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This refreshing mineral water satisfies our growing
concern about leading a healthier life. It is a symbol of the well-informed
consumers who are conscious of their bodies' needs.
Mineral Water Benefits
The Mineral Water is obtained from natural springs and it is chemically and
micro-biologically pure.
Its underground origin provides it with minerals,
trace elements and and other components which have beneficial effects on the
human body protecting it against chemical polution.
There are many kinds of mineral waters classified
according to the elements they have (sodium, calcium, magnesium, etc.)
Printed on the label you will find all the necessary
information about its composition. This information should be carefully read in
order to decide which mineral water is more convenient for you as there is a
wide variety of mineral waters in the market, ranging from those with high
levels of magnesium or flouride to those suitable for people suffering from high
blood pressure or kidney failure among others.
It is highly recommended to drink mineral water because it is 100 % natural, it
is not fattening and it provides the necessary minerals for the correct
functioning of our bodies.
Basic Concepts
Remembering some Biology concepts...
Water is the most essential component of the human
body. Human beings cannot survive without water more than 5 or 6 days without
putting their lives at risk. At birth, the human body has 75 % of water of their
total weight and 60 % in adulthood. Most of this water is found in the cells.
The rest of it is in the blood in touch with the tissues.
In the nutrients combustion reactions which take
place in the cells to produce energy, small quantities of water are released.
This water production is higher when fat is oxidised - 1 g of water for each
gramme of fat than when carbohydrates undergo the same process. The water
produced because of the cellular respiration is called metabolic water
and it is extremely important to animals which have adapted to living in desert
conditions. Camels can resist long periods of time without drinking water for
the fat they store in their humps. However, the metabolic water produced in
humans is less than 0.3 litres per day.
Water is lost from the body through urine and sweat, and must be replaced
through our diets. Many people do not consume enough and as a result may become
dehydrated, causing symptoms such as headaches, tiredness and loss of
concentration. Chronic dehydration can contribute to a number of
health problems, such as constipation and kidney stones.
Remember some Chemistry concepts:
Water structure
The water molecule is formed by two H atoms and un Oxygen atom joined by a
covalent bond.The angle between the bonds is 104'5º. The water molecule has a
neutral charge , (same number of protons and electrons), presents an imbalanced
distribution of electrons which turns it into a polar molecule - negative charge
is concentrated around the oxygen whereas near the hydrogen we can find a more
positive charge.
Because of this, there are dipolo-dipolo interactions among the molecules
creating bonds with Hydrogen. The partially negative charge of Oxygen
in the molecule exerts an electric attraction on the partially positive charges
of the Hydrogen atoms from other adjacent molecules.
Despite being weak unions, four water molecules appear surrounding each of them,
giving water a reticulated structure responsible for its behaviour and
properties.
Properties
Most substances can be dissolved in water. This property stems from its capacity
to form Hydrogen bonds.
In case of ionic dissolutions, the ions contained in salts are attracted by the
water bipoles, being trapped and covered by water molecules.
Many metabolic reactions take place in it because of its dissolving
properties.
The hydrogen bonds keep water molecules strongly linked forming a liquid
difficult to compress. That is why some animals have a skeleton made of water.
Great Specific Heat
Water can absorb great quantities of heat which uses to break Hydrogen bonds
thus slowly increasing temperature. In this way, temperature remains constant.
To evaporate water, bonds must first be broken
and then water must be provided with enough kinetic energy to change from the
liquid phase to the gas one. To evaporate un gramme of water 540 calories are
needed, a temperature of 20 C and 1 atmosphere of pressure.
What benefits do water provide ?
We are alive because there is water in our bodies which allows certain reactions
to take place. Enzymes need a watery medium for their three - dimensional
structure to be activated and they are vital to obtain energy.
Thanks to its evaporating capacity we can regulate
our temperature by sweating when the external temperature is too high .
It allows the transportation of nutrients to the cells and waste from the cells.
Through water our cells are connected and oxygen is transported as well as
nutrients.
Daily intake
Water is absolutely necessary for our body. The daily loss must be compensated
by the water we drink and by that contained in the food we eat.
It is very important to take enough water a day to be sure the assimilation and
waste elimination processes take place. We need an average intake of three
litres a day. We obtain half from food and the other half must be obtained by
drinking.Under normal circumstances there is no risk of drinking too much water
as it is not stored but eliminated.
Water contamination and health
When water falls in the form of rain from the sky,
it drags impurities .When it flows on the surfaces or in deep layers, new
pollutants of various types are added. It can contain CO3Ca, CO3Ca - CO3Mg , SO4Ca-H2O,
SO4Ca, ClNa, ClK and other elements as well as organic substances.
There is therefore natural contamination but there can also be another of human
origin, caused by agricultural or industrial activities which may surpass the
nature capability of purifying it
This may pose a serious problem to human health. To what extent the water found
in nature is drinkable is determined by legislation, taking into account its
colour, smell, heat and minerals among others.
These characteristics have to be well-defined to be
used as a guarantee that water is appropriate for human consumption.
According to the current legislation, there are standards which show the amount
of substances allowed called 'Nivel Guia ' and 'Concentracion Maxima
Admisible' (CMA)
Another list is "Otros Caracteres" which require special
attention as they usually reflect substances produced by human activitiy which
should be absent in the final product.
Toxic substances are measured in another list and defines the permitted maximun
concentration of arsenic, cadmium, cyanide, arsénico, cadmio, chromiun,
mercury, nickel and lead, pesticides and hydrocarbon.
All the characters mentioned above along with radioactivity and
microbiological figures are considered to determine which water is suitable to
be consumed. |
