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Don't Overlook the Benefits of Tap Water
In the mad rush to purify all drinking water, people are often overlooking the benefits of tap water. We hear so much about harmful substances that may be present in tap water that it is easy to forget that the same tap water also contains substances that are beneficial to the health. Using overzealous water purification methods such as distillation may mean that you are actually depriving yourself of some of the benefits of tap water, such as iron, calcium and yes, even some bacteria. In most cases, tap water is safe enough to drink that aggressive methods of purification such as distillation and reverse osmosis are not necessary. These methods are recommended in areas where the water supply is known to be contaminated, and in parts of the world where dangerous viruses are known to live in the water. In the average household, however, the most prevalent concern is with the taste of the water. Chlorine is one of the most common reasons why people choose to filter or otherwise purify their drinking water. Although chlorination of municipal water supplies is done in the interest of public safety, this method of eliminating harmful bacteria can also leave the water with an unpleasant taste and smell. There are several inexpensive charcoal-based water filters available that will accomplish this task nicely, and will also remove sediment and most heavy metals such as lead and mercury. However, they also remove or reduce beneficial metals and minerals such as iron and calcium. Using a water purifier pitcher to improve the taste makes water more enjoyable to drink, but using regular tap water for cooking can allow you to take advantage of the benefits of tap water at the same time. The presence of bacteria is another one of the benefits of tap water that may seem surprising to some people. After all, aren’t bacteria the reason why tap water is chlorinated in the first place? Chlorination at water treatment facilities does eliminate dangerous bacteria, or at least reduce it to low enough levels to make it harmless. It is this low level of bacteria that can actually be beneficial to your health. The body’s immune system will automatically strengthen defences against any potentially harmful bacteria that it is exposed to. When exposed to such bacteria in small amounts, a healthy immune system can recognize and successfully protect the body against them. When exposed to higher levels of bacteria than the immune system can handle, illness results, but when the immune system is accustomed to small amounts of bacteria being ingested on a regular basis it is much better equipped to prevent illness. There is such a thing as too sterile an environment. If all bacteria are eliminated from one’s immediate environment, it leaves the body more vulnerable to infection when it does inevitably encounter them. Drinking nothing but purified water at home can eventually make you unable to tolerate water from other sources; even bottled water, and that could make traveling an uncomfortable experience. To read more about related subjects, please follow these links:
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