Water is the source of life. Its consumption is essential for human beings, although we often forget the importance of maintaining adequate levels of hydration for our health, and we do not consume the recommended amount by health authorities. If the important act of drinking water is combined with the fact that this liquid contains essential minerals and trace elements, as mineral waters do, the act becomes a healthy conscious act.

We asked experts in the field what the benefits of consuming mineral water are for our health.

How much water should we drink?

Experts recommend drinking between two to two and a half liters of water a day to maintain adequate levels of hydration, as this is the amount of water that our body loses daily. Although this intake is vital at any time of the year, it becomes more relevant during the summer and for those over the age of 60, as the sensation of thirst begins to decrease after this age.

Despite knowing these facts, many people do not consume the recommended amount of water. Water experts from Damm remind us of the importance of maintaining proper levels of hydration daily "without needing to experience extreme thirst". In other words, we need to drink even when we are not thirsty or when we do not have the habit of drinking regularly, which is a reality that is reflected, above all, in older people, one of the groups at higher risk of dehydration.

The President of the Scientific Committee of the Water and Health Research Institute and Full Professor of the Medical Hydrology Chair of the Complutense University of Madrid, Francisco Maraver, believes that Spain has a "low culture of hydration , so it is essential that authorities, the educational world, and the scientific community conduct awareness campaigns and provide information about the importance of drinking the recommended amounts of water and the consequences that can result from dehydration". Water remains the key, apart from other liquids, to ensure the best hydration. The Spanish Federation of Nutrition, Food, and Dietetics Societies (Fesnad) reminds us that "for thirst, water is the best", as it is "the best and most natural source of hydration".

Advantages

Quantity and quality are two parameters to be taken into account when delimiting the daily intake of water. That is, we need to drink the necessary amount of high-quality water, as "if we do not consume high-quality water, it doesn't matter how much we drink, because its properties determine that our cognitive and functional abilities operate at maximum performance," say the experts from Damm, who recommend the consumption of natural mineral waters.

With this choice, quality is guaranteed since, according to Maraver, they are healthy and pure waters that are bottled at the source to preserve their purity and healthy properties. "Each natural mineral water has a constant composition of specific minerals and trace elements," he adds, advising consumers to carefully read the label of each water on the market to know exactly what they are drinking.

From a health standpoint, Maraver assures us that turning to natural mineral waters "is a guarantee; they are pure waters from their source and do not need or receive chemical or disinfection treatments for consumption, so they help to lead healthy lifestyles. Also, as they are presented in ergonomic packaging formats, they can be transported comfortably and allow us to stay hydrated throughout the day."