Everyone knows that the human body is 60% water. Accordingly, this water balance must be maintained by a variety of methods, because the metabolic processes in the tissues of the body are carried out exclusively in the presence of this substance. A daily serving of liquid for a person, as a rule, includes not only pure water - it is appropriate to replace it with juices, tea or mineral water. What is the latest product? What classification is it subject to? Is the mineral water useful for the body ?
Historical information
As a rule, society is of the opinion that water from healing springs is able to accomplish the impossible: it relaxes, relieves irritation, soothes, and also resists aggression and a bad mood. Is it so?
The history of the existence of mineral water is determined by hundreds of years. It all started with the fact that in ancient times, Greek tribes built sanctuaries for the god Asclepius (he was considered the patron saint of medicine), and the Romans practiced the construction of temples in the name of Aesculapius. It is important to note that the Greek archaeologists discovered the ruins, apparently, hydropathic, the construction of which was carried out in the sixth century BC. Thus, from generation to generation, the practice of transmitting oral traditions about the truly magical properties of mineral waters, which did not cease to beat from the ground, was practiced.
The process of formation of mineral waters
Mineral water is rainwater that has gone unimaginably deep into the bowels of the earth. In the process of penetration of the product through the pores of various rock layers, many-faced substances of mineral origin located there were dissolved in it. Thus , mineral water differs from standard water of a natural nature located in open water bodies and subsoil sources by the presence of substances of mineral origin in its composition. In addition, in the process of product formation, an important role is played by the depth of mineral water: the deeper, the better the degree of purification of the product and its saturation with carbon dioxide, as well as minerals, which, as it turned out, accumulate naturally as the product passes through geological formations. So, mineral water is , first of all, the water of underground sources.
Distinctive features of mineral water from the dining room
Undoubtedly, it is necessary to be able to distinguish between drinking and mineral water. The Codex Alimentarius, the main UN standard endowed with a nutritional focus on information, defines these distinguishing features in the following paragraphs:
- Mineral water is extracted from sources of natural origin and wells formed by drilling. Thanks to this approach, the external influence on both the physical and chemical properties of the natural mineral product is absolutely eliminated.
- Mineral water is a product containing a certain amount of salts, as well as trace substances.
- The process of collecting mineral water is carried out under conditions that definitely give guarantees of initial purity at the microbiological level, as well as a stable chemical composition of the components contained in the product.
Interesting features of mineral water
Mineral water is a rather capricious in nature product that requires careful handling. There is an opinion that natural water is much more tender than precious wine. And this is actually so, because the water from the source should be raised very carefully, which is very difficult to produce, because the depth plays a role in quality. Packing the product in a convenient and extremely safe container is also not an easy task, because in the process of this operation it is necessary to preserve the unique properties of mineral water, which were originally laid by Mother Nature.
Natural water is perfectly absorbed by the body: when it enters the stomach, it reacts qualitatively with gastric juice, while emitting carbon dioxide and stimulating the secretory work of the body. Of course, as a result of such “magic”, appetite and mood noticeably improves. Mineral water, the benefits and harms of which we are considering, has a beneficial effect on our body. That is why, for example, the French, on a dinner table, without fail put a bottle of mineral water, usually next to bread.
Statistical data
Today in Russia there is a real mineral boom. This fact can be confirmed by the Goskomstat calculations, as a result of which the number of mineral water items throughout the country is equal to 700. Nevertheless, there is a significant lag behind industrialized countries, judging by the criterion of the volume of product consumption per capita. According to statistics, one European today accounts for approximately one hundred liters of mineral water per year. The Austrian is able to drink 72 liters of water for the same time period, the Frenchman - 80 liters, the Italian - 116 liters, but the consumption of natural water by the average German resident reaches 129 liters per year. And now the main fact: a Russian citizen drinks only 10 liters of mineral water during the year, which is not a bit impressive, although during the Soviet Union this figure was half as much. It should be added that the natural water market in Russia is estimated at about 1.2 billion liters per year. In addition, every year there is an increase in this market by 10-15 percent.
Species diversity
Today, there are certain indicators that are the basis for the classification of natural waters. Thus, it is customary to distinguish the following types of product:
- Depending on the salinity: slightly mineralized, mineral waters of small, medium, high salinity, brine and hard brine natural waters.
- From the point of view of balneology, canteen, medicinal and medicinal-table mineral waters are distinguished .
- Depending on the chemical composition: hydrocarbonate, chloride, sulfate, sodium, calcium, magnesium and mixed mineral waters.
- According to the temperature regime: very cold, cold, cool, indifferent, warm, hot (they are called thermal in another way) and overheated (another name is high-thermal).
- According to the degree of acidity: neutral, slightly acidic, acidic, strongly acidic, slightly alkaline, alkaline.
Popular mineral waters today
As it turned out, today the range of mineral waters is extremely rich. So, it will be advisable to consider the most popular product brands:
- "Borjomi" is carbonic sodium bicarbonate water. The use of mineral water from this manufacturer is in the treatment of liver diseases, gastrointestinal diseases, urinary tract, as well as in the prevention and normalization of the effects of metabolic disorders. The source of Borjomi is located in Georgia (800 meters above sea level).
- Essentuki (4, 17, 20) is a mineral water system, the first representative of which is a medicinal-table product, the second is a medicinal and the third is exclusively a table. This product has no analogues both in terms of healing properties and taste. The mineral water is characterized by the influence of a complex orientation on all functional systems of the body (from the book "Mineral waters on guard of health" by A. A. Nazarov).
- "Narzan" - water of carbonic hydrocarbonate-sulfate-calcium origin. Its source is located in Kislovodsk and is called similarly to the brand. This product is able to increase appetite, enhance the secretory activity of the digestive system, increase the quantitative indicator of urine, and so on.
Mineral water benefits and harms
At the initial stages of the existence of mineral water, the allocation of its medicinal purpose as the main direction, arguing the use of the product, is noted. Therefore, the sale of mineral water exclusively in pharmacies would be extremely fair. What is beneficial mineral water for health ? There is no information in the world that determines the maximum quantity and acceptable quality of mineral water - all individually! However, in the process of using mineral water, the following rules should be followed: it is necessary to exclude the regular intake of natural water, and use it only during periods of active loss of salts by the body. To achieve a satisfactory effect, you should carefully read the information on the labels and be inclined to buy only a quality product, and also, if possible, choose a mineral water with elements of natural origin.
The benefits of sparkling mineral water
As it turned out, natural water is endowed with a mixed type structure, which together with biologically active substances significantly enhances the therapeutic effect of its consumption:
- Iron is a powerful obstacle in the fight against anemia.
- Iodine normalizes the thyroid gland.
- Calcium is an excellent tool for maintaining ion balance in the body, and also has a beneficial effect on the blood coagulation process.
- Magnesium is a wonderful regulator of carbohydrate and energy metabolism, in addition, it contributes to the normal functioning of the nervous system.
- Sodium is a good support for normal blood pressure.
- Potassium is indispensable for the activity of the heart and kidneys.
- Fluoride is an essential element of bones and teeth, in addition, it is very useful for pregnant girls.
The harm of mineral water to the human body
Mineral water is unhealthy : is it? The answer to this question is extremely simple: the matter is in the quantitative and qualitative characteristics of the use of this product. Thus, the frequency of taking a mineral-type mineral water, as well as the daily dosage, depend on the qualitative composition of the product and, naturally, on the recommendations of a doctor. As a rule, it is correct to drink mineral water 15-30 minutes before eating food in case of a low level of secretion of the stomach, and 45-60 minutes with adequate secretion. If the secretion of the organ is increased, then you should drink mineral water an hour and a half before eating.
It is important to note that artificial gasification of water is very common today, which fully justifies the loss of the medicinal properties of the product after some time. However, there is a workaround here: to remove carbon dioxide, the open bottle should be shaken well, after which the artificial gases will evaporate. Otherwise, a highly carbonated drink can turn out to be an increasing factor in relation to the acidity of gastric juice.
The choice of mineral water is a task that requires an individual approach
What mineral water is good for health ? The answer to this question is very multifaceted, because just like the features of the human body, the properties of mineral water are individual. As it turned out, a mineral water of natural origin is a specific combination of salts and their ions dissolved in water, so today you can easily form an artificial composition, it would be a desire and relevant knowledge. Of particular danger are only gross fakes (water, salt, soda), which, fortunately, are practically eradicated.
When choosing a product, you need to pay close attention to such factors as the integrity of the package, the cleanliness of the bottle and the content of impurities in the water. If during the use of mineral water you feel a burning effect or an extremely sharp smell of a chemical nature, then it is better to get rid of this product as soon as possible. In general, it is advisable to acquire natural water only in proven places, for example, in pharmacies.