3 ms·

"drinking water has quite a lot of minerals in it, so drinking distilled water isn't that great for you" That's an urban legend. Please stop spreading false ta

by dalke 12y ago

"drinking water has quite a lot of minerals in it, so drinking distilled water isn't that great for you" That's an urban legend. Please stop spreading false tales. Rainwater is distilled water, and lacks exactly the same minerals. Yet people live for years without a problem on harvested rainwater. As http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/ewh-semt/pubs/water-eau/devices-dispositifs-eng.php http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/ewh-semt/pubs/water-eau/devices-dispo... points out "There are no known beneficial, nor harmful health effects associated with the ingestion of demineralized or distilled water." You can see how contentious this is at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk:Distilled_water http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk:Distilled_water . Limestone is added because the water is low in calcium. Concrete contains calcium, and water will dissolve the calcium from concrete pipes. Pure water also has "little buffering capacity relative to that of freshwater. Low buffering capacity increases risks of corrosion to metal distribution pipes." (Quote from http://www.arava.co.il/haklaut/mop/d081007/d081007_2.pdf http://www.arava.co.il/haklaut/mop/d081007/d081007_2.pdf . See the same points at http://books.google.com/books?id=XTrvVSJTnUEC&pg=PA311&lpg=PA311&dq=rainwater+mineral+content&source=bl&ots=QWg8AkLjbB&sig=6t1Uq2IgQVgYTqAb-C2HYfNOu0U&hl=sv&sa=X&ei=uVc-VJipLcvLygPQoIDgCw&ved=0CGkQ6AEwCzgK#v=onepage&q=rainwater%20mineral%20content&f=false http://books.google.com/books?id=XTrvVSJTnUEC&pg=PA311&lpg=P... and http://books.google.com/books?id=M3W7QsfdyMIC&pg=PA37&lpg=PA37&dq=limestone+desalination&source=bl&ots=sW6X8YiM2C&sig=VNfV4D_Pc7kLkJl4w49iziMSbF0&hl=sv&sa=X&ei=rlw-VIm8LYr8ygPMhYHQDg&ved=0CEoQ6AEwBzgU#v=onepage&q=limestone%20desalination&f=false http://books.google.com/books?id=M3W7QsfdyMIC&pg=PA37&lpg=PA... .) They also point out that consumers prefer the taste after some remineralization. The first link also comments the using RO water for agriculture ended up with MG2+ deficiency diseases in the irrigated plants. However, you'll noted that remineralization only adds a couple of ions. It doesn't add "quite a lot of minerals" to the water supply, which would be needed if distilled water actually were a problem for the body.

tobylane 12y ago
Rainwater isn't distilled water. It has acids in it to make acidic rain. You can distill wine and I'd imagine you'd end up with water, alcohol and a lot less colour.
- dalke 12y ago
  For the purposes of this discussion it's distilled, because it doesn't have minerals in it. As you say acid rain contains sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide. It can also pick up other gases. Rain also contains carbon dioxide, and rain near the sea also contains some salt. (Then again, distillation isn't perfect either.) It doesn't contain dissolved limestone, granite, or other minerals that might be found in ground water, at least not that makes a credible biological difference. I don't understand your comment about wine - if you distill crude oil you can end up with gasoline, asphalt, and more.

by dalke 12y ago

tobylane 12y ago

Rainwater isn't distilled water. It has acids in it to make acidic rain. You can distill wine and I'd imagine you'd end up with water, alcohol and a lot less colour.

dalke 12y ago
For the purposes of this discussion it's distilled, because it doesn't have minerals in it. As you say acid rain contains sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide. It can also pick up other gases. Rain also contains carbon dioxide, and rain near the sea also contains some salt. (Then again, distillation isn't perfect either.) It doesn't contain dissolved limestone, granite, or other minerals that might be found in ground water, at least not that makes a credible biological difference. I don't understand your comment about wine - if you distill crude oil you can end up with gasoline, asphalt, and more.