Packaged or mineral...what's the difference

Not all bottled water is created alike. In fact, there’s a distinct difference between mineral water and packaged drinking water. Read on to find out more

It's just water in a bottle but it holds the key to life and hence, it's precious. In villages of west Gujarat, children adapt to a lifestyle where they don't have to drink more than two glasses of water a day. Ask for a glass of water at a hotel in Rajkot, you're more likely to find the glass 'half-empty'. Tourist haven Maldives comprises 96 per cent water. But ask for a bottle of water and it costs more than packaged fruit juice. In Lakshadweep a tiny 'airport bottle' of water costs up to Rs 45. But you can't really complain when Hollywood celebs more than readily splurge $ 135 on a 250 ml bottle of spring water to 'make their skin glow'.

For most of us, a sealed bottle of water would be 'bisleri' - never mind what brand it really is. Most Indians grow up believing that 'bisleri' is the same as 'mineral' water. Do we really know the know the difference?

It's not always 'mineral'
While the use of the phrase 'mineral water' has been extended to all forms of packaged water, the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS ) recognises two varieties of branded drinking water - natural mineral water and packaged drinking water. Natural mineral water is water from underground source that is packaged close to the source and meets the quality standards without processing.
Packaged drinking water is sourced from any water body and has to be treated and disinfected. The process of purification could involve filtration, UV or ozone treatment, reverse osmosis before it is fit for human consumption.
In India, there are just 11 natural mineral water licence holders, while there are several hundred packaged drinking water licences approved by the BIS, which dictates the quality specifications.
Of the 11 licensed by the BIS, one is Evian, a French brand, and of the other Indian brands except for one, in the Aravallis, the rest are in the Himalayan ranges.
A layman can only tell mineral from ordinary packaged water by checking out the label. There's no way he/she can know the difference from taste.

Sources of mineral water
Mineral water can be sourced from: springs and groundwater. Spring water is collected directly from the spring where it rises from the ground, and must be bottled at the source. Mineral water emerges from under the ground, then flows over rocks before it's collected, resulting in a higher content of various minerals. Unlike spring water, it can't be treated except to remove grit and dirt. Different brands of spring and mineral waters have differing amounts of minerals depending on their source.
"The mineral water we provide is brought from springs in the Himalayan region. These are EU certified and all we do is filter them to remove any kind of microbial contamination. Otherwise, we don't tamper with the water. We simply package it at the source and transport it to our outlets," says Ruchika Desai, marketing manager, Bisleri India that supplies mineral water under the brand name Bisleri Himalayan.

Ion count
Mineral water is expected to contain more than 500 parts per million (ppm) of dissolved solids.
As per the BIS's 'typical composition' measurements, mineral water should contain
Chloride 13 ppm
Sulphate 19 ppm
Sodium 14 ppm
Calcium 47 ppm
Magnesium 13 ppm
Fluoride 0.2 ppm
Bicarbonates 201 ppm

Is drinking 'mineral' helpful?
Nutritionist Naini Setalvad of Health For You Foundation says, "Natural mineral water contains several compounds that come from springs. For it to be beneficial to the health, it must flow freely from the source and must be bottled at the source. It cannot be pumped or forced from the ground. If you are not mineral deficient and exclusively drink mineral water, you will be taking more minerals than the body can use. Many Europeans only drink mineral water and claim it helps aid digestion. However, in India, we don't prescribe mineral water to help replenish the body's minerals."

Eight glasses...a tad too much
While most dieticians and doctors advocate drinking eight glasses of water everyday, nutritionists are not quite sure if only mineral water can be consumed in the same quantity. Setalvad cautions, "One should not exclusively drink mineral water. Tap water, boiled, filtered, stored in glass bottles and charged in the sun is the best water you can drink."

Carbonised water: A strict no, no
Soda water is filtered carbonated water what has added sodium in the form of bicarbonates, sodium citrates and/or sodium phosphates. If you are cutting down on the salt, stick with sparkling water with no added sodium, suggests Setalvad.
Soda is known to dissolve tooth enamel. In fact, the chances of tooth decay are doubled or tripled; soda is even worse than solid sugar found in candy for the teeth.

Is bottled water safe?
Though the demand for bottled water is on the rise, because as Desai points out, "People find it very convenient and they feel it is a safer source to drink," there have been reports of bacterial and pesticide contamination during storage and faulty packaging. Desai insists people should check for the BIS approval and ISI mark before purchasing a bottle of water.

Avoid 'plastic' altogether
Most packaged water comes in plastic bottles that are not at all eco-friendly. Switching over to glass bottles is a healthier solution, not just for the environment but also for the body. Setalvad notes, "Mineral water should be had only when it is stored in glass bottles – unless in an emergency – because plastic contains antimony more than a hundred times than the levels found in clean ground water. Plastic bottles are known to release philates that are known to cause birth defects.
It’s best to go the old fashioned way where you carry your own water in a glass or steel bottle."

The story was published in Times Wellness.