Mineral water – allergy and intolerance

Mineral water

Mineral water is drinking water from underground springs, which has a high mineral content as a result. Sparkling or non-carbonated mineral water, as well as flavored water, is commercially available.

Here’s what you should know about bottled water

Mineral water is water of drinking water quality that is sold in bottles in stores. Its origin lies in deep underground springs. Mineral water is former water from precipitation that seeped through rock strata in these regions, from which they took minerals. The water then collects in mineralized form in the groundwater and is sold commercially as mineral water.

Precipitation does not hit such rock layers in all regions, so that the drinking water is not of the same quality as mineral water in every region. However, especially in mountainous areas, it can happen that the tap water in this form resembles the mineral water from the trade.

Sometimes mineral water is also mixed with additional minerals before it is sold, but mostly it is a matter of natural occurrence.

The mineral content is regularly checked by independent institutes, the controlled composition can be found on the bottle.

In addition to so-called still water, which does not contain any carbonic acid, mineral water is offered with added carbonic acid, especially in this country. Designations are “medium” for little carbonic acid and “classic” or “sparkling” for noticeable amounts of carbonic acid. Mineral waters with aromas and with flavorings and sweeteners are also commercially available.

importance to health

Since tap water is not of the same quality as mineral water in every region, mineral water is considered an important supplier of various minerals. These are relatively similar in many waters and differ only in their quantity depending on the source. Mineral water usually contains calcium, potassium, hydrogen carbonate (carbonic acid), sodium, chloride and potassium.

There is also water that contains additional iodine , with which bottlers try to prevent the problematic iodine deficiency in this country, which affects almost everyone due to the rather low consumption of fish. For water with an iodine content of more than 10 µg iodine/l, the term “healing water” is common.

In principle, mineral water is recommended as the primary source of liquid, as it not only regulates the electrolyte balance as a pure liquid but also covers part of the mineral requirement. Flavored mineral water is less conducive to health. There is nothing wrong with adding fresh lemon to the mineral water at home, for example . However, bottled water that is bought flavored is usually flavored with sweeteners that have less healthy effects on the body.

Ingredients & nutritional values

The exact composition of the ingredients varies depending on the mineral water source. However, the type of minerals contained is mostly relatively similar. Even with medicinal waters, which are understood as mineral water with iodine content, the other minerals are similar to those of conventional mineral water.

Water contains no fat, no protein and usually no carbohydrates. It can be different with mineral water with aroma, since the flavor carrier is often combined with sweeteners or sugar and this is recognized and metabolized by the body as a carbohydrate.

Calories and nutrients (per 100g)
kilocalories/kilojoules0 kcal/ 0 kj
protein0 g
carbohydrates0 g
Fett0 g
Water99,75 g
fiberg
Calcium35 mg
Flour21 µg

intolerances

There are no known intolerances to mineral water. Almost every mineral water has a note on its label that it is suitable for the preparation of baby food. It also provides the necessary supply of minerals for babies, and it is also purified and absolutely germ-free water. It can thus replace boiling tap water for baby food.

In adults, carbonated mineral water can cause flatulence and belching . Not every adult can tolerate heavily carbonated mineral water. The alternatives are water with less carbonic acid or the still version, which in turn is tolerated like tap water.

Shopping and kitchen tips

The minerals contained in mineral water are very difficult to destroy. In the sealed bottle, the product cannot spoil at all and the minerals it contains cannot spoil either. The mineral water does not have to be stored in the dark, it should just not be exposed to direct sunlight.

The most sensitive thing about mineral water is probably the carbonic acid, if it is contained. Carbonic acid is a very unstable compound: very soon after opening a bottle of mineral water, it is no longer in the water. It also escapes with every movement of the bottle. A single shake can be enough to completely remove the carbon dioxide from the mineral water bottle.

The same happens when the mineral water is boiled, which in turn can be desirable here – for example for the preparation of baby food. This should not contain any carbon dioxide, as it is very likely to overwhelm the baby’s metabolism.

When buying, it should be noted that green bottles stand for medicinal water, and mineral water is sold in any other bottle color. Glass bottles are recommended because, firstly, they are ecologically better and, secondly, they certainly do not contain any plasticizers, which are found in some plastic bottles. It has now been proven that softeners can pass from a plastic bottle into the water inside and thus affect human health.

In addition, however, mineral water is also insensitive to temperature. It can be stored both refrigerated and at room temperature without any change in the mineral content. Only at the boiling point of 100°C can the minerals begin to dissolve together with the formation of water vapour.

preparation tips

Bottled water is either chilled or drunk at room temperature without being altered. Most people are satisfied with the carbon dioxide it contains, and non-carbonated mineral water is also often drunk pure and unaltered. It is taken directly from the bottle.

In order to serve it attractively, mineral water is often served with ice cubes or decorative elements such as a mint leaf or a slice of orange , lemon or lime in the water or on the rim of the glass. All of this has little or no effect on the ingredients.

In order to make mineral water tastier without resorting to the commercially available variant with added flavoring and sugar, it has been refined with fruits and even vegetables on a number of food blogs and in recipe directories for several years. The longer the fruits are in the mineral water, the more of their juice and thus their ingredients are transferred to the mineral water.

Citrus fruits, cucumbers and berries are particularly popular. Sparkling or non-carbonated mineral water can be used for this and refined with spices such as mint, thyme or oregano . These mixtures are not sweetened.

Mineral water can also be used for any purpose for which water is generally used. This is useful, for example, for soups or stews where the water is no longer thrown away. Sensitive houseplants can also benefit from mineral water.

How useful are water filters?

In order to get “clean” drinking water, many Germans use so-called water filters or activated carbon filters. They hope to get the water purer or at least less lime. But which substances are actually filtered and which germs still get into the water?

Germs that are often warned about are so-called legionella ( legionella infection ). However, they only occur in the house, for example due to the groundwater temperature being too low or due to defective or insufficiently maintained pipes. However, the activated carbon filter cannot filter out legionella.

However, other germs are well absorbed by a water filter. But not all. In addition, many get stuck on the filter itself, multiply and can suddenly detach as a whole and end up in the drinking water unnoticed. In response, some water filter manufacturers have coated their filters with silver ions.

However, these silver ions do not kill all bacteria. In addition, some ions are released and flushed into the drinking water. According to the current state of science, this is not dangerous. But the substance is not needed by the body either, so you should not supply it unnecessarily.

More taste for coffee and tea drinkers

Activated carbon filters keep the lime out of the drinking water. For coffee and tea drinkers, this means more taste, because the bitter substances are reduced when decalcifying. Boiling the water for tea and coffee also kills the remaining germs that are still in the filtered water.

Filtering also prevents the coffee machine or kettle from calcifying. However, you should follow the manufacturer’s instructions on how long the filter can be used, how to clean it correctly and whether it must always be kept moist, for example.

Lime not harmful

However, the calcium-containing lime is not harmful to humans. On the contrary: Humans need calcium. There is not much of it in drinking water anyway, because the daily calcium requirement cannot be covered by tap water. Even infants are not harmed by the calcium in drinking water. It only becomes critical for them when, for example, lead or other heavy metal ions are released from old pipes. Unfortunately, water filters do not offer sufficient protection here either.

Damage to health from plastic bottles

The majority of Germans these days drink water from plastic bottles. After all, it is easier to transport, does not break and is usually cheaper. However, recent research is causing concern. Because the chemical substances from the plastic and hormone-like substances pass into the mineral water.

Estrogens in PET bottles

German scientists recently found harmful plasticizers, including estrogen, in 12 of 20 different brands of mineral water.

The so-called plasticizers are added to the plastic to make it more flexible and elastic for the end user. Plasticizers based on phthalates are suspected of having a hormone-like effect (oestrogens). As a result, this can lead to infertility , obesity and diabetes in men.

Direct damage to health could not be proven. But the results are a good basis for further research into where the stress comes from. Because it is not yet known whether it can actually be assigned to the material, i.e. the PET bottles.

In the USA, on the other hand, it has already been shown that certain plasticizers used in babies’ drinking bottles have a negative impact on babies’ brain development.

In comparison, tap water is significantly less polluted. Mineral water that is filled in glass bottles is also half as heavily contaminated with plasticizers.

Glass bottles or BPA-free drinking bottles are more suitable

If you want to be on the safe side and don’t want to drink chemically contaminated water, you should switch to glass bottles. Only half as many hormone-like substances were detected here.

If you still don’t want to do without the plastic bottle, you should at least use a reusable bottle. Their plastic is stronger and therefore contains fewer plasticizers. In addition, the bottles should not be refilled too often, otherwise harmful germs and bacteria will also gather together with the pollutants.

Alternative bottles to take with you are drinking bottles without BPA, made of glass or made of steel. They can be refilled without any health risk.

Protect plastic bottles from sunlight and heat

Heat and UV radiation remove the pollutants more easily from the plastic and thus get into the water more quickly. Plastic bottles should therefore not be stored in warm places. Bottles that have been stored in the car for a long time should be disposed of better. If the water tastes or smells of plastic, it is better to keep your hands off it from the start.

Dorothy Farrar

Hello and welcome to my Health Guide & Encyclopedia! My name is Dorothy Farrar, and I'm the founder and main author of this platform.
My passion for health and wellness started at a young age when I became interested in the connection between the food we eat and the way we feel. This fascination led me to study nutrition and dietetics in college, where I learned about the importance of a balanced diet and the impact of various nutrients on the body.

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