Mineral Water

Food · Drink · Food, Typed Supps

Plain mineral water is water with dissolved rock in it. The flavoured version is usually water with sugar in it.

Stage by stage

Intake (Enamel contact): Carbonic acid makes sparkling water mildly acidic; added citric acid in flavoured versions makes it more so.
Stomach (Rapid absorption): Water and dissolved ions need no digestion and are absorbed quickly.
Minerals (Calcium and magnesium): Dissolved calcium is absorbed about as well as calcium from milk, though the amount depends entirely on the source.
Clearance (Kidneys): Surplus water and minerals are filtered out; sodium content varies by source and is worth checking if restricted.

Time to effect

Minutes: Hydration is immediate; any mineral contribution only counts as a daily habit.

Allergens

None of the fourteen major allergens. Derived from what this food is, not from a product label.

Eating patterns

Fits: Vegan, Vegetarian, Pescatarian, Halal, Kosher, Keto, Gluten-free. Depends on the product: Low-FODMAP.

Satiety

Not scored: the satiety index is measured on 240 kcal servings, and nobody eats a 240 kcal serving of this. The question does not apply rather than the answer being unknown.

Cost band

Cheap — roughly £2 per kg, as a band midpoint rather than a price.

Key nutrients

Nutrition per 100g

Calories: 15
Protein: 0g
Carbohydrate: 3.7g
of which sugars: 3.7g
Fat: 0g
of which saturated: 0g
Fibre: 0g
Sodium: 15mg

Food vs. supplement

A high-calcium mineral water can make a genuine contribution towards a daily calcium target with well-absorbed calcium and no tablets — but only if the label shows a high concentration. Most bottled waters, this one included, are too dilute to count.

Kitchen tip

Read the mineral analysis panel rather than the front of the bottle — calcium, magnesium and sodium are all printed there and vary hugely between brands drawn from different sources.

Common myth

"Sparkling mineral water is bad for your bones." In reality: That finding comes from cola drinks, where phosphoric acid and the displacement of milk are the suspected causes. Plain carbonated mineral water shows no such effect, and mineral-rich waters supply calcium that is absorbed about as well as the calcium in milk.

In the glossary

Absorption