What Is Actually In Mineral Water?

Mineral water is one of the many categories of bottled water that are available at most stores. True to its name, it does indeed have minerals in it, including things such as potassium, magnesium sulfate, sodium sulfate, and calcium carbonate. But mineral water is not all built alike. That is due to the fact that it's typically bottled at the source, and different locales have waters with different mineral profiles. The term "mineral water" is sometimes interchanged with "spring water," because they are both bottled at a spring site.

Mineral water can also be naturally carbonated, though its levels of carbonation vary, and are often supplemented by adding gas artificially. Otherwise, there's no special magic to it — it's just water with minerals, and sometimes carbonation. Some popular brands of mineral water that you've likely seen at the store include Perrier, San Pellegrino, and Topo Chico. (For the best choice, ask TikTok's bottled water sommelier.)

Companies cannot simply add minerals to water and label it mineral water. The Federal Drug Adminstration's (FDA) rules state that mineral water "comes from an underground source and contains at least 250 parts per million total dissolved solids. Minerals and trace elements must come from the source of the underground water. They cannot be added later."

Adding minerals to water is still a practice, however, and this results in a product called "mineralized water." Certain types of water filtration systems can remove unwanted content such as heavy metals and sediment, and add minerals back to the water once it's been filtered. Studies have shown that water with a high mineral content can potentially yield health benefits and increased levels of hydration, and can also help with digestive processes. So, no matter how you prefer the bottled stuff, mineral or mineralized water might be good for you. Though, some people would also argue that the benefits are outweighed by all of the trash generated from bottled water.