Which drinking water is healthiest: distilled, tap or mineral water?

The body needs water or fluids that are useful for processing digestion, absorption of substances or food content for energy, blood circulation or digestion, and maintaining body temperature. Nowadays, many types of drinking water that have gone through a filtering process are considered healthier, such as distilled water, purified water. Then how is it different from regular drinking water or from the tap?

Know the various types of drinking water

Purified water (Purified water)

Purified water (purified water) or purified water is water that has been filtered or processed to remove impurities such as chemicals and other pollutants.

It is usually produced using groundwater or tap water. Through the refining process, many types of contaminants are removed such as bacteria, fungi, parasites, algae, metals (copper, lead), and chemical pollutants.

Purified water is made through several processes, including:

Coagulation and flocculation: Positively charged chemicals are added to water to bind negatively charged particles so they can be filtered out. This forms larger particles called floc.
Sedimentation: Separating the floc that settles at the bottom from clean water.
Filtering: Clean water then flows through many filtration systems made of sand, charcoal and gravel. This removes contaminants such as dust, bacteria, chemicals and viruses.
Disinfection: During this step, a chemical disinfectant such as chlorine is added to the water to kill any remaining bacteria or viruses, which may have survived the first few steps.

In addition, water is purified through a filtering process with a choice of methods, namely:

Reverse osmosis, filters water through a special material called a semipermeable membrane. This material allows fluids to flow, but removes salt and dirt.
Distillate, boil the water, and then collect the steam back into the liquid to remove impurities and minerals.
Deionization, removing salts and other mineral ions (molecules) from water.

Distilled water (Distilled water)

Distilled water or distilled water is one type of purified water. Distilled water has been through a distillation process to remove impurities.

Distillation is the process of boiling water to collect its vapor, which then drips back into the water when it cools. This process is very effective at removing bacterial contaminants, viruses, protozoa, and chemicals such as lead and sulfate.

That's why apart from being drunk, distilled water is also often used in medical or laboratory facilities because it is considered very pure.

Cooked tap water

Boiling tap water is a method of processing drinking water that many Indonesians practice. Boiled water is quite safe to drink because the heating process can kill bacteria or other germs that can interfere with health.

Which type of drinking water is healthier?

Drinking water that goes through a filtering process can be the right choice. Pure water (purified water) are generally free of metals, chemicals, and other contaminants.

Another benefit of purified drinking water is that it removes the unpleasant taste from chemicals, organic materials or metal pipes. It depends on the type of filtering system used.

However, a water purification system with a charcoal filter that aims to remove chlorine can actually make chlorine enter drinking water. This is often associated with an increased risk of certain cancers.

While distilled water that goes through a distillation process is very effective at removing potentially harmful contaminants, it also removes natural minerals and electrolytes found in water. Together with unwanted impurities, beneficial minerals such as calcium and magnesium are also left behind as the vapor rises during the distillation process.

How much water should you drink in a day?

Regardless of which type of drinking water is the healthiest, we must still be able to meet our daily body fluid intake. According to Healthline, drinking water basically doesn't have to be 2 liters or 8 glasses a day. Each person's water needs are different, depending on their health conditions and activities.

The reason is, there are several fruits, vegetables, and foods that contain the fluids that the body needs. Excess fluid intake can actually interfere with body health.

In essence, drink a lot when you feel thirsty, sweaty, when the weather is hot, and before and after eating. However, there are times or conditions that require you to immediately drink enough water. An example is like this:

After Wake up

Drink one glass of water after waking up to help activate your internal organs, especially digestion. Water will help improve digestion, and remove residual toxins in digestion.

Before eating

Drink one glass of water 30 minutes before meals to help smooth the digestive system. Don't drink water too quickly after eating, unless you are choking and your throat feels uncomfortable when swallowing food. It is recommended to drink water some time after eating to allow the body to absorb the nutrients from the food you eat.