Which water to choose for everyday use?

By Jean-François Tatard – Photos: flickr / pexels / pixabay / DR

If there’s one element essential to your existence, it’s water. Nearly 60% of your body is composed of this precious liquid. To optimize proper cellular function, water is paramount, whether at the muscular, cerebral, tendon, bone, visceral, hepatic, pancreatic, blood, or visual level, etc. Any hydration deficit is therefore immediately detrimental to your body.

Dehydration and its consequences

Dehydration (excessive decrease of water in the body) shows various symptoms such as:

• A noticeable loss of energy
• Fatigue
• Cramps
• Stress
• Insomnia
• Headaches
• Osteoporosis
• Muscle wasting
• Tendinitis

For an athlete, this translates into a significant drop in performance. According to the adage, 5% less water in the body means 20% less energy.

Waters and their properties

All waters, whether mineral, spring, or tap water, contain minerals with different concentrations specific to each. This gives them a taste that can be very different from one water to another. We find in them:

• Bicarbonates: they act by facilitating digestion and are alkalizing.
• Calcium: it plays an essential role in bone growth, tooth mineralization, and muscle contraction. A calcium deficiency is responsible for long-term osteoporosis.
• Chlorides: they are an essential component of body fluids and are indispensable for digestion.
• Iron: it is a fundamental constituent of hemoglobin. Insufficiency, more frequent in women, causes states of fatigue, or even anemia. In excess, this element produces a coloration of the water.
• Potassium: it plays an essential role in cellular exchanges and muscle contraction. Water rich in potassium is not recommended in cases of kidney failure.
• Sulfates: they are not assimilated by the body. Their elimination leads to the loss of other minerals.
• Magnesium: it contributes to the proper functioning of the nervous system and muscle contraction. A deficiency is responsible for cramps, spasmophilia, anxiety, nervousness, and digestive disorders. In high doses, it can have a laxative effect.
• Nitrates: vegetables and cured meats are the main source of nitrates in our diet, before water. Nitrates are an undesirable substance in excessive quantities but not toxic. Once ingested, nitrates can be transformed into nitrites and then cause particularly serious toxicological problems in infants.
• Sodium: it plays a role in cellular exchanges and in maintaining body hydration. Deficiencies are almost non-existent given that the diet largely covers salt needs, or is often too salty. Be careful, however, with losses in athletes. An excess of sodium can, however, play a significant role in the development of hypertension in predisposed individuals.

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Waters and their virtues

Not all waters are good for everyone to drink. Conversely, some waters suit you better than others. It is therefore essential to pay particular attention to the composition of the water you drink. You drink it primarily to cover your hydration needs. But water can also be a very good complement to dietary intake of certain minerals. Let’s see what different waters are available:

• Mineral waters: these waters undergo no treatment and possess particular natural properties. The specified benefits are linked to their mineral salt composition. They are subject to specific regulations. Consequently, they may not be suitable for the needs of all consumers.
• Spring waters: their composition naturally meets potability standards. Microbiologically sound, they undergo no treatment prior to packaging. Spring waters have no particular properties.
• Table waters: these waters are made potable by treatments before packaging. They cannot claim the designations “spring water” or “mineral water”.
• Tap water, a safe bet: compared to bottled waters, tap water offers certain advantages. Indeed, get out your calculator: it costs on average 300 times less! It meets stricter quality standards for certain parameters. It is delivered to your home. Finally, from an environmental perspective, its consumption does not generate waste related to packaging and other conditioning.

Which mineral water to choose?

It is necessary to drink about 1.5 liters of water per day to cover essential needs, not counting the water essential to consume during physical exercise. Thus, if you are a fan of mineral waters, you are spoiled for choice. To find the one that suits your health, your activity, your requirements, follow the guide.

• Vittel, Volvic, Aquarel, Evian or Valvert: these are among the still waters with low mineralization. They allow an increase in urinary volume, thus a good flushing of the renal cavities. These are the only ones that can be drunk every day, with every meal, without problems. They should preferably be bought in supermarkets. Store them away from heat and light. Once opened, consume them within two days.
• Waters for those on a diet: these are not bought for their taste. Hépar, Contrex or Courmayeur: higher in sulfates and magnesium and very mineralized, Hépar and Contrex allow for accelerated transit and much faster elimination. Water does not make you lose weight, but it can help you eliminate waste from your body, to drain. The choice is very important because beyond the diuretic benefits, it is also an appetite suppressant. In case of cravings, drink a large glass of water. And don’t forget to have regular physical activity and balanced meals.

• Waters for difficult digestion: Vichy Célestins, Saint-Yorre, Salvetat, Badoit or Alet. It is often said that sparkling water aids digestive functions. Indeed, whether natural, reinforced, or simply introduced, carbon dioxide allows for better digestion. However, consume in moderation, as sparkling waters are quite rich in mineral salts. Vichy Célestins also has beneficial virtues for the skin and complexion: it hydrates the epidermis from within. Vichy Saint-Yorre, on the other hand, is recommended to relieve liver and biliary tract conditions, thanks to its high bicarbonate content. As for Alet, it is advised in cases of digestive diseases, diabetes treatment, or obesity.

• Waters against stress: Rozana, Quézac, Arvie or Hépar will be your allies. Why anti-stress? By choosing one of these brands, you opt for water rich in magnesium. This mineral salt regulates your body’s nervous balance.

Be careful, however, with waters high in sodium like La Rozana. Indeed, they should be consumed in moderation. One or two glasses, no more!

Vary and diversify

Today, nutritionists all agree to recommend varying one’s diet to best cover the needs for various nutrients. As for water, it may not ultimately be as necessary to change it regularly. Nevertheless, the choice of water must be adapted to the needs of the moment. In an underdeveloped country, never drink the water, but in an industrial country, it’s no better: never breathe the air! Nevertheless, as long as you have the possibility to choose your water, let’s hope you have realized that beyond flavor and taste, depending on its composition, it offers such rich properties that they will allow you to meet subjective and contextual needs that will themselves depend on your state. You will probably never look at water bottles the same way again when you go grocery shopping and venture into the aisle. And you may rightly wonder how something so stable can present so many active things. Water is more precious than gold. Moreover, on a cosmic scale, water is even rarer… Savor it, diversify it, preserve it, and toast to the richness of its composition!

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