Water vs. Distilled Water
We often hear that it is best to drink at least 8 glasses of water per day. However, people are sometimes asking what specific type of fluid is the most recommended. Is it the pure or regular (tap) water? Or is it the other type, like distilled water? To know more about the differences between these two types of water, read carefully below.
Water is H2O. It is composed of two hydrogen atoms and an oxygen atom bonded together. In layman’s terms, water is just water, as in the case of regular tap water. This type of water contains lots of additional minerals. Some of these are salts soluble in water itself, along with other impurities, and even bacteria or germs that can harbor different kinds of diseases. This is the type of water that usually quenches one’s thirst.
On the contrary, distilled water is the type of fluid that no longer has the above mentioned additional substances. This water is free from all minerals and impurities, including bacteria. It is like this because it underwent a series of distillation processes. These are rather simple. The first stage is by boiling the water, and letting it steam. Next, the steam is collected in a process known as condensation, to isolate the impurities. The result is that the water has been ‘purified’, or distilled.
Because of its nature, distilled water is used in various therapeutic regimens, like in the cases of irritable bowels and diarrhea. Being free from all impurities, it is the water of choice for managing the said diseases, because its mineral-free nature does not add to the trauma in the patient’s digestive tract. Just take note that it usually tastes odd or bland, for it no longer contains any taste as opposed to ordinary drinking water. In addition, distilled water is the liquid medium of choice for almost all types of standard experiments, because of its ‘pure’ characteristic.
Nevertheless, if you are thinking of using distilled water as a substitute for your daily regular water, then you better think again. Aside from being an ineffective thirst quencher, this type of fluid does not supply the human body with the necessary salts and other minerals that are needed to carry out the body’s simple day-to-day processes.
Overall,
1. Regular water is the type of water that contains lots of minerals and impurities that may include germs or bacteria, whereas distilled water is free from all such impurities.
2. Regular water is a thirst quencher, and has a peculiar taste as opposed to distilled water.
3. Distilled water undergoes a process of distillation (boiling and condensation) for it to become pure.
4. Distilled water is the fluid of choice for various research purposes, and for patients suffering from some forms of digestive tract disorders.