Distilled water is safe to drink. Is it safer? It depends somewhat what you’re comparing it to. Distilled water has minerals, impurities and contaminants removed, so it’s probably a little safer than regular tap water. There are positives and negatives to drinking distilled water. The good news is, it’s definitely safe and fine to consider drinking or using distilled water for other uses in your home.
What’s Distilled Water?
Distilled water is water which has gone through distillation – basically boiling water, capturing the steam, letting the steam condense back to water and that collected, condensed water is distilled water. No minerals, sodium, chemicals, metals or other contaminants make it through boiling and steam. It’s 100% water. Distilled water is considered cleaner than filtered, ionized, mineral, spring or tap water.
To distill water, it goes through a system or process of boiling, evaporating, then being collected once it condenses. Other bodies or elements in water are not gathered in the final reliquification. Some distilling systems also have filters, namely activated carbon filters, which collect chemicals, pesticides and VOCs (volatile organic compounds) which can boil, evaporate and condense in water.
Is it Safe to Drink Distilled Water?
Now you know how to make distilled water. With the right time – a lot of time – and equipment, you can do it yourself. Whether you want to take that on is up to you, and for another article. It is quite safe to drink or consume distilled water.
Some people do not like distilled water because its taste is flat or bad to some. The very slight amount of minerals and other material, mostly natural, mostly harmless, and some our body needs in trace, healthy quantities, does give water a taste some people like and are used to. Distilled water can be slightly more acidic from the distillation process.
Pros to Drinking Distilled Water
The benefits of distilled water may get you to drink, cook with or use it more often. It’s good to know what the positives are.
It’s Clean
Distilled water is considered 100% clean. It is safe and healthy to drink. It has no harmful contaminants or substances. If you have bad tap water, with impurities in it which are not good for taste or health, distilled water might be a good choice
Dental Health
Fluoride added to public water is good, in the right quantity, for dental health. Too much of the mineral, though, can do harm, such as fluorosis in children. Fluoride is a controversial topic to some. For some, this could just be about a mineral taste or odor in tap water. Drinking too little water, especially for children, can lead to dental health and overall health issues. If distilled water gets you and your family to stay hydrated at a better clip, then it’s a healthy change.
Bodily Health
While we naturally require some of the minerals which distilling water takes out, there’s also some evidence that 100% clean water is healthy for our bodies, too. When we consume distilled water, taking in water with no minerals or impurities may help with the fluidity of and in arteries. Drinking distilled water may help decreases risks of issues such as kidney stones or other issues from minerals, metals, fluoride and calcium and too much build up.
Save on Bottled Water
It your family goes through bottled water by the case, or worse yet, a ton of soda or sugary drinks, distilled water could be a wise switch. Maybe you’re opting for these other drinks because you don’t like your tap water. If you had cleaner water, that would be your pick more often. You might even save money on bottled water and other drinks.
Negatives of Distilled Water
It’s safe, but not always the best, to drink distilled water. There are some fairly rare risks as well with distilled water.
The Taste
If you don’t like the taste of distilled water, and maybe don’t like your regular tap water either, you may go without the healthy, recommended amount of water. If you decrease the water you drink, maybe even to the point of dehydration, it has health consequences which could be short-term or long-term.
Electrolytes
Your body needs water. It needs some of the minerals found in non-distilled water. It also needs electrolytes. Your body’s functions and necessary actions need electrolytes – or the minute electric sparks – to work and keep going. If you notice more urine output than normal, this could be a sign of low electrolytes. If you drink distilled water regularly and notice this, it’s more likely the case. There could be an electrolyte imbalance because you’re taking this out of the water you drink and not getting electrolytes from another source.
Metabolism
A lack of minerals – usually brought into the body through drinking the right amount of water – can cause a drop in metabolism. This research and data is still in early, preliminary stages. There’s more we need to know about food, water, minerals and how it all impacts our body functions and health. It may be smart to know the mineral content of the food you eat, or take supplements, to go along with distilled water.
South End Water Filtration specializes in HALO Water Filter products including the HALO H2 Zero Whole Home Water Filter. HALO systems solve hard water problems, give your family clear, great-tasting water and are totally maintenance free. We’re just a click away to help and answer any questions. South End Plumbing and South End Water Filtration will give you a free estimate. Call us at 704-486-1988 or contact us online to schedule a visit.