What is the Best Kind of Water to Drink?

4. Distilled Water

Neither groundwater nor surface water are pure H2O since water naturally contains minute amounts of minerals and compounds. Boiling water and condensing its vapor creates distilled water that is free of these substances. Demineralized water was initially used for industrial, laboratory, and technical purposes, and it became widely used for drinking in the 1960s as a solution for limited potable water sources. The World Health Organization strongly cautions against consumption of distilled water because of its low mineral content. The WHO notes direct effects on metabolism, intestinal mucous membrane, and other physiological functions. Drinking distilled water leads to reduced intake of important minerals and other microelements.