Types of Bottled Water |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Does Green Tea Have Caffeine in It? Information on Ringworm Why Smoking Should Be Outlawed! How to Avoid Osteoporosis Choosing a Personal Trainer in Dupont Circle, DC 2 Healthy Recipes For Your Wedding Diet The no 1 six pack abs exersice Gastric Lap Band Surgery In India What Are The Best Products To Stop Sweating Excessively? Vitamin B6 Sources, Benefits and Deficiencies |
Concerns about pollution and disease-carrying bacteria have prompted many people to turn to bottled water as a substitute for ordinary tap water. What first started as a fad is now a billion dollar industry. The International Bottled Water Association (IBWA), the trade association of the bottled water industry based in Virginia, said many households in the United States consume bottled water. At present, there are hundreds of bottling plants in America producing over 600 brands of bottled water. Bottled water can be classified in many ways. In general, they fall under two categories: non-sparkling or "still" bottled water and sparkling or "carbonated" water. More than 90 percent of the bottled water consumed in the United States belong to the non-sparkling or still variety. Still water is water without gas bubbles. This is normally used in drinking, cooking, or in making ice cubes. Ordinary tap water or drinking water that has been filtered is an example of still water. Sparkling or carbonated bottled water is usually bought instead of soft drinks or alcoholic beverages. This is water taken from a tap or underground source (like a spring) that contains carbon dioxide gas. This gas is what makes the water "sparkle" or bubbly. The carbon dioxide may either be natural (present at the source) or man-made (injected to the product just before it is bottled). These products may be flavored (with an ideal orange taste) or unflavored (with a "clean" taste). Club sodas, seltzers and mineral water are examples of carbonated water. Club soda is filtered tap water with heavier carbonation and mineral salts such as bicarbonate, citrates, and phosphates of sodium. It has a higher sodium content than other carbonated waters. Seltzer is also taken from the tap and carbonated but has no minerals or mineral salts added. That makes it very low in sodium. Mineral water is water containing dissolved minerals taken either from underground or surface water. Technically speaking, all water except distilled or purified water contains minerals like bicarbonates, calcium, chlorides, fluorides, magnesium, or potassium. However, the IBWA defines mineral water as bottled water that contains not less than 500 parts per million total dissolved solids. "Natural mineral water" usually comes from a spring and has the minerals found only in the water as it flows from the ground. If the product is not labeled "natural," it means some minerals may have been added or removed. Finally, there's distilled water which is nothing but pure water without any chemicals or minerals. In distillation, one of the oldest purification processes, water is boiled to a high temperature to remove impurities before the steam is recondensed. This type of water has a high level of purity and is cheaper than other products. But it is tasteless and not generally preferred by most people. (Next: Is bottled water better?) Water is good for those who want to lose weight. To help you shed unwanted pounds, take Zyroxin, a safe and natural supplement that will maximize your weight loss through its unique fat-burning ingredients. For details, visit http://www.zyroxin.com. |
|