If you are like me, you assume that when you open a brand new bottle labeled pure drinking water, that what you are about to consume is in fact just that: pure. But what does that label, especially for pure drinking mineral water, really mean?

Before I started researching the concept of pure drinking water on the Internet, I assumed that it meant it was free of dangerous pollutants and was good for my health. I also assumed that it was not simply tap water put into a plastic bottle with a nice label. However, that is quite often far from the truth.

In reality, pure drinking mineral water can actually be just as unhealthy and dangerous for you and your body as the tap water that comes out of your faucet. The bottled water industry, while legally regulated, is so large that it is difficult to enforce regulations on the cleanliness of the facility, the bottle and the actual H2O used.

Pure drinking water that has been stripped of all of its trace minerals means that when you drink it, your body has to replace those minerals somehow, usually by pulling the necessary nutrients from your body. This can cause mineral deficiencies that can have serious adverse health effects.

The best way to define pure drinking water is water that will not make you sick when you drink it. You want your H2O to be as free of pharmaceuticals, toxins and pollutants as possible. Generally, your public water supply has had chlorine added to it which neutralizes most of the contaminants. Large doses of chlorine are unhealthy too, so adding a simple carbon-based filter to your faucets at home may be all that you need to enjoy fresh tasting, clean, pure drinking water.

Most people think of Perrier when they hear pure drinking mineral water. Perrier is carbonated pure drinking mineral water that comes from a safe, clean source of H2O. Excessive carbonation can cause gastrointestinal problems, so it is best to limit your intake of any carbonated liquid including pure drinking mineral water.

Making wise choices when it comes to the type of pure drinking water you use starts with doing your research. We need water to survive but with a little knowledge we can ensure that our families are getting water that does not contain dangerous pollutants, does not taste funny or have an odd smell.

Always check the source used for that bottle of water in your refrigerator and make sure it is not simply your local water supply. That water already comes from your faucet so there is no need to pay a premium just to have it served up in a plastic bottle. There is another way for you to enjoy pure drinking water that is not expensive, but still healthy for you and your family. You can have an unlimited supply, right in your own kitchen, with the right filtration unit on your tap.