Bottled Water - what's in a label?
Sales of bottled water are booming around the globe. According to the World Wildlife Fund, it's the fastest-growing beverage sector in the world, worth about $33 billion CDN.
It's so big, both Coke and Pepsi have waded into the market with their own brands.
So far, there are no scientific studies that indicate bottled water is healthier for you than tap water. Bottled water, however, does not contain chlorine or fluoride.
What makes one brand different than the other? You may notice a number of terms listed on the label.
Bottled water can come from any source.
Here's a quick reference guide to what it all means.
Mineral and Spring Water - must come from an underground source (not a public water supply) and can't be changed in any way by chemicals. Mineral water has a higher amount of dissolved mineral salts.
Bottled Water - water from any source that can be distilled or carbonated or treated in any other way.
The water in "Dasani" (owned by Coca-Cola) comes from municipal supplies in Brampton, Ont. and Calgary - straight out of the tap. (Pepsi owns "Aquafina.")
Artesian Water/Artesian Well Water - bottled water from a well that taps a confined aquifer (a water-bearing underground layer of rock or sand) in which the water level stands at some height above the top of the aquifer.
Sparkling Water - water that has been carbonated. Soda water, seltzer water and tonic water are not considered bottled waters.
Glacial Water - water from a source directly from a glacier.
Natural Water - water (such as spring, mineral, artesian or well water) obtained from an approved underground source and not from a municipal or public water supply system. This water has undergone no treatment other than physical filtration and iron removal.
Purified Water - water produced by distillation, de-ionization or reverse osmosis, which contains not more than 10 mg/L of total dissolved solids.
What's in the water?
MINERAL WATER:
Naturally-carbonated natural mineral water is water which, after treatment, replacement of gas and packaging, has the same content of gas from the source.
Non-carbonated natural mineral water is water which, after treatment and packaging, prevents hydrogen carbonate salts from dissolving.
De-carbonated natural mineral water is water which after treatment, does not have the same carbon dioxide content as when it first came out of the ground.
Carbonated natural mineral water is water which, after treatment and packaging, has been made bubbly by adding carbon dioxide.
Demineralized - the dissolved solids (minerals) have been removed.
Re-mineralized - after filtration that removes all the solids, some are put back in.
Ozonized - ozone is added to kill bacteria.
Super-oxygenated - oxygen is added, most of which escapes when you twist the cap.
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