The Real Reason You Should Be Drinking Spring Water

Constantly drinking water and still feeling parched? The reason could lie in the water that you're chugging. Since many of us get our supply from bottled sources or filtered tap water, people are getting fewer natural nutrients from their water than ever. Known as "raw water," this type of H2O offers countless minerals that have slowly been taken out of the water supply, leaving our cells thirsty for a nutrient-dense option.

"I'm going to give you two choices," Bryan Pullen, CEO of Summit Spring Water, told Everyday Health. "A glass of natural, untreated water that meets every state and federal standard for drinking safety and is free of man-made contamination, or a glass of river water from New York mixed with chlorine, fluoride, anti-corrosives, nitrate, and pharmaceuticals. Which would you prefer?"

While a debate is currently underway about whether or not ingesting spring water is safe, it's important to remember that humans drank water from natural sources for most of history. Provided you find a spring that has been pH tested and deemed safe, you can reap the benefits of natural water. "Source matters," Pullen added. "I'm not suggesting to go to your local stream and drink the water. That's dangerous." Rather, check out springs in your area and see if they've been tested.

In many cities and urban areas, the water supply is contaminated with tons of chemicals like chlorine from the sterilization process. Also, toxins like lead, arsenic and high levels of copper have been found in various sources of tap water from around the country, Business Insider reports. Even more alarming, an Associated Press investigation (via Everyday Health) found that common drinking water varieties contained trace amounts of prescription drugs, antibiotics, additives from shampoos and other chemicals.

While filters can help with these issues, they also filter out the minerals, probiotics and prebiotics spring water naturally contains. "Pharmaceutical drugs and chemicals get past filters, so chlorine is there to sterilize the water while it is transported through the pipes to your home," Bryan Pullen explained to Everyday Health. So, on top of having drugs and additives in the supply, your tap water may also contain chlorine. 

People are rapidly turning to spring water for reasons such as these — so much so that even bottled varieties of spring water are flying from the shelves and different brands are jumping on the train, The New York Times recently reported. While some sources may try to convince you that spring water poses health risks, it's worth considering the lack of nutrients that tap and bottled water provide. Find a local spring that's been tested and try it for yourself. Chances are, you'll feel more hydrated, energized and fueled from the purer source.