Not All Water Is Equal

The type of water that you consume can play a key role in determining your state of health. Many people are drinking water that contains a slew of harmful chemicals that are stealthily causing them to experience health problems. 

It is becoming more well known that tap water should be avoided, and thankfully people are searching for better options. Unfortunately, many people get sent down the wrong path by fancy marketing and end up believing they need to drink high pH waters or some fancy sounding or otherwise expensive, brand name water.

I was fortunate many years ago to have found the work of true health pioneers like Dr. Paul Bragg, Dr. Norman Walker, Dr. Brian Clement, Dr. Robert Morse, Dr. Allen Banik, and others who educate people about distilled water and why it is (almost) the best choice – second only to the structured water contained within organic fruits and vegetables. 

Besides fresh fruit and vegetable juices, I have exclusively been using distilled water for all of my drinking and food preparation needs over the last three years, and my only regret is that I wish I had started sooner! Not only for the health benefits but the convenience and environmental benefits as well.

While there are many reasons that distilled water should be a person’s first choice for drinking water as well as the water that they cook with, I have narrowed down my top five reasons for you below: 

1. Removal of inorganic minerals

The cells of the human body do not do well with inorganic minerals – “inorganic” – meaning, those that are present in rocks and soil. This is demonstrated by the fact that we cannot obtain the nutrients we need by eating soil directly.

We must allow for the nutrients in the soil to be taken up through the root systems of plants and incorporated into the plant tissues (fruits, vegetables, leafy greens, nuts, seeds) as organic minerals. It is in this organic state that our cells can best utilize minerals.

Plants have an amazing ability to take the lifeless (inert) inorganic minerals that are difficult for our cells to work with and in a way, infuse them with life – making them exponentially more bioavailable and compatible with our body.  

When we drink hard water, the minerals are mostly rejected by the cells and end up accumulating in our tissues and forming obstructions within the body. Just as you see a white residue around your sink, in your bathtub, or on your dishes – this residue can build up inside the body’s vascular system and other tissues throughout the body.

Distilled water is free of these inorganic minerals and other harmful substances and therefore is the safest water that we can consume – besides that contained within organic fruits and vegetables. 

But doesn’t distilled water leach minerals from the body??

Well, that depends on which type of minerals you’re talking about. The great thing about drinking distilled water is that it can help to remove the obstructive inorganic minerals from the body – however, it will NOT remove the minerals that have been utilized and incorporated into the cells and tissues. So, it is only the UNUSABLE inorganic minerals that have been rejected by the cells that get pulled out of the body when we drink distilled water – yes, please!

Can distilled water hydrate your body?

Yes, distilled water has been consumed for centuries, providing hydration to people – especially those living near or on the ocean. The US Navy has historically relied on distillers to hydrate crew members on their ships and submarines. Cruise ships use distillation as one way to provide safe drinking water to their passengers. Throughout recorded history, there are many examples of people relying on distilled water for their drinking water needs.

With that said – much of a person’s hydration should come from a diet rich in fresh fruits and vegetables. The structured water in fruits and vegetables is the optimal form of water to hydrate the body. Distilled water should be used as a supplemental source of hydration, secondary to a hydrating, mineral-rich diet.

Can you do extended water fasts on distilled water?

Yes, many people (including myself) have undergone extended water fasts using nothing but distilled water. True North Health Center in Santa Rosa, California has placed thousands of people on extended water fasts for up to 40 days using distilled water.

I believe the best results from fasting are achieved by utilizing the purest water possible – distilled water.

Extended water fasting should only be done with the proper education and/or experienced guidance.

Is it better to drink distilled water or spring water?

Spring water comes from naturally occurring underground springs that many people (and bottled water companies) search out to collect their water.

Spring water is generally thought of as a safer alternative to tap water and in most cases, it probably is – however, it is still full of inorganic minerals (rocks) that the body does not prefer.

Additionally, there is virtually no source of natural water left on Earth that has not been, to some extent, contaminated by pesticides, plastics, or industrial waste. Even rain water picks up various toxins from air pollution before it hits the ground.

So, while spring water is most likely far better than tap water, it still contains components that I believe we should be avoiding as much as possible.

For these reasons, the only water (outside of what I get from fruits and vegetables) that I recommend is steam distilled water.

2. Removal of pesticides, pharmaceuticals, chlorine, and more

Billions of pounds of pesticides are used each year, and the lakes, rivers, and oceans become the collection site for all of these poisons. On top of that, tap water commonly contains various pharmaceutical drugs, industrial waste products, micro-plastics, pathogenic bacteria, heavy metals, water treatment chemicals, fluoride, and more. All of these contaminants can damage the integrity of the intestinal tract and the gut microbiome – leading to acute or chronic health problems.

Distilled water is the only method of water purification that consistently removes over 99.9% of these contaminants from the water. Filter-based systems, such as reverse osmosis, are not nearly as efficient as steam distillation, and their performance degrades over time as the filter is used.

As long as someone is providing the proper maintenance to their water distiller, the performance and reliability of the machine should remain consistent throughout the life of the machine.

Is Purified Water the Same as Distilled Water?

The term “purified water” is a broad label that can mean many different things. Simply running tap water through a carbon filter could be considered purified water because some impurities, such as chlorine, were removed. However, removing one or two contaminants from water and calling it purified water is very misleading – as there could be numerous other contaminants (ie. pharmaceutical drugs) that still remain in the water.

Distilled water is a form of purified water of which 99.99% of contaminants have been removed through the process of boiling the water and collecting the purified steam in a container. This is similar to what we see in Nature as the sun heats up surface water, causing it to evaporate and condense into clouds until it falls back to the Earth as rain. The advantage of distilled water is that it does not contain the particles of air pollution that rain water collects on its journey through the atmosphere.

So while distilled water is a form of purified water, there are many other forms of purified water that are not so pure. The most reliable way to know that you are drinking water that is free of ALL harmful contaminants, is to use a high quality water distiller that has a post-carbon filter to ensure all potential VOCs (ie. chlorine) and other contaminants have been adequately removed.

3. Eliminate the use of plastic bottles / micro-plastics / better for the environment

When it comes to protecting the environment, water distillation has a huge upside. It is reported that worldwide over one billion plastic bottles are used EACH DAY! Plastics are devastating our environment and wildlife – so anything we can do to reduce our consumption of plastic is a step in the right direction.

Having a home water distiller eliminates the need to purchase bottled water, meaning you are one less person adding plastic to the landfills. This also means fewer micro-plastics are being dispersed throughout the environment. As plastics break down, they release tiny particles of plastic that are being found in every region of the world – including within us.

To reduce your personal intake of micro-plastics, always store your water in glass when possible, and if you need to take your water on the go, it is best to use either glass mason jars or stainless steel containers to carry it with you. 

4. Convenience and Money savings 

Back when I used to buy reverse osmosis (RO) water from the store, I would carry several one-gallon glass jugs with me to fill up at their RO dispenser every three or four days. While this was an inconvenience, I was willing to do it in order to avoid using tap water or buying more plastic water bottles.

The time it required was one thing, but it also required the use of additional gasoline and more miles on my car. This can be said for people that travel to natural springs, as well. 

Besides saving on time and gasoline, a home water distiller produces water much cheaper and more efficiently than using reverse osmosis systems, bottled water, or water delivery services.

The great thing about a home water distiller is that you have the cleanest water possible available to you right in your home. No more dealing with long lines at the grocery store or waiting in traffic just to obtain clean drinking water. 

5. Peace of mind

For me, one of the biggest benefits that I enjoy from having a home water distiller is the peace of mind that I am consuming the cleanest possible water – free of harmful contaminants.

I learned from experience that reverse osmosis systems are not a consistently reliable way to remove contaminants that I am trying to avoid. By using a total dissolved solids (TDS) meter to see how many dissolved solids (such as inorganic minerals) were in the reverse osmosis water that I was getting from various stores – I found that it varied greatly from as low as 3 to as high as 252 parts per million. Ideally, we want to be as close to zero TDS as possible, so seeing those high numbers was concerning to me. When I test the water from my distiller, I consistently have a TDS reading of 0.

I don’t want to have to guess or assume that I am drinking clean water free of contaminants – I want to be sure – which is why I choose to steam distill my water.

So there you have it – those are my top 5 benefits of using a home water distiller! 

Lastly, in addition to using a home water distiller, I also want to encourage you to do what you can to stop supporting the companies and organizations that are polluting our water and environment in the first place. Vote with your dollars and support organic family farms, stop using synthetic pesticides and fertilizers, eat a whole food, plant-exclusive diet, and avoid using plastics as much as possible. 

If you would like more information about the distillers that I use in my home, you can check them out here: 

Pure Water Mini Classic CT

AquaNui Automatic 8/5

I love these distillers so much that I became an affiliate for them – and if you use my affiliate code: RAWINTUITION – I get a commission and you can get 5% off of your order – WIN/WIN!

If you have any questions, please leave them below, or email me at Matt@Myrawintuition.com.

Peace, health, and happiness,

Matt