Hydration matters, and the amount you drink is only part of the picture. Mineral intake matters too. I also pay attention to whether my water contains unwanted contaminants or too few minerals.
Advice often focuses on how many liters of water to drink. I think water quality deserves attention as well.
What Might Be in Your Water?
Water quality varies, including for tap water.
Depending on its source and treatment, tap water may contain traces of metals, pharmaceuticals, microplastics, xenoestrogens or fluoride. I am concerned about cumulative exposure.
A water filter or carefully chosen bottled water may be worth considering.
Hydration and Mineral Intake
Instead of focusing only on drinking enough water, it's better to pay attention to mineral intake and go by thirst. Thirst is a useful cue; I prefer to listen to it rather than force myself to meet an arbitrary target.
There are hormonal factors that play into how well you are hydrated. Mineral-rich water can contribute to your overall mineral intake.
https://twitter.com/Mangan150/status/1276510331699748865
Choosing High-Quality Water
Here is how I weigh the main options:
- Glass-bottled spring water: This is my preferred option. It can contain useful minerals, and glass packaging avoids direct contact with plastic.
- Filtered tap water: This can be a more affordable option than spring water in glass bottles. Installing a carbon filter or reverse osmosis filter can improve its quality by effectively removing harmful substances like heavy metals, antibiotics, microplastics, pharmaceuticals, and fluoride. However, these filters may also eliminate some beneficial minerals, which can be addressed by adding mineral drops or eating a balanced diet.
- Plastic-bottled spring water: This is another option, but the plastic packaging could potentially release microplastics and xenoestrogens into the water, which could be harmful to our health.
- Unfiltered tap water: I would check its local quality before relying on it. Contaminants and mineral levels vary by location.
Choosing water you trust and paying attention to minerals are two parts of my approach to hydration.
https://twitter.com/zaidkdahhaj/status/1602427636403216385
Conclusion
The point is simple: consider both water quality and mineral intake. Mineral-rich water can be one way to support overall health.
I personally prefer spring water in glass bottles.
https://twitter.com/gijsheerkens/status/1616386256648261633