Increasingly, we are becoming more aware of the
food we consume, the water we drink, and the life we lead. While this is good
thing, often it can be a double-edged sword. With a host of myths coming up
around health and nutrition, it can be difficult to separate facts from myths.
One such major topic of dilemma can be TDS in drinking water. You might
have heard the term or you might be more than familiar with it. But is it okay
to have TDS in drinking water? And much TDS is normal in drinking water for it
to qualify as safe? These are the kind of questions that often crop up.
So let us look at the various myths and facts around TDS and if it is normal in drinking water
Myth # 1
Normal TDS in drinking water should be down to
zero
Fact
This isn’t true. Since TDS particles are
extremely minute in nature, it is extremely difficult to get rid of each and
every particle. Hence, it would be unwise to expect normal TDS in drinking
water to be down to zero. In fact, as per the health authorities, drinking
water with TDS levels below 150 PPM is considered safe and healthy for
consumption. Hence, you should look out for drinking water with TDS levels
below 150 PPM if you are looking for drinking water with normal TDS levels.
Unfortunately, when it comes to tap water or
water purified at home, you have little way of measuring the TDS levels. This
is because you need a sophisticated state-of-the-art system to do so. It is one
of the key reasons why a host of health-consciously individuals are shifting to
packaged drinking water to ensure it features normal TDS.
Myth # 2
All TDS is bad for health
Fact
This isn’t true. TDS refers to total dissolved
solids in your drinking water irrespective of their nature. Of course, our water sources are
contaminated with harmful TDS such as micro plastics, toxins, and chemicals.
This is owing to industrialization and other activities, which end up impacting
our environment and natural resources, including sources of drinking water. This
type of TDS is definitely harmful for our health, especially when such water is
consume for extended periods of time.
However, TDS also refers to dissolved solids such as
essential salts and minerals. These are extremely important for good health and
should be present in drinking water. In fact, it is not only normal for such
TDS to be present in drinking water, it is highly recommended. This is because
such minerals are absorbed better by the body when present in water as opposed
to present in food.
It is one of the key reasons why health-conscious individuals are increasingly switching to packaged drinking water with added minerals
Myth # 3
Bringing down TDS to normal levels in drinking water is
possible at home
Fact
Not all at home water purification systems are as effective
in combatting high TDS levels. In fact, processes such as RO purification don’t
just filter out the bad TDS, but also the good minerals and salts. This makes
the process unhealthy. Further, the effectiveness of processes such as boiling
water at home cannot be measured when it comes to filtering out the harmful TDS
or retaining beneficial TDS. Hence, it isn’t an overstatement to stay that
ensuring normal levels of TDS is not truly possible with tap water or water
purified at home.
On the other hand, when you opt for packaged drinking water, the brand is obliged to be upfront about the TDS levels and the processes undertaken to ensure that the levels are below 150 PPM. For instance, every drop of Bisleri water comes with 120 PPM of TDS levels.
Myth # 4
It isn’t worth
paying for packaged water with good TDS content or minerals
Fact
Packaged drinking with added minerals such as that offered by
Bisleri comes with as many as 21 essential minerals. Moreover, these are made
present in the right quantities for optimal health benefits. If you are
wondering whether such normal TDS in drinking water can have a major impact on health,
well these minerals are linked to physical health, mental health, and immunity
related benefits. Since they are crucial for the smooth functioning of several
vital organs and processes, any deficiency in the long run can result in severe
health impact.
Hence, if good health is a priority for you, it makes sense
to invest in packaged drinking with normal or recommended TDS content over
opting for tap water and at-home purification processes.