Bottled Water: Is the choice clear or cloudy?
The increase in the popularity of bottled water can be attributed to the interplay of a number of factors: Taste, colour, and odour problems. Some people turn to bottled water because their tap water has a sulphur odour or a chlorine taste. All bottled waters should obviously undergo a filtration or "purification" process of a recommended type.
When you compare the labels of different bottled waters, you are likely to be confused by the terms used to describe different types of water. What follows is a brief analysis.
Still water: Still water is water without the "fizz" caused by gas bubbles.
Ordinary tap water and bottled water found in larger containers are examples of still water. Bottled still water is probably the type of water most often used to replace tap water.
Sparkling water: Sparkling water is carbonated (fizzy) water that is usually created by carbon dioxide gas. Water that comes from a natural source and is mechanically carbonated, it is called sparkling natural water
Mineral water: Mineral water is a water that contains dissolved minerals and may be either sparkling or still. Natural mineral water is water from a natural source that has naturally occurring minerals in it. The mineral content has not been changed prior to bottling but any harmful agents are removed. Thus keeping the beneficial minerals.
Distilled / De-mineralised water: Distilled or de-mineralised water is usually tap water that has been treated to remove nearly all minerals and sodium that occur naturally in water. This makes distilled water taste flat.
