Many articles on the Internet claim Reverse Osmosis is not recommended because it removes beneficial minerals and may leach onto the minerals in your body. It is important to look at the source of these articles, as many are sponsored by specific name brand filters looking to get their names out there. Some of the minerals in the water, such as calcium and magnesium, sound healthy, but they are in a crushed rock form and cannot be absorbed by the body. The body gets its nutrients from the foods that we eat, such as plants that have digested the crushed rock minerals into a form that the body can now break down. If you want to get nutrients from your water, it is best to start with a clean slate. We recommend drinking purified water, which is produced by reverse osmosis. Once the water is filtered, you can then add your own vitamins, minerals, and electrolytes. Water, by definition, is hydrogen and oxygen and hydrates the body. A remineralizer filter can be added to put minerals back into your water, however, it is recommended to use your own, which gives you control of what you are putting into your body.

While all water filters remove contaminants, they don’t all remove every type of contaminant found in our water systems. Contaminants in water fall into one of four categories:

• Physical
• Chemical
• Radiological
• Biological.

Physical contaminants include:

• Soil
• Sediment
• Leaves,
• Other Debris

Some physical contaminants may be from the water delivery system, such as rust in pipes. Chemical contaminants may be chemicals produced naturally in nature or those developed and used by different companies.

Radiological contaminants are not as common as the other three types of contaminants. Biological contaminants are a form of bacteria and viruses and are difficult to remove from water. In fact, in some cases, filtration alone may not be sufficient. Therefore, some types of water filters are not designed to remove biological contaminants.

Common filters, such as your refrigerator filter, pitcher type, and sink adaptor types, are made with Granular Activated Carbon (GAC). Carbon may filter out things like chlorine, lead, and other contaminants. The problem is that carbon creates a feeding ground for bacteria, which can lead to costly maintenance when having to change filters frequently.

Hardware stores and online companies may offer less expensive options; however, these options may not be enough for today’s water.

Water softeners were invented in the early 1900s using a synthetic resin to address the hardness of the water. Softeners were created to handle the water at that time. Our water has changed, but the technology has remained the same. The resins in softeners address some of the hardness in the water but quickly wear out due to the chlorine and chloramines most commonly found in municipal water supplies. As the resins wear out, they leak back into your pipes. Resins also do not address other contaminants such as chlorine, heavy metals, and many others found in the water.