Mineral water - is it good or bad for he alth?

2024 Author: Isabella Gilson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:14

Everyone knows that the human body is 60% water. Accordingly, this water balance must be maintained by a variety of methods, because metabolic processes in body tissues are carried out exclusively in the presence of this substance. A daily portion of liquid for a person, as a rule, includes not only pure water - it is appropriate to replace it with juices, tea or mineral water. What is the latest product? What classification does it belong to? Is mineral water great for the body?

Historical information

As a rule, society is of the opinion that water from healing springs can do the impossible: it relaxes, relieves irritation, calms, and also resists aggression and bad mood. Is that right?

The history of the existence of mineral water is determined by hundreds of years. It all started with the fact that in antiquity, not far from the holy springs, the Greek tribes built sanctuaries for the god Asclepius (he was considered the patron saint of medicine), and the Romans practiced the construction of temples in the name ofAesculapius. It is important to note that Greek archaeologists discovered the ruins, apparently, of a hydropathic facility, which was built in the sixth century BC. Thus, from generation to generation, the transmission of oral traditions about the truly magical properties of mineral waters, which did not stop gushing out of the ground, was practiced.

The process of formation of mineral waters

Mineral water is the water of rain nature, which an unimaginable length of time ago went deep into the bowels of the earth. In the process of penetration of the product through the pores of various layers of the rock, many-sided substances of mineral origin were dissolved in it. Thus, mineral water differs from standard water of a natural nature, located in open reservoirs and underground sources, by the presence of substances of mineral origin in its composition. In addition, in the process of product formation, the depth of mineral water plays an important role: the deeper, the better the degree of purification of the product and its saturation with carbon dioxide, as well as minerals, which, as it turned out, accumulate naturally as the product passes through geological formations. So, mineral water is, first of all, water from underground sources.

Distinctive features of mineral water from the canteen

Undoubtedly, it is necessary to be able to distinguish between drinking and mineral water. The Codex Alimentarius, the main UN standard endowed with food-oriented information, defines these distinctive features infollowing paragraphs:

• Mineral water is extracted from natural sources and wells formed by drilling. Thanks to this approach, external influence on both the physical and chemical properties of the natural mineral product is absolutely excluded.
• Mineral water is a product containing a certain amount of s alts as well as trace substances.
• The process of collecting mineral water is carried out under conditions that definitely guarantee the original purity at the microbiological level, as well as the stable chemical composition of the components contained in the product.

Interesting features of mineral water

Mineral water is a product that is rather capricious in nature and requires careful handling. There is an opinion that natural water is much softer than precious wine. And this is actually so, because the water from the source should be raised very carefully, which is very difficult to produce, because the depth plays its role qualitatively. Packing the product in a convenient and extremely safe container is also not an easy task, because during this operation it is necessary to preserve the unique properties of mineral water, which were originally laid down by Mother Nature.

Natural water is perfectly absorbed by the body: when it enters the stomach, it qualitatively reacts with gastric juice, releasing carbon dioxide and stimulating the secretory work of the organ. Of course, as a result of such “magic”, appetite and mood are noticeably improved. Mineral water, the benefits and harms of which weare considered to have a beneficial effect on our body. That is why, for example, the French put a bottle of mineral water on the dining table without fail, usually next to bread.

Statistics

Today, there is a real mineral boom in Russia. This fact can be confirmed by the calculations of the State Statistics Committee, as a result of which the number of mineral water items throughout the country is equal to 700. However, there is a significant lag behind industrialized countries, judging by the criterion of product consumption per capita. According to statistics, one European today accounts for approximately one hundred liters of mineral water per year. An Austrian is able to drink 72 liters of water in the same time period, a Frenchman - 80 liters, an Italian - 116 liters, but the consumption of natural water by an average German citizen reaches 129 liters per year. And now the main fact: a Russian citizen drinks only 10 liters of mineral water during the year, which is not a bit impressive, although during the Soviet Union this figure was half that. It should be added that the natural water market in Russia is estimated at about 1.2 billion liters per year. In addition, this market is growing by 10-15 percent every year.

Species diversity

Today there are certain indicators that are the basis for the classification of natural waters. Thus, it is customary to distinguish the following types of product:

• Depending onmineralization: weakly mineralized, mineral waters of low, medium, high mineralization, brine and strong brine natural waters.
• From the point of view of balneology, table, medicinal and medicinal table mineral waters are distinguished.
• Depending on the chemical composition: hydrocarbonate, chloride, sulfate, sodium, calcium, magnesium and mixed mineral waters.
• By temperature regime: very cold, cold, cool, indifferent, warm, hot (otherwise they are called thermal) and overheated (otherwise called high-thermal).
• According to the degree of acidity: neutral, slightly acidic, sour, strongly acidic, slightly alkaline, alkaline.

Popular mineral waters today

As it turned out, today the range of mineral waters is extremely rich. So, it would be advisable to consider the most popular brands of the product:

• "Borjomi" is carbonic hydrocarbonate sodium water. The use of mineral water from this manufacturer is in the treatment of liver diseases, gastrointestinal diseases, urinary tract, as well as in the prevention and normalization of the consequences of metabolic disorders. The source of Borjomi is located in Georgia (800 meters above sea level).
• "Essentuki" (4, 17, 20) is a system of mineral waters, the first representative of which is a medical table product, the second is a medicinal product, and the third is exclusively a table product. This product has no analogues both in terms of healingproperties and taste. Mineral water is characterized by the influence of a complex focus on all functional systems of the body (from the book "Mineral waters on guard of he alth" by A. A. Nazarov).
• "Narzan" - water of carbonic hydrocarbonate-sulphate-calcium origin. Its source is located in Kislovodsk and is called similarly to the brand. This product is able to increase appetite, increase the secretory activity of the digestive system, increase the quantitative index of urine, and so on.

Mineral water benefits and harms

At the initial stages of the existence of mineral water, its healing purpose is noted as the main direction arguing the use of the product. Therefore, the sale of mineral water exclusively in pharmacies would be extremely fair. What are the he alth benefits of mineral water? There is no information in the world that determines the limiting quantity and acceptable quality of mineral water - everything is individual! However, in the process of drinking mineral water, one should adhere to the following rules: it is necessary to exclude the regular intake of natural water, and use it only during periods of active loss of s alts by the body. To achieve a satisfactory effect, you should carefully read the information on the labels and tend to buy only a quality product, and, if possible, choose a mineral water with elements of natural origin.

Benefits of carbonated mineral water

As it turned out, natural waterendowed with a mixed type structure, which, together with biologically active substances, significantly enhances the therapeutic effect of its consumption:

• Iron is a powerful barrier in the fight against anemia.
• Iodine normalizes the functioning of the thyroid gland.
• Calcium is an excellent tool for maintaining ionic balance in the body, and also has a beneficial effect on the blood clotting process.
• Magnesium is an excellent regulator of carbohydrate and energy metabolism, in addition, it contributes to the normal functioning of the nervous system.
• Sodium is a good support for normal blood pressure.
• Potassium is indispensable for the activity of the heart and kidneys.
• Fluoride is an essential element of bones and teeth, and it is also very useful for pregnant girls.

Harm mineral water for the human body

Mineral water is bad for he alth: is it true? The answer to this question is extremely simple: the matter is in the quantitative and qualitative characteristics of the use of this product. Thus, the frequency of taking medicinal type mineral water, as well as the daily dosage, depend on the qualitative composition of the product and, of course, on the doctor's recommendations. As a rule, it is correct to drink mineral water 15-30 minutes before eating in case of low gastric secretion, and 45-60 minutes in case of adequate secretion. If the secretion of the organ is increased, then you should drink mineral water one and a half hours before meals.

It is important to note that today is veryartificial gasification of waters is widespread, which fully justifies the loss of the medicinal properties of the product after a while. However, there is a workaround here: to eliminate carbon dioxide, an open bottle should be shaken well, after which the artificial gases will evaporate. Otherwise, a highly carbonated drink can be an increase in gastric acidity.

Choosing mineral water is a task that requires an individual approach

Which mineral water is good for he alth? The answer to this question is very multifaceted, because just like the characteristics of the human body, the properties of mineral water are individual. As it turned out, mineral water of natural origin is a specific combination of s alts and their ions dissolved in water, therefore, today it is possible to easily form an artificial composition, if there is a desire and appropriate knowledge. Only gross fakes (water, s alt, soda) are of particular danger, which, fortunately, have been practically eradicated.

When choosing a product, close attention must be paid to factors such as the integrity of the package, the cleanliness of the bottle and the content of impurities in the water. If during the use of mineral water there is a burning effect or an extremely sharp smell of a chemical nature, then it is better to get rid of this product as soon as possible. In general, it is advisable to purchase natural water only in trusted places, for example, in pharmacies.