Traditionally, mineral waters were used or consumed at their spring sources, often referred to as "taking the waters" or "taking the cure", at places such asspas,baths andwells.
Today, it is far more common for mineral water to bebottled at the source for distributed consumption. Travelling to the mineral water site for direct access to the water is now uncommon, and in many cases not possible because of exclusive commercial ownership rights. More than 4,000 brands of mineral water are commercially available worldwide.[1]
The morecalcium andmagnesium ions that are dissolved in water, theharder it is said to be; water with few dissolved calcium and magnesium ions is described as beingsoft.[2]
In theEuropean Union, bottled water may be called mineral water when it is bottled at the source and has undergone no or minimal treatment.[4] Permitted is the removal ofiron,manganese,sulfur andarsenic throughdecantation,filtration or treatment withozone-enriched air, insofar as this treatment does not alter the composition of the water as regards the essential constituents which give it its properties. No additions are permitted except forcarbon dioxide, which may be added, removed or re-introduced by exclusively physical methods. No disinfection treatment is permitted, nor is the addition of anybacteriostatic agents.[citation needed]
A review by theWorld Health Organization found slightly reduced cardiovascular disease mortality from consuming harder water with higher mineral amounts, with magnesium and possibly calcium being the most likely contributors.[5]
However, mineral amounts vary greatly among different brands of mineral water, and tap water can contain similar or greater amounts of minerals. One study found that the median mineral content of North American mineral waters was lower than for tap water, though values varied widely among both groups.[6] Additionally, other dietary sources of minerals are available and may be more cost effective and less environmentally impactful than bottled mineral water.
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