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Have you ever been stuck in the grocery store aisle trying to decide between spring water or purified water? Each seems to come with an extensive list of selling points – making it overwhelming trying to choose!
We all want to make healthy choices, and drinking water is one of the most important things that we put in our bodies. More and more people across the United States are making the switch from tap to bottled water, but are still unsure of which bottle to pick up.
If you are wondering what the difference is between different waters and want to know which is the best for your health and your wallet, then look no further. Keep reading to find out more about purified and spring water so that you can make an informed decision next time you’re at the store!
What is Spring Water?
Spring water, otherwise known as artesian water or groundwater, comes from a spring or from underground well water, according to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Once the water has been collected from its natural source, it is filtered using a process that removes contaminants without also removing beneficial minerals.
After filtering, the spring water can be packaged at a bottling facility and sold for safe consumption.
What is Purified Water?
Purified water, in line with FDA standards, must go through one of three processes to be classified as such: distillation, deionization, or reverse osmosis. All three of these purification processes work to remove everything from the water but water molecules, meaning there are no minerals, contaminants, or other dissolved solids left.
Purified water, therefore, is water in its purest form.
Spring Water vs Purified Water: Head-to-head
Mineral content
Spring water is treated by a carbon filtration process, which means harmful chemicals like chlorine are removed, whilst healthy naturally occurring minerals remain. This results in a bottle of water that contains many essential minerals, which means it has a distinctive flavor and is considered very ‘organic’.
When water is purified, however, everything except water molecules is removed, meaning no natural minerals are present. The lack of minerals does make this the cleanest and purest water but also removes certain health benefits and changes the taste.
Winner: Spring water
Contaminant content
Because spring water undergoes a natural filtration process, it benefits from lots of essential minerals. However, this means there is a greater chance that it also contains potentially harmful contaminants. For example, spring water is usually chlorinated or ozonated in order to be transported, and will also still have some metals and nitrates left behind in it even after filtration processes have occurred.
Some spring water will go through more intense filtration than others, depending on the brand. Most people who drink spring water take this risk because of the fact that the water is natural and coming from a pure source, believing that the benefits of the minerals outweigh the drawbacks of possible contaminants.
Purifying water means drawing out all substances from it. Due to this, there is no chance that you will be ingesting any chemicals, bacteria, nitrates, metals, or sediment. Therefore, the contaminant content is much lower in purified water.
Winner: Purified water
Taste
The question of “which tastes better: spring water vs purified water?” comes down to a matter of personal preference.
Spring water has a much more full-bodied flavor due to the naturally occurring minerals, which many prefer in comparison to purified water. The tastes will depend on which minerals and other substances are in the water.
Many like the clean and mild tastes of purified water. Water that has been purified works much better when being diluted with other liquids and for use as a mixer in drinks because it does not have a mineral flavor to it. Purified water tends to be the more popular choice because of its neutral taste.
Winner: Purified water
Price
Purified water tends to work out cheaper than spring water for multiple reasons. Firstly, it is readily available across the US and therefore can be bought inexpensively from most stores. Secondly, you can purify water from home, reducing the cost of going to the store and buying cases of bottles.
This is not to say that spring water has to come with a high price point; it is dependent on the store you shop at and the brand you purchase.
Winner: Purified water
Conclusion
Overall, purified water comes out on top in terms of being the tastiest and healthiest choice of bottled water. Although both spring water and purified water are great alternatives to tap water, the filtration system used when purifying ensures that you do not consume any contaminants.
Also Read: Soft Water vs Hard Water
How to Purify your Tap Water at Home
There are many ways that you can purify your drinking water at home with water purification systems. For example, to make reverse osmosis water, you need an RO system that can be installed underneath the sink. The installation is complicated and may require the help of a professional, but once complete, you have purified water straight from a dedicated faucet!
For distilled water, you can invest in a water distiller. A distiller boils tap water, retains the steam, and gets rid of any contaminants. The steam is then cooled down and reverted back into water, which then goes through a carbon filter. The process does take between 4-6 hours to complete but leaves you with perfect filtered water.
FAQs
Between spring water vs purified water there are arguments as to which is better for your overall health. Spring water does not contain any man-made additives because it comes from underground aquifers and is full of essential minerals, which many people believe makes it healthier. On the other hand, it may include other chemicals and unwanted contaminants that naturally occur in the water.
Purified water, such as deionized water, is missing minerals because of the rigorous filtration systems it undergoes. This means it is lacking any of the health benefits that minerals provide, but is also free of potentially harmful substances that are present in spring water.
Some people think that water from an underground aquifer tastes better than water that has been purified, but it is all subjective. If you prefer a clean or bland flavor, then purified drinking water is the way to go. If you prefer your bottled water to have a flavor, however, then spring water is the best option.
All water has to go through some kind of filtration process before being declared safe to drink, from tap water to bottled water. However, this does not mean that they are all of the same quality.
If you live in an area where you are unsure about the condition of your underground aquifers, then we advise opting for purified drinking water.
Technically you do not need to purify your tap water, but it can help to remove any potential contaminants or other substances that are in it. A simple reverse osmosis system can leave your tap water feeling like bottled water and ensure that you are only putting pure water into your body.
