, think about it this way: imagine having a sample of mineral water and a sample of distilled drinking water. Pour both in two separate glasses with powdered milk. See! There is no difference. There is no significant difference because the disparity in the mineral content between distilled/deionized water and plain mineral water is extremely minimal. Only conductivity tests in laboratories can tell the difference. Your body cannot lose so much mineral because it is a buffered system and would tend to keep minerals it needs. There are different causes of mineral and nutritional deficiencies and drinking distilled or pure water is just not cited as a cause.

3. Distilled or deionized water easily becomes acidic.

According to petty critics, since DI water is devoid of solutes, it would easily dissolve substances, including CO2. First of all, only prolonged exposure to air can water (distilled or not) get enough carbon dioxide to make it acidic. Unless you leave a glass of distilled drinking water in the open for a few hours, there is no need to worry about carbon dioxide contamination. Even if it happens, it does not get significantly acidic. There is no literature saying demineralized water has gone sour after leaving it in the open air. Pure water manufacturers would definitely warn you not to leave your bottled water open for long periods and not because carbon dioxide shall convert your water to carbonic acid but because dust and other foreign material may get into your water.

4. Bottled distilled or pure water can become contaminated with bacteria.

Whether this was a silly joke or a logical mishap remains a mystery. Water is prone to bacterial and algal growth after sometime whether or not it is distilled. However, distilled drinking water is less likely to contain bacteria because of the rigid process it underwent though. Then again, transferring pure water to non-sterile containers can lead to contamination.
Jo is a content writer for 'Distilled Water' (http://www.distilled-water-suppliers.co.uk/), a site owned by The-Water-Company.com, a well-known UK stationed high quality water manufacturer for more than thirty years, producing products like deionized water and demineralized water to a an extensive variety of customers in UK, Europe and all over the world. If ever you are looking for an establishment that provides distilled water then take a look at The-Water-Company.com.