Distilled Water Association

Water Education through Science and Engineering

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Is Distilled Water Safe for Drinking

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Given the large number of misconceptions that surround the effectiveness of distilled water, most people often find themselves asking the question that is it really safe for drinking. In order to get a suitable answer to this question, it is important to understand the process through which distilled water is prepared.

 

Distilled water is a form of drinking water that has undergone a purification process called distillation. Distillation is of different types but these essentially follow the same basic principle: breaking down a mixture into its components, on the basis of different boiling points. In short, water is heated till it reaches its boiling point. Chemicals that have a lower boiling point are collected and done away with. Similarly, the substances that are left behind after all the water has evaporated are also discarded. The water that is left behind in vapor form is cooled down into distilled water, which has a higher level of purity as compared to the initial liquid.

 

Since distillation removes all the harmful contaminants from the water, distilled water that we obtain is definitely purer and cleaner than before. This means that the water is completely safe for drinking. The only drawback associated with distilled water is that it supposedly loses some desirable minerals (like calcium, iron and magnesium), which makes it inferior to naturally occurring spring water. However, the amount of contaminants, heavy metals and toxic organic compounds that are present is normal water is enough to make you seriously ill. This is the reason that majority of the people prefer drinking distilled water instead of its naturally occurring counterpart.

 

Generally, distilled water that is purchased from a grocery store is safe enough to use as it is prepared from drinking water only. But distilled water obtained from every source may not be equally safe. For instance, if water is taken from an industrial source and is made to undergo the process of distillation, it will be considered as unfit for human consumption as it may still have enough impurities. Distilled water can also be created safely at home, from a water distiller.

 

In addition to this, another manner in which impure distilled water can be obtained is by making use of contaminated equipment. During the process of distillation, it is very much possible for the harmful contaminants present on the glassware or tubing to enter into the water. This is more a matter of concern when distilled water is being prepared at home. It might happen that the container which is used for collecting distilled water is not clean and contains unwanted chemicals. Hence, it is important to make sure that everything is done in the right manner so as to obtain the purest form of distilled water. The safest thing is to use a counter top water distiller or a whole house water distiller.

Distilled Water Does not Promote Mineral Deficiency

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Since the past few decades, distilled water has been come to be accepted as being closest to pure drinking water. However, even after knowing its various health benefits, a myriad of controversies have always surrounded the effectiveness of distilled water. Almost all of these misconceptions are grossly misrepresented and do not have any basis in terms of real facts.

 

The biggest fallacy surrounding distilled water, and the one that has been used countless times, is that distillation results in wiping out all the beneficial minerals. In fact, it is a famous claim made by most of the filter companies that they remove bad contaminants from water while leaving in the beneficial minerals. The process of distillation helps kill bacteria, cysts, viruses, radio nuclides, inorganic compounds, heavy metals, organics and particulate matter. At the same time, this is also true that distilled water will contain no minerals which fall under the category of inorganic contaminants.

 

The usefulness or benefits of the minerals present is water has been a topic of ongoing debate. The human body derives almost all of its minerals from food items like green leafy vegetables, fresh fruits, poultry, dairy products, meat, nuts and grains. Pure drinking water contains such scant amount of minerals that in order to consume the recommended daily dosage of minerals, one would be required to drink insanely high volumes of water, when in reality, it is difficult for most of the people to drink even the recommended 8 glasses per day.

 

On the other hand, there are some people who are of the strong belief that distilled water is responsible for leaching out essential minerals from the body. Although, this myth has many proponents, there is not even an ounce of scientific evidence to support this. In reality, distilled water is associated with an inherent magnetic quality. On account of this, it picks up all the discarded and rejected minerals from the body and transports them to the kidneys and lungs (through the blood and lymph) for final elimination. But the minerals, which are ingrained in the cell structure, do not get leached out by distilled water. Only the minerals that are rejected by the cells get removed.

 

When it comes to the concept of pure drinking water that is good for health, all one can think of is the chemical combination of Hydrogen and Oxygen. One never thinks of water in combination with the minerals and fluorides present in it because that does not describe pure water. Thus, Distilled water is undoubtedly the purest form of drinking water available to man today.

Health Benefits of Drinking and using Distilled Water

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After water is boiled, cooled down and condensed, distilled water is produced. This means the impurities present in water are removed and not only that but also the bacteria, organic compounds, lead, solids, sodium, nitrates and some contaminants as well.  Although drinking distilled water can have many advantages

 

Distilled water has some health benefits that are worth knowing. Drinking this type of water basically ensures protection against various diseases and healthier living. Aside from its other household and industrial uses, distilled water is a sure benefit to your health. Below are several of its health benefits:

 

  • Distilled water reduces gallstones and kidney stones. Ingestion of too much calcium can result in the formation of kidney stones that are formed from oxalates, phosphate, calcium and urine crystals. Certain beverages and foods can be the cause of kidney stones. Distilled water contains little or no calcium or mineral.
  • Distilled water is beneficial to those suffering from arthritis or joint pains as it basically picks minerals that are accumulated in the cells in your joints. Those people with coronary heart ailments or cholesterol problems benefit from it as well since it can get rid of the minerals present on the artery walls.
  • Distilled water contains low sodium, so it is good for those with high blood pressure. It not only purifies the blood but also makes sure that the colon, liver and kidneys function more effectively.
  • Toxins found in the body are easily eliminated with the use of distilled water; thus it is considered helpful in any detoxication program. Tap or regular water has considerable amounts of salts and minerals making it impossible to dissolve other inorganic minerals deposited in the body. However, unusable waste can be filtered by distilled water.  Moreover, it allows the body to absorb healthier minerals and vitamins more efficiently.
  • When you drink distilled water, enamel fluorosis is prevented. When overexposed to fluoride, the permanent teeth are mottled and discolored. Toothpastes, bottled or tap water contain fluoride. There is no fluoride content in distilled water.
  • Chlorine found in tap water used to disinfect it is also found in swimming pools, home cleaners, bleaching products or possibly in other bottled waters. This can cause fatal poisoning when you are exposed to it in excess. Distilled water has no chlorine content.
  • Distilled water makes the skin suppler, the body fitter and allows faster healing of injuries. Thus, it gives resistance against any disease.
  • As it is pure, distilled water increases the health of bodily tissues and strengthens the immune systems.

An Overview on Distilled Water and Its Applications

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When the impurities of water are removed through the process of distillation, it is then called distilled water.  Generally, to remove its impurities, water is boiled until it reaches the level where it is converted into steam. The steam is then cooled down and condensed back into liquid, resulting in its purified form. The minerals that give flavor to the water are removed when water is distilled, so it is characterized with having a pure taste.

 

Retail and grocery stores usually sell distilled water in containers amounting to 1 gallon or 3.78 liters. Water actually has several types with a distinct taste so the label of any bottled water must be checked. Also, distilled water is used as a base in several bottled waters that are usually added with various minerals for taste.

 

Below are the following applications of distilled water:

 

  • Cleaning Agent- Distilled water cleans electronic gadgets thoroughly. It is considered a good cleaning agent used in wiping down screens of flat screen TVs or computer monitors as it does not in any way leave any mark on the screens, cleaning them without leaving any trace. When tap water is used there are traces of white marks since it contains dissolved salt.

 

  • Everyday Uses- Distilled water has been considered indispensable for automotive cooling systems instead of tap water since the tap water consists of ions and some minerals are naturally corrosive and can more rapidly deplete the anti-corrosive additives of the radiator. It is also used for topping off the lead acid battery of a truck or car since the tap water contains ions that can reduce the lifespan of a vehicle’s battery. Some homeowners use it for their household aquariums as well to provide a longer lifespan for the fish since there are no chemicals present in it, thus sustaining proper chemistry for supporting the ecosystem in an aquarium.

 

  • Cooking– The importance of distilled water in cooking is best manifested in the taste of every food where it is used. The taste of all spices and herbs become more explicit especially in pasta dishes, soups, etc; thus enhancing their natural flavor.

Distilled Water: Why making your own bottle of water is safer and more affordable

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Since the flourish of the water business in the 90s, the cost of buying bottled water has drastically jumped up to almost 400 percent, without the assurance of having safe-to-drink water in your hand. Adding up to that; health activists, with their own comparative studies, even went on saying that the bottled water sold by certain companies are merely your ordinary tap water available when opening the faucet. While this allegation remains unproven, buying commercially vended bottled water will still hurt your pockets, even more so in the future since prices are still in the constant increase.

 

If you’ve had enough of these hypes, then making your own bottle of distilled water could just save you from unnecessary expenses. Distilled water is the purest type of water, having no outside elements swimming in it. Though this type of water has its own version of cons, drinking distilled water compared to the ones being sold outside is generally much safer and budget-friendly. Making your own purified drinking water is easy to do, and wouldn’t cost you a single cent since you could find all the materials you need at home.

 

The Process of Distillation

 

Understanding the process of distillation is essential to making quality purified drinking water. Distillation involves two important steps: evaporation and condensation. When water is heated on boiling point, it evaporates into the air, leaving the microbes, good or bad, in the ground. It is in this step where the water achieves purity from external elements. But since this purified state isn’t water at all, the process of condensation comes in to convert this vapor into drinkable fluid. By exposing the vapor to a cold atmosphere, it turns into water without the microbes it once had. This process is usually simplified through a water distiller, and the most common type found in homes is a countertop water distiller.

 

How to ensure that distilled water is safe to drink

 

There are a lot of step-by-step ingenious ways to make your own distilled water. If you’re pretty much bent in making your own, then making use of thoroughly washed materials is the first step to ensure a clean and safe drinking water. In addition, always see to it that the process of distillation is done in a controlled room, meaning the water being evaporated and condensed shouldn’t be exposed to the outside environment. Otherwise, harmful chemicals roaming the air would probably change the quality of your water. That’s why simple buying a water distiller is usually the best thing to do.