Mineral water worse than tap water

Quality of tap water better than still mineral water

06/30/2012

Tap water is often considered unfounded as inferior. Stiftung Warentest has examined the quality of still mineral water and found that it is usually no higher than tap water. According to the testers, a large part of the still analyzed mineral water was too low in minerals. Many bottles also contained bacterial load, which may be a problem for immunocompromised individuals and infants.

According to the results of Stiftung Warentest, tap water is on average qualitatively much higher quality than still mineral water. In particular, the low mineral content of the still mineral water offered the testers cause for criticism. This is not enough to compensate for the mineral loss during sports. Only one of the tested still mineral waters had a mineral content that could make a noteworthy contribution to the supply of calcium and magnesium to the muscles. "Some still mineral waters contain so few minerals, that it is better and above all cheaper to drink tap water", so the conclusion of the Stiftung Warentest.

Many still mineral water unsuitable as a thirst quencher after sport
The Stiftung Warentest has subjected 29 still mineral waters, 14 of manufacturer brands and 15 own brands of discounters, to an intensive examination. The price range of the products tested ranged from 13 cents to more than 50 cents per liter. Regardless of the price, mineral water was found to have a significant deficit in terms of mineral content, according to Stiftung Warentest. Especially the low sodium content of most products. Twenty-four of the 29 subtle mineral waters studied contained very little sodium, but some manufacturers used this deficiency as an additional selling point and attracted customers who had difficulty with their blood pressure with the label "low sodium". For high blood pressure sufferers must pay particular attention to their sodium intake. However, as a lot of sodium is excreted during sweating, a suitable thirst quencher for athletes should in any case contain sufficient amounts of this important mineral.

No legal requirements for mineral content in mineral water
The low mineral content of the still mineral water does not stand in the way of its growing popularity. The sales figures rose by 14 percent in 2011, according to Stiftung Warentest, and still mineral waters are increasingly becoming a trend beverage. The term "mineral water" is by no means an indication of the ingredients. Because since the EU has decided that mineral water does not have to have a high mineral content, more and more products come onto the market, which contain only negligible amounts of minerals. Previously, this was prevented in Germany by appropriate legal provisions on the minimum content of minerals in mineral water.

Germ load of the mineral water
In addition to the low mineral content of still mineral water, however, other points offered the testers to criticism. Thus, more than one third of the tested still mineral water contained bacterial load, which could lead to health problems in people with weakened immune systems and in babies. Although no applicable limit has been exceeded, but in case of doubt, the water should rather be boiled to avoid any health risks, says the Stiftung Warentest.

The experts also examined the still mineral water for residues of the plastic bottles in which it is sold. However, the corresponding exposure to acetaldehyde, according to the Stiftung Warentest in comparison to previous studies is decreasing. Only six of the investigated still mineral waters contained residues of acetaldehyde. (Fp)

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