Water and water filters – the advantages
Here are 21 benefits you can access with filtered water:
- Eliminate Tap Water Odour
Do you ever turn on the kitchen tap in a bid to rehydrate yourself only to baulk at the odour emanating from the water? Tap water is treated with a range of chemicals and is exposed to heavy metals which give it that unpalatable smell and taste that make it almost unbearable.
The potency of this odour can vary depending on the water quality in your area but one of the best benefits of filtered water is that you can make this odour thing of the past and give yourself clean drinking water.
- Remove Chlorine
Chlorine is the most common cleansing chemical used to treat water supplies in the UK. While chlorine is vital to remove dangerous bacteria and diseases from the water, the tiny proportion that remains can contribute to that tap water odour we’ve already discussed.
The US Council of Environmental Quality once found that cancer risk was 93% higher among those who were exposed to chlorinated drinking water.
The World Health Organisation also found an increased risk of bladder cancer among populations drinking chlorinated water versus those not exposed to chlorinated water over half of their lifetimes.
- Save Money on Bottled Water
Drinking bottled water has become popular culture in the recent decade. The explosion of the fitness industry has coincided and aided the growth of people consuming a lot more bottled water. While this is positive from a public health perspective because people are increasingly opting for water over fizzy soft drinks, it is still needlessly expensive.
Bottled water can be up to 30x more expensive than water from a filter. Whether you’re buying it by the crate or religiously buying a bottle per day, you are massively overspending compared to the price per litre you receive from a water filter. This financial benefit of filtered water not only saves you money but gives you the same revitalising taste you expect from bottled water, straight from your tap.
- Reduce Plastic Footprint
The biggest problem with the surge in the bottled water market is that it’s ruining the environment. 1,000,000 plastic bottles are sold around the world every minute and less than half of the 480 billion plastic bottles sold in 2016 were properly recycled. It requires 17 million barrels of oil every year to produce the level of plastic bottles currently being consumed globally, and the amount of plastic produced each year is now the same weight as humanity!
Commentators suggest that the plastic crisis could soon be as a big threat as global warming to the future of the planet. A water filter allows you to get rid of the need for single-use PET plastic bottles for good. What better benefit of filtered water could there be than saving the planet?!
- Remove Heavy Metals
Another common contaminant in tap water supplies is heavy metals. Quantities of mercury, lead, arsenic and dioxins, to name but a few, have all been found present in water supplies across the UK. Despite the fact that these are only found in small concentrations, the true extent of the implications of consuming them through water remain unclear. Lead, for example, is known to be extremely harmful and has been linked to a range of health problems in humans. A 2011 Clinical Biochemistry study found a link between postnatal lead toxicity and the development of autism. Other studies have also linked lead exposure to prostate problems in men and reproductive issues for both men and women.
- Enhance Hydration
The key improvements a water filter can make to your drinking water quality are not limited to simply removing contaminants. Depending on the quality of the filter, your water can be enhanced to the point where you actually receive a much higher level of hydration than you would from standard tap water.
A 2010 study in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition found that drinking mineral-based alkaline water improved the hydration levels of a group who consumed it over a 2-week period better than a control group who were given non-mineralised ‘placebo’ water. Alkaline filters can enhance the mineral content of your tap water along with improving its pH level meaning a far superior level of hydration than basic tap water.
- Improved Digestion
Water with an enhanced mineral content can also aid in improving your digestion. As stated above proper hydration you can gain from a water filter makes it easier for your body to transport minerals and nutrients throughout your body. Gaining this optimal level of nutrients not only makes you feel better but also helps digest soluble fibre making the whole digestion process much simpler.
- Reduce Acid Reflux
While this improvement may not be possible with all standard water filters, alkaline water filters have been found to reduce the condition known as acid reflux or heartburn. As alkaline water alters the pH level of drinking water, it can help to neutralise the acidic build-up that causes that uncomfortable burning sensation in your oesophagus.
An interesting study by Kaufman & Johnston (2012) documented the acid-buffering capacity of alkaline water and found that water with a pH level of 8.8 could inactivate human pepsin more effectively than conventional pH water, which varies depending on your area but tends to be stable around 6.0-7.0.
- Improve Skin Health
One of the most underrated tips for maintaining healthy, clear skin is drinking plenty of water. Now, as we’ve already established the benefits of drinking filtered water mean it is much better for your body in a range of ways and this is the case in terms of skincare too. Water with an improved mineral content has a direct effect on hydrating your skin by flushing toxins out of your body more effectively. The absence of chlorine in your drinking water will also aid your pursuit of healthier skin because chlorine is known to deplete the natural oils of your hair and skin.
- Aid Weight Loss
If you’re trying to lose weight and get in shape drinking more water is the most basic foundation. Drinking water alone can increase an adult’s resting energy expenditure by 24-30% just ten minutes after drinking. Drinking water is also reputed to be effective in reducing your appetite.
A range of studies have documented the effects of this, including one in the National Centre for Biotechnology Information which found that middle-aged adults who drank 500ml of water prior to each main meal for a period of 12 weeks, consumed 44% fewer calories than the ‘non-water group’.
11. Anti-Oxidant Properties
Wouldn’t it be great if you’re water filter not only removed unwanted contaminants but also gained anti-oxidant properties in the process? How can water be anti-oxidant I hear you ask. Well, it’s measured by the Oxidation Reduction Potential (ORP).
ORP is the ability of one liquid substance to reduce the oxidation levels of another. ORP ranges between -2,000 to +2,000, the more powerful the anti-oxidant capacity then the lower level of ORP. A Phox filter lowers the ORP level of your water, giving it anti-oxidant properties.
- Makes Better Tea
There are few things in life held in higher esteem than a good cuppa. We all have a very particular way that we enjoy tea and anyone who makes it had better know how we like it before they reach for the kettle! A very commonly referenced benefit of filtered water when people they’re first introduced to one is that it makes their tea so much better and we know how everyone loves their tea in the UK! In areas where the water is particularly hard or where limescale is a big problem, a water filter makes all the difference when it comes time for a cuppa.
- Reduce Lime Scale
As we touched upon in reason 12, a countertop water filter can help you to remove limescale from your drinking water. In areas where water is particularly hard, the bigger problem limescale will be. Limescale is a residue left behind by calcium carbonate and is responsible for that horrible scaly layer found in your boiled water. With a water filter limescale in your drinking or cooking water will be a thing of the past.
- Reduce Cardio Stress
Yes, that’s right! The powers of a water filter even extend into the realm of fitness and endurance. While this is not the case with all types of water filters, scientific research has found that alkalising supplements can reduce cardio stress in period of intense physical output.
A study by Daniel P Heli (2010) split up two groups of twelve professional skiers to ascertain whether ingestion of an alkalising substance could improve cardiorespiratory and other performance markers. The test group experienced substantially lower cardiorespiratory stress, lower blood lactate levels and higher levels of upper body power than the placebo group.
- Make Drinking More Water Easier
One of the less reputed benefits of a countertop water filter is that it will help you drink more water. Reviews of water filters have shown that people are surprised by the increase in their water intake after purchasing their new filter. Having mineral-rich clean drinking water at the ready in your kitchen, means you don’t have to run to the shops to stock on bottled water or reach for that unpleasant tap water when you’re in need of hydration.
16. Eliminate Dissolved Organic Contaminants
Besides the main water contaminants like heavy metals and chlorine, a growing concern in tap water supplies is dissolved organics such as drug, pesticide and hormone residues. This is a relatively new problem that has yet to be fully investigated. Whether the trace amounts of these residues are harmful when consumed through water is not scientifically proven but there is no doubt a water filter would help towards reducing their effect. The higher the quality of the filter then the more capacity it will to potentially removes these contaminants. The more layers and elements contained within the filter then the higher number of contaminants it is able to remove.
- Tastier Food
Removing chemicals and contaminants from your water supply prior to cooking can mean that the natural flavours of your food should be better preserved. Cooking with unfiltered water means that the contaminants like heavy metals & chlorine may absorb some of the natural flavours of your food. It is a common thought that boiling water prior to cooking is adequate to reduce contaminants however this is not the case in terms of heavy metals and chlorine.
- Make Healthier Smoothies
It might not seem like an obvious benefit, but using filtered water is a great idea for those of you who make smoothies at home. Instead of using fruit juice bases, which have a very high sugar content and can overpower the taste of the fruit in the smoothie, filtered water will be a much cleaner, healthier alternative. Giving the smoothie a refreshing, low sugar taste your body will get the full benefit of the fruit!
- Protect Your Teeth
An alkaline water filter which raises the pH level the of your water can help protect against the acidic properties of low or neutral pH water. A 2017 study by Fischer et al. studied the varying pH levels of bottled water in relation to use by patients suffering from dry mouth. They concluded that doctors should be aware of the pH level of bottled water that patients are drinking to relieve dry mouth because those with acidic pH levels may cause further deterioration and demineralization of tooth structure.
- Stave off colds and flus
Drinking adequate levels of water is so vital for bodily function, and as we know filtering your water will make it so much easier to drink more. Dr David Lewis carried out research on this issue and stated: “The first line of defence is the mucus membrane in the nose,” he said. “This acts like a sticky fly paper to trap things like dust, dirt and bacteria and prevent them getting to the lungs. “If you are dehydrated the mucus membrane will dry out and when this happens it is half as effective in stopping the potentially harmful particles entering the system.”
- Increase Your Energy
Staying adequately hydrated with revitalising filtered water will help you raise and maintain your energy levels throughout the day. So often when we feel a little tired or suffer a lack of focus during our everyday routines the cause is dehydration and yet we often try to solve it with stimulants like coffee, which can further dehydrate us. A water filter can help you stay alert all day by maintaining optimum hydration.
