Reverse osmosis is one of the most popular and effective water filtration methods and is gaining popularity in today's market. It can provide safe, pure water because it removes all impurities from the water. However, many people have questions about whether reverse osmosis water contains minerals. In this article, you will learn whether reverse osmosis water contains minerals, whether reverse osmosis removes minerals, and how to add minerals to reverse osmosis water.
Trace minerals in drinking water
Drinking water usually contains some trace minerals, one of the four essential nutrients. Some of these trace minerals have a certain impact on human health. Common trace minerals in drinking water include calcium, magnesium, zinc, copper, iron, fluorine, manganese, selenium, etc. Generally speaking, you can also consume more minerals through a balanced diet.
Does reverse osmosis take all minerals out of water?
The working principle of reverse osmosis is to remove all pollutants from water using a semi-permeable membrane, whose surface is composed of many tiny pores. When water passes through the membrane, most dissolved substances and ions can be blocked from passing through due to the very small pores of the membrane, and only water molecules can pass through the membrane. It separates and removes dissolved substances and ions in tap water through physical filtration and selective osmosis under high pressure to obtain pure water.
Related: How does a reverse osmosis water filter work
Due to the effect of selective osmosis, reverse osmosis membranes can effectively remove dissolved substances and ions in water, including salts, heavy metals, bacteria, viruses, etc. The water quality after reverse osmosis treatment is pure and meets the standards for drinking water and industrial water.
At the same time, reverse osmosis also removes minerals from water, such as healthy minerals such as calcium, magnesium, and sodium in water. However, the human body takes in very little trace minerals from drinking water and usually takes in trace minerals through diet. If you want to drink RO water with minerals, you can add minerals to reverse osmosis water.
How do you remineralize reverse osmosis water?
Reverse osmosis water is simply pure water, and since it does not contain any minerals, you may be concerned about losing the necessary minerals. Therefore, you can supplement minerals through a healthy and balanced diet. However, many people prefer to remineralize their RO water, so you need to use effective methods to mineralize the RO water to increase the trace minerals in the RO water.
Related: How to remineralize reverse osmosis water
You can remineralize RO water by adding minerals or remineralizers to drinking water, or by using an alkaline water bottle. However, these methods only provide you with a small amount of water, and you will also need to re-filter it regularly to achieve the remineralization effect. The best and most convenient option is to install a mineralizing filter immediately after the RO filter, or you can directly purchase a portable water filtration systems with a remineralizing filter already installed.
Which RO does not remove minerals?
Generally, most RO systems will remove most of the minerals in the water. If you need RO water to contain minerals, you can choose a reverse osmosis system with mineralization, as follows:
Mineralized RO system
It mainly adds mineralized filters after the standard RO system filtration. These filters will add some beneficial minerals (such as calcium and magnesium) to improve the taste and nutritional value of the water. Generally, minerals are not retained during the RO process but are added after filtration.
Selective RO Membranes
Some innovative reverse osmosis technologies use selective RO membranes that can remove harmful substances while retaining some beneficial minerals. This technology is still in development and has limited use, but its goal is to provide a solution that can purify water while retaining healthy minerals.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should you add minerals to reverse osmosis water?
Reverse osmosis removes all impurities from water, including minerals. While reverse osmosis is safe and beneficial to your health, remineralizing water has other benefits. Therefore, adding minerals to RO water is also a common practice.
Is reverse osmosis water better than spring water?
Reverse osmosis water is pure water that contains almost no impurities. Reverse osmosis water is safe and healthy. Mineral water contains natural minerals, such as calcium, magnesium, potassium, etc. These minerals are good for health. They all have their advantages, and you can choose according to your needs and preferences.
Related: Spring Water vs Purified Water: Which Should You Choose?
Is drinking reverse osmosis water good for your health?
Reverse osmosis water is finely filtered to remove most contaminants, including heavy metals, chemical contaminants, bacteria, and viruses. Therefore, reverse osmosis water can provide a safer drinking water option. However, reverse osmosis water lacks minerals. Many people believe that long-term drinking of reverse osmosis water will lead to mineral deficiency in the human body. Supplementing the minerals in the human body does not completely rely on drinking water. Trace minerals in the body can be supplemented through diet.
Does RO water cause vitamin D deficiency?
No. Vitamin D deficiency is caused by diet, and if you are deficient you should eat foods rich in vitamin D.
Does RO water cause electrolyte imbalance?
RO water is safe for most people to drink. However, if you are concerned about electrolyte imbalance, you may want to consider consuming more electrolyte-rich foods through your diet or choosing a mineral-rich water source.
Is alkaline water better than RO water?
The pH of alkaline water is usually above 7, generally between 8 and 9. Alkaline water is believed to neutralize the acidity in the body and help maintain the body's acid-base balance. Alkaline water contains natural minerals such as calcium and magnesium. RO water removes most impurities, including minerals. Mineral deficiencies can be balanced through diet or by adding mineral supplements.
Is it better to drink tap water or reverse osmosis water?
Tap water is cheap, but if the water pipes are found to be aging, there may be contaminants such as heavy metals, bacteria, etc. To sterilize, tap water usually contains chlorine, which will affect the taste of the water. Reverse osmosis removes most of the impurities, including heavy metals, chemicals, bacteria, viruses, chlorine, and chlorides, and the taste will be better.
