Drinking water: comparison of tap water and spring / mineral water
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Everyone now knows that drinking water is healthy. According to a study conducted in 2014, 52 billion bottled water is consumed annually in Europe, 87% of which turns out to be mineral water. There are many types and brands of water on the market in Europe. The choice in the range is enormous and the prices can vary widely. What is the reason for this diversification and is water just water or is there a significant difference between the different types?
History of drinking water
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As far back as prehistoric times, ancient humans sought out the vicinity of water to live there. Water was a necessity for survival, so they always stayed near a river or water source. Egypt's first wells were created about 7,000 years ago. The Egyptian people discovered that by digging wells, you could get the groundwater up with buckets or leather bags. Around the same time, the first primitive water pipes were also laid by digging channels in the sand, among other things.
Types of drinking water
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There is a wide range of drinking water in the trade, but we can make the biggest distinction between tap water / tap water and bottled water. Both tap water and bottled water must meet drinking water standards. These are legally established criteria that set maximum standards for pollutants, minerals and microbes in water.
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11 minMain dishpeanut oil, tofu stir-fry cubes finely seasoned, stir fry sauce sweet and sour, thick noodles, carrot julienne, beetroot julienne, yellow bell pepper, watercress,rainbow salad with tofu -
45 minMain dishRed cabbage, mild olive oil, quinoa plus, forest outing, lemon, sesame oil, soy sauce less salt, Bio Today tahini white in pot, tap water,grilled red cabbage with quinoa salad -
30 minDessertBrie, Roquefort, port salut, gruyere, Camembert, walnut, garlic, thyme, honey, grape, baguette, Red onion, red grape, raisins, Red wine, Red wine vinegar, Brown sugar,generous cheese plate with onion marmalade -
30 minDessertFull Milk, whipped cream, macaroon, custard powder, vanilla sugar, sugar, protein, amaretto, almond liqueur, basic recipe cooking pears,macaroon pastry with casserole
Tap water / tap water
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Tap water or tap water is as the name implies water that comes from the tap or pipe at your home. This tap water is processed water that comes from groundwater or surface water. Just like bottled water, this water must meet the standards for drinking water and be clean. Yet many people still criticize tap water and prefer not to use it as drinking water. The most common criticisms voiced against tap water are the following points:
Spring water
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Spring water as consumption water is an untreated form of drinking water in bottles. This water comes from a natural underground water source that is usually located in mountainous areas or protected natural areas. The depth of the water source usually ensures the purity of the water. Each region or country usually has its own sources, so spring water is usually consumed locally. Spring water must meet drinking water standards, but no chemical treatments may be performed on it. The only operations allowed are decantation, filtration and ventilation to separate elements such as iron, among others. Spring water also never contains a constant mineral composition. As a result, companies are not allowed to assign health properties to them. The name of the source and location must be stated on the label. Finally, it may be stated whether or not the water is suitable for infants.
Mineral water
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Mineral water is spring water with a mineral composition, the mineral content of which has remained the same for at least two years and is therefore stable. The composition of this mineral content depends on the solubility of the rock through which the water has flowed. This can differ greatly per type of water. For example, limestone will produce a different mineral composition than sandstone. Pressure, physical conditions and temperature can also play a role in mineral formation. Mineral waters are also subject to drinking water standards and no chemical processing may be performed on them with the exception of decantation, filtration and ventilation. Due to the stable mineral composition, mineral waters can have health effects. Mineral waters are labeled with origin, mineral composition and whether or not the water is suitable for infants.
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5 minDrink without alcoholbananas, cool fresh apple-pear raspberry juice, Soy drink vanilla,soy fruit shake -
20 minMain dishsauerkraut, sticking potato, liquid baking product, half-to-half minced, Spice meatballs, pineapple, olive oil, liquid baking product,gratin sauerkraut dish with minced meat -
40 minMain dishlemongrass, fresh ginger, Red peppers, onions, tomato cubes, fresh cod fillet, coriander, oil, ground turmeric (koenjit), coconut milk, salt,fish in creamy coconut sauce -
15 minSide dishsweet potato, soft goat cheese, egg, spring / forest onion,stuffed sweet potato with egg
Sparkling water
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Sparkling water is water that contains carbon dioxide or carbon dioxide (CO2). There are two types of carbonated water namely:
The price of drinking water
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Tap water or tap water is the cheapest drinking water and is immediately available in every home. The price of the consumed water that is consumed as drinking water is settled with the totality of the consumed water bill. Depending on the region and municipality, this can be at least two hundred times cheaper than bottled water. The cost price for bottled water that can contain both spring and mineral water depends on the cost price for bottling, packaging, processing, transport and often also on the advertising that may or may not be done around a particular brand. In the Netherlands, the average cost for 1.5 liters of bottled water is 0.81 euros. In Belgium the average cost price is 0.85 euros and in France 0.62 cents. These are the average prices for 1.5 liters of water in 2019.
Which drinking water is best for you?
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The choice of drinking water that someone ultimately makes can depend on a number of factors, namely:
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20 minMain dishTasty vine tomato, (olive oil, fresh basil, onion, garlic, Parmigiano Reggiano, zucchini spaghetti, pumpkin spaghetti, mini buffalo mozzarella,lukewarm pumpkin and zucchini spaghetti -
15 minSide dishtraditional olive oil, curry powder, wheat flour, coconut milk, sambal oelek, chicken broth tablet, water, fresh mango,curry sauce with mango -
30 minMain dishtraditional olive oil, lean ground beef, frozen Mexican wok vegetables, salsa sauce mild, taco shell, grated young cheese, creme fraiche,Mexican vegetable in tacos -
95 minMain dishmaize chicken, lemon, coarse sea salt, pepper, extra virgin olive oil, garlic, thyme, zucchini, tomatoes (small to), black olives without pit,provençal chicken with zucchini and tomatoes