What is “raw water” … and it is SAFE?

I pride myself on usually knowing what the latest trends are—especially health ones. (I’m less concerned about other trends as I get older.)

So, I was surprised when I came across something in the New York Times about people drinking “raw water” as part of a new healthy living trend.

One would assume that all water is raw. But when you stop and think about it—it’s far from that.

But is this trend safe? Let’s talk about it…

Raw and expensive

Much of the water we consume has been processed and filled with chemicals, including fluoride. (That is, unless you have a well.)

And I get it—there’s a long list of things we need to do to keep our public drinking water clean and safe. I’m not saying we should stop that process.

But I’m also not going to be one of those “experts” that encourages people to do crazy things to stay as natural as possible.

I mean, live, naked, raw water is incredibly expensive—some companies sell it for $33 a jug!

According to one manufacturer’s website, the water is rich in naturally occurring minerals and contains “zero traces of industrial contamination.”

Okay… but what are they actually testing for?

That’s what I would want to know before forking over my well-earned money… and in my opinion, it’s why this concept won’t become mainstream.

An easier way to enjoy safer water

Let’s look at some raw water examples…

A stream bordering a farm may not be a great place to get your water from.

But a natural spring away from agriculture or industrial areas may be less risky as a raw water source. That’s because spring water goes through a natural purification process by trickling through layers of soil underground.

(My grandmother used to gather natural spring water in Staten Island—a borough of NYC—when I was a child. It was a very rural place when I was growing up, so I guess I’m not as squeamish as others might be when it comes to this concept.)

That said, today there are many dangerous pathogens lurking in the environment. And while I believe it IS better to be exposed to things so that the body learns to fight pathogens—the same concept I tell you about for asthma and allergies—we still have to be careful.

At the end of the day, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) both set standards for safe drinking water, limiting the number of contaminants allowed in tap and bottled water.

To which I ask: Are raw water companies following those same rules?

So instead of turning to this new health trend, I encourage you to simply become more conscientious of your drinking water. Here are my three tips:

Only ever drink natural spring water bottled in glass. My favorite is S.Pellegrino Sparkling Natural Mineral Water. (NEVER drink out of a plastic bottle, even those labeled “BPA-free.”)

Filter your water to keep out as many chemicals and toxins you can. Get the best filter you can afford, whether it’s a filtration system for your entire home, a faucet filtration system, or a refillable water pitcher.

And finally, consider calling your senator or congressman and asking them what they’re doing to keep your community safe, because we need to hold our elected officials accountable to these threats to our health.

Source:

“What is ‘raw water,’ and why is it trending?” MDLinx, 5/3/2023. (mdlinx.com/article/what-is-raw-water-and-why-is-it-trending/2sjk4OPBaXnC1hEyX2PukW)