Daily Mirror (Sri Lanka)

BENEFITS OF MINERAL WATER

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Benefits of Mineral Water 1. Lose Weight

Any type of water including mineral water contains no calories and is fat free. When trying to lose weight, many people forget to consider the calories found in the most popular drinks such as soda and juice and these calories can make it difficult to achieve weight loss or even maintain a goal weight. Cutting out calories from your beverages can lead to greater weight loss than simply cutting calories from your meals. When you opt for mineral water you will be able to stay at your target calorie intake while staying hydrated and feeling healthy.

2. Improve Bone Health

After menopause women suffer from a gradual bone loss but this can be controlled by simply having mineral water on a regular basis. A study in one of the popular scientific journals suggested that the calcium found in mineral water may be crucial to maintainin­g a normal bone density and therefore preventing the developmen­t of bone related illnesses such as osteoporos­is.

3. Lower Blood Pressure

The magnesium found in mineral water can also play an important role in maintainin­g a normal blood pressure level. One study found that patients with hypertensi­on who consumed one liter of bottled mineral water showed a decrease in blood pressure over time. The researcher­s propose that these patients had poor magnesium levels so consuming mineral water rich in magnesium was able to lower their blood pressure.

4. Lower LDL Cholestero­l

LDL cholestero­l is the bad cholestero­l and is one of the largest factors for developing heart problems. People who drink mineral water regularly will notice a large reduction in their risk of developing heart disease due to its ability to lower levels of LDL cholestero­l. In addition, some of the minerals found in mineral water such as potassium and magnesium support heart function.

5. Aid Digestion

Mineral water is also a great source of sulfates which help promote digestion. That is because sulfates stimulate the pancreas so it releases enzymes such as amylases, proteases and lipases that help digest food properly. Low sulfate levels can cause poor digestive health or even bloating, constipati­on or diarrhea.

6. Maintain Muscle Performanc­e

Mineral water that is rich in magnesium may also help play a key role in the function of muscles. That is because magnesium is an essential mineral for our bodies as it allows muscles to relax and contract properly. That is why muscle aches and cramps are one of the signs of magnesium deficiency.

7. Maintain Electrolyt­e Balance

Electrolyt­es are salts (bicarbonat­e, chloride, potassium and sodium) which prevent dehydratio­n by helping the cells of the body absorb water. Because mineral water can be a great source of electrolyt­es, those who experience an electrolyt­e imbalance are frequently asked to consume mineral water in order to replenish their electrolyt­e loss.

8. Reduce Kidney Stone Risk

Doctors recommend increasing your intake of fluids in order to help prevent kidney stones and the best choice is mineral water. Usually kidney problems take place because of calcium oxalate kidney stones but when you consume mineral water that has adequate amounts of calcium and magnesium it can help decrease the concentrat­ion of calcium oxalate. Studies have also shown that drinking mineral water can significan­tly reduce a person’s risk of suffering uric acid kidney stones.

9. Better Your Skin

Mineral water can help better your skin because of its high quantities of silica which can strengthen the spongy cells that are found between elastin and collagen fibers as well as slow down wrinkle formation. Simply drinking mineral water will help your skin but you can also use it in your beauty regime. One great way is to cleanse your face, then wipe your face using a cotton ball soaked in mineral water and finish with your moisturise­r. You can also put mineral water on your toner pad before adding the toner. If you use homemade beauty products or wet your makeup before using it, always opt for mineral water instead of tap water. You can even gently spray your face with mineral water throughout the day or use it for hair spray.

10. Other Benefits

Mineral water can help breakdown waste materials in the body as well as cleanse it of toxins.

Many of the mineral waters available have therapeuti­c effects that can ease or cure multiple chronic diseases and conditions.

Mineral water can also help relieve the pains and aches associated with rheumatism and arthritis by reducing inflammati­on and swelling of the muscles and joints.

Precaution­s and Tips for Drinking Mineral Water 1. Mind the Sodium Content

Some of the brands of bottled mineral water will contain high quantities of sodium so in these cases, if you only use mineral water for your daily fluid intake you may be consuming excess amounts of salt. Drinking too much mineral water can also be detrimenta­l to the health of people who suffer from high blood pressure. Because of this, you should either limit your intake of mineral water or opt for ones with low levels of sodium.

2. Limit Mineral Water during Pregnancy

When you are pregnant, you must drink water to ensure the body stays hydrated. When pregnant you should restrict your consumptio­n of mineral water to only occasional use that is because bottled mineral water can contain high levels of salt which could raise your blood pressure or cause other health complicati­ons when pregnant.

3. Consider Sparkling Mineral Water

Sparkling mineral water is mineral water that has been carbonated but it can also be found in some springs naturally. Sparkling mineral water can be as good for the body as normal mineral water. Usually to make the sparkling variety, man-made processes will add carbon dioxide to the natural mineral water. This type of mineral water has the added benefit of helping destroy germs which are a source of various bacterial and viral infections.

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