Ever felt queasy just by a thought of drinking the tap water? But what are the other better options? And are they safe? Well, the United States has the safest drinking water supply and this is the thing we can really brag about. The water we drink is more than just H2O and we should certainly look into each and every component present in our drinking water and know how it can impact our health and well-being.

The components present in the drinking water depends on the type of the water. Let's see how they can affect you.

1. Tap Water

The quality of water running from your faucet is not the same everywhere as it depends on the source of the tap water, whether it comes from a large community system or some small community system or from the well in your backyard.

If you are getting water from small community system or from a private well in your backyard then you must get your water tested and should make sure your water is safe for drinking as per EPA. Contaminants that may present in your tap water include viruses, bacteria, parasites, Lead, pesticides, Mercury, and Bisphenol A (BPA).

And If you are one of those 286 million people who get water from a large community system which is regulated by The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), your water is safe to drink. However, Even the EPA doesn't guarantee clean water. And there's this note on their website "Using water filters for your tap water can be a great way to get rid of contaminants and gain access to clean water."

2. Spring Water

Spring water is actually the underground water that flows to the earth's surface. This water can be more beneficial as it may contain more minerals and fewer contaminants than unfiltered tap water.

You can find springs here on this website and will find more information about how spring water is not always safe for consumption. Moreover, this site includes a list of the springs that are not safe to consume water from. And yeah, there is always a risk to drink it as dead animals or birds can contaminate it.

Spring water is also available in a bottled form and does not identify the source of it. This water can be as much pollute as any sources of tap water. Moreover, the bottled water can contain the toxins leached from the plastic bottle.

If at all you are enticed with the health benefits of the spring water, make sure the spring water you are drinking is from the identified laboratory tested source.

3. Distilled Water

It might seem that drinking the purest form of water is the healthiest option available for drinking. I had this delusion and you might have it too.

Distilled water purge out all the contaminants and bad things out of the water which makes it safe for drinking. The point here is it is pure but not healthy as the vital nutrients and essential minerals get stripped away with the boiling process of the water.

A part of human body mineral needs is sufficed by the minerals present in the drinking water. If consumed for a larger period it can promote some diseases associated with the mineral deficiency in the long run. Following are some points suggesting why distilled water is not healthy.

• It adversely affects the mineral and water metabolism by increasing urination and elimination of sodium, potassium, chloride, Magnesium, and calcium ions.
• Distilled water leaches more nutrients from the food when it's being boiled.
• It makes human intestines to absorb more toxic elements like cadmium and mercury. Normally, calcium and magnesium present in normal water are reluctant to the absorption of such heavy metals.

Definitely distilled water is pure and safe but not a healthy option.

4. Alkaline Water

Many of us have heard health claims about the alkaline water. Some people say it resists aging process, helps in curbing chronic diseases like cancer and helps in regulating pH level of the body.

Well, let's throw some light on the facts and see...and why this hype after all. Looking at the studies and research, one can conclude that there is not enough research done on this and it's not clear whether alkaline water is beneficial for health or not.

According to Mayo Clinic, regular drinking water is apt for people as the there is lack of evidence that fully backs up the health claims about alkaline water.

One study conducted in 2012 suggests that the water with pH 8.8 may help in deactivating the enzyme called pepsin responsible for acid reflux. You can find more speculations about the alkaline water here.

5. Electrolyte Water

There are some bottled electrolyte water brands on the market which adds the electrolytes in the in the regular water afterward. The amount of added electrolytes afterward are not substantial and also some of the drinks can contain sugar which can add to your daily sugar intake.

There is one natural alternative to bottled electrolytic water, the coconut water. It contains carbohydrates and natural electrolytes that can give the similar effect as any good sports drink with electrolyte.

However, there are negative effects of over electrolytic water consumption which is definitely worse than the normal overhydration.

Also, the hard water can cause many health issues. Test the water you are drinking from EPA or any reliable laboratories. If your drinking water resource contains hard water then you can soften it using water softeners available on market.

While there are many types of water available and choosing any one of them had been a confusing task. I hope now you have known some facts about types of water and how it can impact your body. There is no certain guide that says this type of water is the best for you. All you can do is drink pure and clean water with essential minerals present in it. It's this simple.