Mineral water owes its earthy and refreshing taste to the minerals it collects from rocks deep underground. Different brands of mineral water source their water from natural springs located all over the world, giving each bottle a unique flavor of its own.
There are also several different types of mineral water. Mineral water can be naturally or artificially carbonated, and is also classified depending on the amount of minerals in it (very low, low, medium and high mineral content).
Read on to discover the different minerals found in mineral water and their benefits, plus a guide to the best tasting mineral waters available.
Minerals in mineral water
Mineral water is collected from natural springs that carry refreshing mineral-enriched water to the surface. It can also be collected from bores that go deep underground to reach the cool water.
For water to be classified as mineral water, it must contain at least 250 mg/L of Total Dissolved Solids (TDS). These dissolved substances are mostly minerals and salts.
Also read about how mineral water and spring water are different here.
Most mineral waters will contain some of the following minerals
Calcium
Calcium is one of the most common minerals found in mineral water, and is often in high concentrations. It’s a vital mineral for healthy bones and teeth, muscle growth, and even nerve strengthening.
Calcium even helps our heart beat normally.
Magnesium
Our bones wouldn’t be able to form properly without magnesium. In fact, our muscles wouldn’t be strong and our bodies wouldn’t be able to metabolize fats or synthesize protein if we didn’t consume magnesium in our diets.
Potassium
The amount of potassium in mineral water varies, with some brands like Gerolsteiner, having high quantities of it. Potassium is an essential electrolyte for our bodies that also helps our nerves and muscles function properly.
Sodium
Sodium often gets a bad rap as it is linked with ‘salt’. But sodium is an important electrolyte and helps our body rehydrate, especially after exercise.
Sulfate
Mineral water usually only contains a small amount of sulfates. But even a small amount of sulfate can help us to produce amino acids, plus it helps our hair and nails to grow, and can even reduce inflammation in our body.
There are many other minerals in mineral water, but those are the most important ones. Calcium, magnesium and potassium are usually the main minerals in mineral water.
The most important thing about mineral water though, is that no minerals, salts or electrolytes can be added to it. You are guaranteed that the minerals in your mineral water are there naturally, and that it contains nothing artificially added.
Brands of Mineral Water
There are more than a hundred brands of mineral water, but we have narrowed it down to the top ten brands. These refreshing mineral waters have the smoothest taste, and the best mineral content for you to enjoy.
1. Perrier Mineral Water
Perrier Carbonated Mineral Water comes from rainwater that enters the ground and flows through the Massif Central mountains in France.
This mineral water is quite high in calcium, but also has small amounts of magnesium, sodium, chloride, and sulfate. In fact, Perrier has a TDS of 475 mg/L and a pH of 5.5, so it is packed full of dissolved minerals.
This puts Perrier in the low mineral content classification – which has between 50 and 500 mg/L TDS.
Perrier is actually my favorite mineral water. I have always liked its taste, and found it refreshing, especially their lemon flavored variety.
This mineral water brand is also different from most others because it extracts the water and carbon dioxide separately. The carbon dioxide, which gives the water its fizz, is added back into the water just before bottling.
Minerals: Calcium • Magnesium • Sulfate • Sodium • Chloride
2. Gerolsteiner Mineral Water
Gerolsteiner has the highest mineral content out of any mineral water currently available, and comes in still and sparkling.
It has a TDS of almost 2,500 mg/L, and it’s especially rich in magnesium, which gives it a smooth taste. The magnesium (and its other minerals) come from the volcanic rocks in the Eifel Mountains of Germany.
Gerolsteiner mineral water is naturally sparkling and has one of the highest levels of calcium in the brands on our list.
Minerals: Calcium • Magnesium • Bicarbonate • Potassium • Sulfate • Sodium • Chloride
3. Ferrarelle Naturally Sparkling Mineral Water
Ferrarelle mineral water winds its way through the rocks of the Roccamonfina volcano for 30 years before it’s bottled. This naturally sparkling water finds its way to the surface in the high peaks of southern Italy.
It has a soft and fresh flavor, and is slightly fizzy with gentle bubbles. It has a high mineral content of 1,315 mg/L, and is also known for its high calcium and potassium content.
If you drink half a gallon of Ferrarelle you will have consumed 100% of the daily recommended intake of calcium and potassium.
Minerals: Calcium • Magnesium • Bicarbonate • Potassium • Silica • Fluoride
4. San Pellegrino Sparkling Carbonated Natural Mineral Water
San Pellegrino is one of the most popular mineral waters because of its refreshing, crisp taste.
It owes its great flavor to a high sulfate and calcium content, and the extra fizziness that comes from the artificially added bubbles.
San Pellegrino is bottled at Lombardy in the Italian Alps in its characteristic green glass bottles that we know and love. Its journey through the Alps give the water a high mineral content of 1110 mg/L TDS.
Minerals: Calcium • Magnesium • Chloride • Potassium • Sodium • Sulfate
5. Borjomi Sparkling Mineral Water
Borjomi is a smooth tasting mineral water that comes from the Bakuriani region of the Caucasus Mountains in Georgia.
The glacial water flows deep underground through layers of volcanic rock where it collects its rich mineral content, with a TDS value of 1100 mg/L.
This water is known for being more than a thousand years old, and its natural fizziness and alkalinity gives it a smooth yet crisp taste.
Minerals: Calcium • Magnesium • Chloride • Potassium • Sodium • Sulfate
6. Hildon Natural Mineral Water
Hildon is an interesting addition to our list of mineral waters. It actually comes from a private estate in the Hampshire countryside, after it has spent 50 years passing through porous rock that naturally filters the water.
The rock also gives the water its unique mineral makeup and gentle bubbles.
Hildon’s mineral water is also completely natural, it’s not purified or altered in any way before it is bottled.
This pH-neutral water has a smooth, crisp flavor with a TDS of 375 mg/L
Minerals: Calcium • Bicarbonate • Sodium • Nitrate
7. Topo Chico Mineral Water Mountain Water
Topo Chico mineral water is incredibly popular in the southern states, and comes from just over the border in Mexico. It’s no surprise that is has become so popular given its cool, crisp flavor and medium mineral content.
This Mexican mineral water flows through the Cerro del Topo Chico where is absorbs the minerals that give it a crisp flavor and lots of bubbles. Not satisfied, Topo Chico have added even more fizz to this mineral water to give your tastebuds an extra zing.
It’s also available with a twist of lime, grapefruit or tangerine
Minerals: Calcium • Magnesium • Chloride • Potassium • Sodium • Sulfate
8. Vichy Catalan
Vichy Catalan is a special mineral water that comes from the thermal springs of Caldes de Malavella in Spain. These springs give the water a slightly bitter taste and a high mineral content, with a TDS of 2,600 mg/L.
The water falls as rain and spends 10,000 years underground travelling through rocks that gives it an amazing 27 different minerals.
This mineral water also has lots of natural fizz from the natural carbonation provided by the rocks surrounding the thermal springs.
Vichy Catalan is very high in sodium however, so be aware if you are on a low-sodium diet or have been advised by your doctor to avoid sodium.
Minerals: Sodium • Chloride • Bicarbonate • Potassium • Calcium • Sulfate
9. Badoit
Badoit mineral water comes from the springs of Saint Galmier, France. It has a high mineral content with a TDS of 1,200 mg/L and is especially rich in sodium and calcium.
It’s a naturally sparkling water with gentle bubbles and an earthy and smooth flavor.
Minerals: Calcium • Magnesium • Chloride • Sodium • Potassium • Sulfate
10. Evian mineral water
Evian mineral water needs no introduction. This famous mineral water from France is also sold as spring water and is collected in the town of Évian-les-Bains.
Evian can taste slightly salty, and or like hard water because of its high calcium and magnesium content. Although, its sulfates and low mineral content of less than 500 mg/L smooth the flavor somewhat.
This mineral water is also still, although Evian is also available as a sparkling water.
Minerals: Calcium • Magnesium • Chloride • Bicarbonate • Sulfate • Potassium • Silica • Potassium
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