UPureWater – Water Purification Methods

Can You Drink Distilled Water? The short answer is YES! Drinking distilled water, in moderation, is a good step towards a balanced diet. However, the safety of the distilled water (for drinking) depends mostly on the quality of the source water. Also, drinking distilled water may lead to imbalances in pH, minerals, and electrolytes in the human body. For instance, distilling non-potable water with manufacturing contaminants will generate distilled water. But, such water will still contain pollutants that would be unsafe for your drinking. "Drink distilled water and you'll be on your way to a balanced diet" Maybe yes, maybe not! Well, distillation involves heating water to its boiling point and cooling it back to water vapor in another chamber while removing chemical or organic contaminants. Related: Is it safe to drink purified water? So, is Distilled/ Deionized Water Safe for Drinking? Can You Drink Distilled Water? But some volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and pesticides like toluene with boiling points near that of water, particularly if there is no preheating phase, will vapourize together with the water and condense to poison your water. So, you ask again, can you drink distilled water? Is distilled water really safe? First, as we've noted above, your distilled water will only be as good as the source water. However, drinking your distilled water in the appropriate moderation will promote a balanced diet. In fact, different soft drinks like Cola are made from distilled water and its not unsafe. But drinking distilled water only may cause you some adverse health effects. For example, distilled water may lack some essential minerals. However, you need to supplement your diet with foods rich in calcium and magnesium to remain healthy. If distilled water is considered acidic, how would it be good for drinking when humans aim to keep their bodies being alkaline? Well, distilled water has a very low amount of carbonic acid, probably at about at pH 6. Definitely, the human body will react to the acid by generating additional stomach acid. However, if you have a healthy digestive system and you are not on medicines that may hinder the generation of the stomach acid, then the low amount of acidity in distilled water won't affect your health. Caution: Athletes, small kids & infants I(under 6 months), and people with cancer, must not drink demineralized or distilled water as it would lead to electrolyte imbalances, especially if such nutrients are not supplemented in other ways such as drinks and food. In summary: After considering the quality of the source water, drinking distilled water in moderation will be okay if you blend it with water from other safe sources. You can compensate for the nutrients, such as magnesium and calcium, through a diet rich in fruits and vegetables to get these essential minerals. Can Babies Drink Distilled Water? Distillation removes minerals and impurities, which makes it the safest kind of water to drink for both babies and adults human beings. However, babies will drink distilled water after 6 months, especially for baby formula. For a DIY project, you can check how to make distilled water from various water sources like taps or a well. However, you'll have to consider the mineral and chemical concentrations. Check the USGS resources on details of how to safely use water from various sources. Below are the water types you must avoid when you're feeding your babies and infants. 1. Carbonated and mineral water - Particularly for babies and infants, carbonated water may cause digestive issues like bloating and diarrhea. 2. Well water - Well water may contain high levels of minerals such as irons and nitrates that are unsafe for babies and won't be eliminated by distillation or boiling. 3. Water will high levels of flouride - Excessive amounts of flouride in your water will be unsafe for your babies. For example, nursery water contains an excessive amount of flouride. i. Distilled Water for Formula Mixing (Should you Boil it?) Water Water Water WaterWater Water Water Water ii. Nursery Water Vs Distilled Water Water Water Water WaterWater Water Water Water Can Drinking Distilled Water Kill You? So one Yahoo recently asked this question, maybe for most us out here, related to distilled water killing human beings. Well, drinking distilled water in moderation is all healthy. However, drinking only this water may lead to other health issues since distilled water is extremely hypotonic. Passive diffusion is the process that'll balance the salt in the human body. However, distilled water lacks salt and hence will (being highly hypotonic) remove salt from your body tissues. Hence, the red blood cells would take in too much water and burst and thus die. Further, the distilled water may cause kidneys malfunctioning and due to the excessive amount of salt, a large number of minerals and electrolytes are leeched from them and removed through the urine. So, the human body will thus have electrical anomalies and have fatigue, and unusual heartbeats due to hypokalemia and hyponatremia. Benefits of Drinking Distilled Water? 1. Free from Germs and Bacteria The distillation process eliminates waterborne pathogens. Such waterborne bacteria and germ, if not eliminated, may cause serious diseases to humans beings. Notably, tap water may still have limited amounts of germs and bacteria - but is tap water safe for drinking? But, the distillation process kills such pathogens and microbes to ensure they don't cause diseases in your body. 2. It's Chemical and Toxin Free The distillation process removes most chemicals and toxins from the source water, hence, encourages clean and safe drinking water. You definitely can't achieve this kind of effectiveness, in removing the toxins, with other water filtration methods. If you include the preheating phase, it'll be possible to eliminate most chemicals, pesticides, and herbicides making the water very safe for human drinking. 3. Dissolves Harmful Contaminants That Accumulate In the Body Distilled water is effective at cleaning out our organs, body cells, and fluids. This water helps to remove all toxins and wastes by passing through the kidney and eliminating pebbles and other wastes. Distillation eliminates viruses and bacteria and eradicates toxic inorganic substances, complex chemicals, chlorine, fluorides, and pesticides. Therefore, the best method of ensuring your drinking water is free of contaminants is by using a home water distiller (The U.S Department of Agriculture). 4. Acts as a Solvent Distilled water dissolves all waste products, acid crystals, and inorganic mineral which are eliminated during body purification. When distilled water enters your body, it takes up mineral deposits accumulated in the artery walls, joints, or any other place these deposits are inside the body and start to flush them out. Kidney stones and gallstones shrink to allow them to pass through the ducts safely. As a result, Arthritic pains reduce and the joints improve as they become more moveable and flexible. 5. Prevents contamination by Nitrates, Barium and Chlorine Tap water is contaminated with Nitrate, a compound that promotes childbirth defects like cleft palate, missing limbs, among other shortcomings. Traces of Barium are also found in the Municipal water system. Barium contributes to heart issues and hypertension. Hence, water distillation can be a great option for water purification as removes all these toxic compounds. The distilled water will have no chlorine since distillation is a heat driven process. There are many people who don't actually love the taste and smell or chlorine, which means they'll appreciate the distilled eater even more. Risks of Drinking Distilled Water? Although distilled water is healthy, you need to understand its side effects so that you make an informed choice as you decide whether distilled water is the right form of water for you. Consider the following before choosing distilled water as your primary drinking water. Distilled Water Is Tasteless and Flat Distilled Water doesn’t have any water additives. Chlorine is typically added to tap water to kill germs and add taste to the water. You’ll take a while before getting used to the lack of flavor in distilled water. But, once you get used to drinking this water, chlorinated tap water can be unpleasant to taste. Electrolyte Imbalance Distilled water can cause electrolyte imbalance. According to WHO and Nriagu et al., (2016), distilled water is stripped of all essential minerals which can lead to electrolyte imbalances in the body. What happens is that the human body will take up electrolytes from the tissues to add to the distilled (mineral free) water being consumed. The action must occur to allow the body function optimally while eliminating all wastes. If water redistribution process doesn’t function correctly, you’re likely to experience headache, fatigue, overall body weakness, abnormal heart rate, and muscle cramps. Reduces Magnesium, Calcium, Chlorine (Causes Tooth Decay) Another risk of drinking only distilled water is linked to lack of essential minerals like calcium and magnesium. Lack of these minerals in the body can impact health negatively. Epidemiology Studies by Altura et al., (2016) show that water low in magnesium and calcium is linked to increased mortality and mobility from cardiovascular diseases compared to hard water. Distilled water lacks fluoride, an essential compound that helps to prevent tooth decay. Dentists have reported an increase in cavities among young children who consume only distilled water. When deciding on what water type of drinking, keep in mind the following factors (1) the cost of the water. Is it affordable? (2) Your taste preference, and (3) The quality of minerals in the water. Distilled water has no minerals while purified water retains some minerals. Does Drinking Distilled Water Help You Lose Weight? Well, fitness enthusiasts contend that drinking distilled water can contribute to weight loss. However, no tangible proof has been put forward to show any relation between weight loss and drinking distilled water. However, some fitness experts agree that drinking distilled water after waking up in the morning and before consuming any meal can aid in weight loss. These assertions are linked to the function of distilled which involves flushing out toxins. Therefore, distilled water fill the stomach up. And has no contaminants. These toxins obstruct normal body processes that may make weight loss difficult, hence, consuming distilled water aids in weight loss. Also, distilled water speeds up the body’s metabolism, which also contributes to weight loss. So, can you drink distilled water? yes, but in moderation. Sources 1. The Evolution of the Still 2. Health risks from drinking demineralized water

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