What is the difference between 2 yuan water and 20 yuan water? Is it true that the more expensive the better?

In the hot summer, we sweat a lot. If we don’t drink water in time, it is easy to become dehydrated, or even cause heat stroke or heat stroke.

There are many kinds of water on the market, including purified water, mineral water, spring water, electrolyte water, etc. Some are priced at 2 yuan per bottle, while others are priced at 20 yuan per bottle. What is the difference between them? Which water is healthier to drink? How to drink water healthily?

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Can we drink water made from tap water?

There are many short videos and other content on the Internet about bottled water reviews. These contents mention that there are 3 types of bottled water that are not recommended. The basic reasons are:

1. Some bottled water is purified tap water with food additives added, so it is not recommended;

2. Some bottled water is purified and filtered tap water and does not contain minerals, so it is not recommended;

3. Some bottled water is surface water from rivers and lakes, which has low mineral content, so it is not recommended. Based on the above three reasons, we can probably summarize the evaluation of bottled water in the video in one sentence: Don't drink bottled water processed from tap water, drink bottled water with high mineral content .

However, is purified and filtered tap water really bad? Is bottled mineral water with high mineral content really better?

The picture is taken from the social platform

In life, some people may have some resistance to "tap water" and think that tap water is unhygienic. But in fact, tap water is drinking water and has been treated . Bottled water plants will filter and purify tap water before making it into bottled water, so it is completely safe to drink.

In fact, whether it is tap water, purified water or mineral water, their sources are the same - they are all taken from nature , such as rivers, lakes, reservoirs, etc., and after a series of treatments such as filtration and disinfection, they finally become drinkable water.

Is bottled water good?

It's not just tap water that's "unlucky". There are also claims that the bottled "boiled water" sold in the market is no different from the boiled water at home, and it is not recommended to buy it. Is boiled water worth drinking?

If you think boiled water is bad, you are wrong .

Boiled water is good, better than many people think. You know, the Chinese Dietary Guidelines recommend that we drink water, and the first thing recommended is boiled water .

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Compared with boiled water at home, the biggest advantage of bottled boiled water is convenience . It is sterilized during the production process, then sealed and bottled, and can be drunk directly. If you are going out for business or traveling, especially to some remote places, bottled boiled water is much safer and more convenient.

The boiled water at home usually needs to be boiled before drinking. This is not very convenient. After all, it takes time to boil, and it is too hot when it is just boiled. It also takes time to cool down before drinking.

Therefore, if you plan to go out, bring some bottled boiled water with you; if you are at home or in the office and there is nothing special going on, you can boil some water in advance and drink it as warm or cold boiled water after it cools down.

Is it reliable to replenish minerals by drinking water?

Among the reasons given in the video, one is that drinking water with high mineral content is good for the human body.

Minerals usually refer to inorganic salts of calcium, magnesium, potassium, sodium, lithium, and strontium. These elements are beneficial to the human body and are also needed by the body .

However, this does not mean that minerals must be obtained by drinking water. In fact, the role of water in the human body is mainly as a metabolic carrier, equivalent to a porter. Drinking water is mainly for hydration. The main source of minerals and trace elements for our human body is a variety of rich foods, such as vegetables, fruits, rice, meat, etc., not drinking water. You should know that the average person drinks only 2000 ml of water a day, and the minerals that can be obtained by drinking water are too few. If you want to supplement minerals by drinking water, you have to drink a lot of water .

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Take calcium ions as an example. The average Chinese person consumes about 400 mg of calcium per day, and the reference daily intake for adults is about 800-1200 ml (we use 1000 mg for convenience), which means there is an average gap of about 600 mg. The highest calcium content in mineral water is only 30-40 mg per liter. If you rely on drinking water to supplement calcium, you need to drink 16-20 liters of water per day, which is almost the amount of a large barrel of water. If you really drink that much, you will be poisoned by water long ago.

Therefore, the minerals in water do not have a big impact on the health of ordinary people like us, and water containing minerals is not necessarily that good .

Is bottled mineral water better?

It is said that mineral water and natural mineral water meet the "national standard GB8537", contain rich minerals, and have natural, high-quality water sources, so they are more recommended. Is mineral water really better?

The picture is taken from the mineral water evaluation video

According to the national food safety standard "GB 8537-2018 National Food Safety Standard Drinking Natural Mineral Water", natural mineral water refers to water that naturally flows from deep underground or is collected through drilling, contains a certain amount of minerals, trace elements or other ingredients, is uncontaminated in a certain area and preventive measures are taken to avoid contamination.

Mineral water has strict requirements for water sources, and must be explored and evaluated by the geological and mining departments, and take measures to protect the water sources . Water in some special locations may also be different. Therefore, mineral water is also a mineral resource, so it is usually sold at a higher price. After all, the resource is less, and things are more valuable because they are scarce.

But compared with other types of drinking water, mineral water has more mineral components, but other aspects are not much different . Moreover, as mentioned above, it is not realistic to supplement minerals with mineral water, so it is okay to spend dozens of dollars to buy a bottle of water for novelty, but it is not very rational to blindly pursue expensive mineral water or rely on it to supplement the body's minerals.

Electrolyte water, should I drink it?

When it comes to mineral water, many people will think of electrolyte water, which seems to also replenish minerals. So is it not necessary to drink electrolyte water?

Electrolyte water is not the same as mineral water .

The main component of body fluids is water, followed by electrolytes. Maintaining electrolyte balance is very important for human physiological functions and health. The main components of electrolytes are potassium and sodium . Mineral water mainly emphasizes the supplementation of some trace mineral elements; electrolyte water mainly provides electrolyte ions such as potassium and sodium, which helps the human body maintain electrolyte balance .

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Similar to other minerals, generally speaking, normal and healthy people can obtain electrolytes through food. However, in some special cases, electrolyte water is still useful. For example:

1. When you have a fever and sweat a lot or even have diarrhea, it will cause a large loss of electrolytes. The body will feel uncomfortable due to electrolyte imbalance. At this time, you need to replenish electrolyte water . I think you still remember the experience of Yangkang last year.

2. When people sweat a lot for a long time or exercise vigorously , the body will excrete a large amount of electrolytes, which can be replenished by electrolyte water.

3. When doing outdoor activities or working in a hot environment , the body will regulate its temperature by sweating a lot. As the sweat evaporates, water and electrolytes will be lost. For example, the weather has been very hot recently, especially in some northern regions. A tour guide in Beijing has died of heat stroke, and a child has been hospitalized for heat stroke. If you work or do activities in a hot environment, you can drink electrolyte water to help you replenish water and electrolytes in time.

4. In cases of chronic renal failure, acute and chronic heart failure, endocrine diseases and other related diseases , patients may suffer from electrolyte disorders due to impaired body functions. These people can also choose electrolyte water under the evaluation and guidance of a doctor.

How to drink water more healthily?

1. Drink water, choose the right one, not the expensive one

For normal people, boiled water is enough. When you go out, you can bring boiled water in a portable cup/kettle in advance. If you need to buy it outside, ordinary bottled water at 2 yuan a bottle is enough. Just choose the right one, not the expensive one.

2. Drink water in moderation

my country's dietary guidelines recommend that the average adult drink 1500-1700 ml of water every day. Of course, this is a recommended amount and you don't have to stick to it. You can adjust it according to your own situation. For example, if it is summer, or if you exercise a lot and sweat a lot, you should drink more water; the air in the north is dry, so you can also drink more water appropriately. Physical laborers or people who stay outdoors get thirsty quickly and drink a lot, so they can also drink more.

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3. Drink water in small amounts and multiple times

Don’t drink water only when you feel thirsty. You should consciously drink in small amounts and multiple times. Especially for the elderly, who are less sensitive, they need to replenish water in time. Drink a glass of water when you wake up in the morning, and try not to drink too much water before going to bed at night to avoid getting up frequently and sleeping poorly.

4. In special circumstances, pay attention to drinking more water, and choose electrolyte water appropriately

People who do strenuous exercise, have high fever and diarrhea, have urinary stones, hyperuricemia, gout, and diabetes should drink more water, and can choose electrolyte water under the guidance of a doctor or nutritionist. People who are active or working in a high temperature environment (high temperature in summer) should drink more water, salt water, or electrolyte water containing potassium, sodium, etc.

References

[1] GB 5749-2022 Sanitary Standard for Drinking Water

[2] GB 19298-2014 National Food Safety Standard for Packaged Drinking Water

[3] GB 8537-2018 National Food Safety Standard for Drinking Natural Mineral Water

[4] GB/T 13727-2016 Specification for Geological Exploration of Natural Mineral Water Resources

[5] GB/T 20349-2006 Geographical Indication Product - Jilin Changbai Mountain Drinking Natural Mineral Water

[6] GB/T 10789-2015 General Rules for Beverages

Author: Ruan Guangfeng, Deputy Director of Kexin Food and Health Information Exchange Center

Review丨Gu Chuanling, Deputy Secretary General of Capital Health Nutrition and Gourmet Society, Registered Nutritionist