Water is essential to life, making up about 60% of the human body and playing a crucial role in nearly every biological process. But not all water is created equal. Among the various types of water available, distilled water holds a special place due to its unparalleled purity. But what is distilled water? How is it made? Is distilled water better for you than tap or well water? Read our article to learn more.
What Is Distilled Water?
Distilled water is a type of purified water that has undergone the distillation process to remove impurities. This process involves boiling the water, collecting the steam, and then condensing it back into liquid form. This method effectively removes minerals, bacteria, and other contaminants, leaving behind ultra-pure water.
How Is Distilled Water Made?
The distillation process is quite straightforward but highly effective. Here’s a step-by-step look at how it’s made:
Boiling: Water is heated until it reaches its boiling point and starts to evaporate.- Steam Collection: The steam rises and leaves behind impurities and contaminants.
- Condensation: The steam is captured and cooled, causing it to condense back into liquid form.
- Collection: The condensed water is collected in a separate container, free from the original impurities.
This process ensures that the resulting water lacks dissolved solids, bacteria, and other contaminants.
Benefits of Drinking Distilled Water
Purity
Distilled water is a much safer alternative to unpurified tap or well water when consumed as part of a balanced diet. It is free from contaminants and many harmful chemicals. Distillation also removes nearly all microorganisms, such as bacteria and viruses. The purity of distilled water can be particularly beneficial in areas where the tap water quality is questionable.
Controlled Mineral Intake
Distilled water contains no dissolved minerals, so you have more control over your mineral intake through your diet. This can be advantageous for individuals who need to monitor their mineral consumption due to health conditions such as kidney disease or hypertension.
Hydration
Like any other water, distilled water is effective in keeping you hydrated. Proper hydration is essential for maintaining bodily functions, including temperature regulation, joint lubrication, and nutrient transportation. The peace-of-mind that comes with completely pure water may encourage individuals to drink more of it, ensuring they stay adequately hydrated.
Disease Prevention
In his groundbreaking pamphlet, The Choice is Clear, Dr. Allen Banik unveils the myriad benefits of drinking and cooking only with distilled water. He states that individuals who drink unpurified tap and well water can accumulate up to 450 lbs of inorganic particles in the body in a lifetime. These particles build up in organs and the bloodstream, leading to all sorts of adverse health outcomes.
For example, calcium and magnesium in water have been associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, poor growth, and fertility issues. Water that is higher in acidity due to dissolved particles also causes problems with the reabsorption of calcium in the kidneys, leading to kidney stones and other urinary tract issues.
Incorporating Distilled Water Into a Balanced Diet
While distilled water is safe to drink, it’s important to remember that our bodies need some minerals to function optimally. Luckily, we can obtain most, if not all, of the essential nutrients and minerals we require through a few simple steps:
Diverse Diet
Ensure your diet includes a variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and proteins. These foods naturally provide the minerals and nutrients that might be absent in distilled water. Dairy products, leafy greens, nuts, seeds, and fish are excellent sources or calcium, magnesium, iron, and important vitamins.
Fortified Foods and Supplements
If you’re concerned about not getting enough minerals from your diet, consider foods fortified with essential nutrients or talk to a healthcare provider about appropriate supplements.
These simple steps will help you ensure you are consuming adequate quantities of essential minerals without the contaminants and health hazards associated with hard water.
Potential Drawbacks of Distilled Water
While distilled water is safe, it’s important to be aware of a few potential drawbacks:
Taste
Some people find the taste of distilled water to be flat or bland due to the absence of minerals that contribute to the flavor of natural water. However, the “blank” taste of distilled water is often favorable for cooking, since there will be no off-tastes due to minerals and contaminants.
Mineral Deficiency
If you rely solely on distilled water and don’t consume a balanced diet, there’s a risk of mineral deficiencies over time. Ensure you are getting adequate nutrients from your food.
Cost and Convenience
Distilled water is generally more expensive than tap or filtered water. Additionally, the distillation process can be time-consuming and requires specialized equipment if done at home.
Other Uses of Distilled Water
Beyond drinking, distilled water has a variety of uses, lending further merit to its consumption in the home. Some other uses of distilled water include:
Medical and Laboratory Use: Due to its purity, distilled water is used in medical procedures, pharmaceutical preparations, and laboratory experiments.- Automotive and Industrial Applications: Distilled water is used in lead-acid batteries and cooling systems where mineral-free water is crucial to prevent scaling and corrosion.
- Cosmetics and Personal Care: Many cosmetics and skincare products use distilled water to ensure purity and avoid reactions with minerals.
- Cleaning and Humidifying: Distilled water is ideal for cleaning delicate items like jewelry and for use in humidifiers to prevent mineral buildup.
Drink Clean Water at Home
While traditional methods of creating distilled water at home, such as stovetop distillation or using a distillation apparatus, can be effective, they are time-consuming and do not fully address certain contaminants in the water (see below). A whole-home water filtration system can offer a more efficient and practical solution for producing purified water.
The best whole-home water filtration system consists of three parts:
A Reverse Osmosis System
Like distillation, reverse osmosis removes 99.9% of dissolved particles in tap and well water. Unlike distillation, however, RO can also remove volatile and semi-volatile chemicals in the water, including chloramine, which is notoriously difficult to extract.
A UV Filtration System
Distillation is not 100 percent effective at removing certain bacteria and viruses from water. UV filtration uses ultraviolet wavelengths to effectively deactivate microorganisms that may pose a health risk.
A Water Softener
While RO systems can, technically, remove hard minerals from your water, they are not designed to do so long-term. Excess minerals can cause the membrane of the RO system to swell and, eventually, tear. It is best to install a dedicated water softener to remove minerals like calcium, iron, and magnesium from the water.
Whole Home Water Filtration Denver
You can achieve all the benefits of distilled water and then some with a whole home water filtration system. In Denver and all along the front range, the Water Pros is your top water softener installation professional. We also install reverse osmosis and UV filtration units at the most affordable prices in the area. Contact the Water Pros to see how you can get on the path to clean water in your home today.
