Whatever happened to the traditional glass of tap water? Over the last few decades, water has gone from being a (relatively) inexpensive natural resource to one of the most lucrative commercial products on the planet. Have we become poorer for it?
Water is an undeniably big business, bringing in billions of pounds every year. Every day thousands of bottles of commercially produced water are purchased in the UK. Is there a valid reason for buying our water in this way, or have we been duped by corporate executives? And most importantly, is bottled water slowly making us ill?
Many people consume bottled water in an effort to drink the recommended eight glasses a day. Not only is it convenient to carry a bottle around with you or keep one by the desk, but we’ve been led to believe that bottled water is far safer than regular tap water. Is it?
Some who swear by bottled water begin to experience a range of symptoms without warning, including joint pain, muscle ache, nausea and dizziness. It turns out that drinking bottled rather than tap water can lead to magnesium deficiency.
This condition is particularly common among women; with one in ten suffering from it, but some experts quote figures as high as seven in ten. The repercussions can be devastating.
Magnesium is very important for the body, from maintaining energy levels to steadying heart rhythm and controlling blood pressure. The suggested daily intake for men is 420mg, and for women 320mg. This amount would previously have been easy to get from nuts, meat, wholegrains and leafy vegetables, but intensive farming and agriculture has seen magnesium content in vegetables go down as much as 80% since 1950.
Consuming large amounts of sugar, caffeine, alcohol and processed grains causes the kidneys to expel magnesium, further reducing our already low levels.
For those of you who may be experiencing any of the aforementioned symptoms, you may like to try eating magnesium-rich foods, such as sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, avocados and beetroot.
Tap water is an important source of magnesium, but considering our obsessions with bottled water, tap water has been relegated to cleaning, showering and washing dishes. Maybe it’s time we revived its original purpose.