When we think about hydration, we tend to think about quantity - are we drinking enough? But the quality of the water we drink matters just as much, and a critical part of that quality is mineral content. In fact the main reason I designed the Clear Spiral Water Filtration System was to fix my own mineral balance after years of drinking RO water which only made things worse.
The Minerals in Your Water
Natural water picks up minerals as it passes through rock and soil. These dissolved minerals aren't impurities — they're an important dietary source that your body absorbs with every sip:
- Calcium (Ca²⁺) — contributes to bone density, muscle contraction, and nerve signalling. Water can provide 10–20% of daily calcium intake.
- Magnesium (Mg²⁺) — supports over 300 enzymatic processes, including energy production and protein synthesis.
- Potassium (K⁺) — essential for heart rhythm, fluid balance, and blood pressure regulation.
- Sodium (Na⁺) — in small amounts, supports fluid balance and nerve function.
What Happens When Minerals Are Removed
Water that has been stripped of minerals through distillation, reverse osmosis, or deionisation, behaves differently in your body. Research published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine has shown that demineralised water can:
- Increase the excretion of calcium and magnesium from the body
- Contribute to electrolyte imbalance during exercise
- Affect the body's acid-base balance over time
- Taste noticeably flat or "empty"
The WHO recommends that drinking water should contain minimum levels of calcium (20 mg/L) and magnesium (10 mg/L) for optimal health benefits.
Filtration That Works With Nature
The challenge is finding a filtration approach that removes harmful contaminants lead, microplastics, PFAS, chlorine byproducts - while allowing beneficial minerals to pass through naturally.
This is exactly what precision ultrafiltration achieves. At 0.05 microns, the membrane is fine enough to physically block bacteria and plastic particles, but dissolved mineral ions pass through freely. Combined with activated carbon for chemical contaminants and ion exchange for heavy metals, it's a targeted approach: remove what's harmful, keep what's beneficial.
Your water should be clean and nourishing. The two aren't mutually exclusive.
