What Is Distilled Water? Uses and Safety

You must be very well aware of the benefits of staying hydrated. Drinking water is essential for not just survival but also health and beauty. And when it comes to water, you’re spoilt for choice these days – tap water, bottled water, mineral water are all pretty obvious ones. But what about distilled water?

If you’re unfamiliar with what distilled water is, how it’s prepared, and whether or not it’s safe to drink, keep reading!

What Is Distilled Water?

According to experts, distilled water is one of the purest forms of water. It is prepared by collecting the condensed steam from boiling water.

Usually, tap water and most other purified forms of water contain some salts and minerals that lend water its signature taste. But distilled water is free of 99.9% of these, so it is tasteless.

Is It Safe To Drink Distilled Water?

Yes, it is safe to drink distilled water. If you visit a place or live somewhere with awful water quality, drinking distilled water may be a good idea to protect yourself from diseases.

As mentioned earlier, distilled water is tasteless. This is why you might not like drinking it unless absolutely necessary. Moreover, it draws minerals and salts from whatever it touches very rapidly.

There are also some things you should keep in mind before you decide to drink distilled water:

  • Distilled water stored for an extended period may injure health if not stored properly. This is because distilled water draws in salts, minerals, and other substances very rapidly from everything, including the container where it’s stored. So if it has been kept in a plastic container for some time, it might contain microplastics that aren’t safe to consume.
  • If you drink distilled water, you should be careful about consuming minerals like calcium and magnesium. When you drink it, distilled water draws trace amounts of calcium from your teeth and other nutrients from your body too. So consuming them in the proper amount is crucial to maintaining your health.

Is Drinking Distilled Water Good For Your Health?

Pros
  • May Cure Arthritis
  • Detoxification
  • May prevent kidney stones
  • May prevent cardiovascular diseases
  • Prevents Gut Issues resulting from polluted water
Cons
  • Poor Taste
  • Can Cause Electrolyte Imbalance:
  • Can Cause Muscle Cramps, Fatigue, or Dehydration

Many sources claim that drinking distilled water is beneficial for your health. In contrast, others contradict the claim, saying it doesn’t provide your body with essential nutrients. So what is the truth?

To know that, read the pros and cons of drinking distilled water and decide for yourself.

Pros Of Drinking Distilled Water

  • May Cure Arthritis: Some experts claim that drinking distilled water can provide some much-needed relief to arthritis patients.
  • Detoxification: Distilled water can detoxify your body and be refreshing.
  • May prevent kidney stones: Kidney stones occur because of mineral buildup in the narrow filtering tubules of your kidney. Since distilled water lacks any minerals, it can help you avoid kidney stones.
  • May prevent cardiovascular diseases: Drinking hard water can lead to health issues, including cardiovascular diseases. Distilled water is soft water, i.e., free of calcium and magnesium. So it can prevent cardiovascular diseases too.
  • Prevents Gut Issues resulting from polluted water: Many gut diseases can originate from drinking unfiltered water. Distilled water is free of all microorganisms and contaminants. Therefore, drinking it can keep you free of these gut issues.

 Aside from these, a water distiller prevents your house’s plumbing from getting damaged due to hard water. Moreover, it also controls chemical leaching.

Cons Of Drinking Distilled Water

  • Poor Taste: We all know that water from different sources tastes different. Each kind of water has a signature taste, but distilled water is bland. Therefore, you might find it highly unpleasant to drink, ultimately leading to your drinking less water and keeping your body dehydrated.
  • Can Cause Electrolyte Imbalance: Distilled water doesn’t contain any electrolytes, so drinking it regularly can cause electrolyte imbalance if you don’t take in electrolytes from other sources.
  • Can Cause Muscle Cramps, Fatigue, or Dehydration: Lack of electrolytes and magnesium in distilled water can result in all these problems, but there aren’t conclusive studies proving this is true.

How Does Distillation Work?

Now that you know that drinking distilled water is safe, you’re probably wondering how exactly the process of distillation works.

Distillation is pretty similar to the natural water cycle we’ve all studied in Geography when we were kids.

Here’s a little explanation to help you recall the water cycle: The water from the earth evaporates due to the heat in the atmosphere. This water forms clouds in the sky after condensing. Once these clouds become heavy, rainfall occurs.

Distillation is an artificial process that mimics the water cycle. During distillation, water is boiled. The steam evaporates, leaving behind all the minerals and salts contained in the water. The steam is collected via a cold distiller that condenses it.

Most water distillers also contain a carbon postfilter. The postfilter removes VOCs, or Volatile Organic Compounds from water, making it even purer.

Here are the primary contaminants and minerals that distillation removes from water:

few of the  primary contaminants and minerals that distillation removes from water

Contaminants

  • Algae
  • Arsenic
  • Chlorine
  • Copper
  • Bacteria
  • Viruses
  • Lead
  • Mercury
  • Cryptosporidium (Crypto)
  • Fluoride
  • Rust
  • Salt
  • Nitrates
  • Pesticides
  • Sulfates

Minerals

  • Sodium
  • Chloride
  • Bicarbonate
  • Potassium
  • Calcium
  • Phosphate

Since distilled water lacks these essential minerals, you might wonder if you should keep drinking it.

Firstly, you should understand that the purpose of water is to hydrate your body, not to provide nourishment to it. Any minerals and electrolytes that water contains aren’t absorbed efficiently by your body. So, the lack of minerals isn’t going to affect your health as long as you include essential nutrients in your diet.

Is Distilled Water Good For Everyone?

For most people, drinking distilled water is completely safe. But for athletes, those who are malnourished or sick, distilled water may not be adequate.

Athletes sweat profusely while performing physical activities—sweating results in the loss of several essential electrolytes from the body.

While it is true that the electrolytes found in water are absorbed by your body in trace amounts only, you should also keep in mind that every little bit can be important for someone who is losing electrolytes so rapidly. A good option would be to drink sports drinks that contain minerals and electrolytes in concentrated quantities instead of relying entirely on water.

For the malnourished, too, even small amounts of water and electrolytes are super important. Similarly, sick people may also need every bit of electrolytes to recover quicker.

This is why such individuals should refrain from drinking distilled water.

What Alternatives Should You Choose In Place of Distilled Water?

What Alternatives Should You Choose In Place of Distilled Water?

It’s natural to not want to drink distilled water despite knowing it’s safe. If that’s the case, here are some alternative water filtration systems you can choose:

#1. A Reverse Osmosis System

An RO filter removes all impurities from water, including VOCs. At the same time, many of these contain mineral tanks that can restore the lost electrolytes and minerals during the filtration process.

#2. Ultrafiltration Systems

A UF or Ultrafiltration system is another excellent alternative to distillers. It can remove many dissolved contaminants from water. However, it isn’t suitable for treating hard water. You might need to install it with a water softener if your home has a constant hard water supply.

#3. Carbon Filters

A simple carbon filtration system is also great at removing many contaminants and chlorine from water. You can choose this one too in place of a distiller.

Conclusion

Distilled water is safe to drink and can have many health benefits too. However, it doesn’t taste good and may not be fit for everyone. If you feel like it’s the right choice, go shopping for a distiller right away. You can always get in touch with WaterSeer experts for any more questions.