Water 101: A Guide to Shopping Heinen’s Water Aisle
The following article was written by Heinen’s Chief Dietitian, Melanie Jatsek RD, LD.
There used to be a time when you had only one option to quench your thirst for water: the kitchen faucet.
Today an entire aisle of the grocery store is dedicated to every type of water imaginable. There’s spring water and purified water for starters, and for those seeking to go above and beyond basic hydration, coconut water and vitamin-enhanced varieties are at your fingertips too.
Navigating the water aisle can be confusing and you may be asking yourself, “What’s the difference?”, “Which type of water is right for me?” or, “Are they any better than tap water?”
I’m going to keep things simple and cover the most basic, unflavored waters you will find at your local Heinen’s: purified, distilled, alkaline, spring, and sparkling mineral water.
Let’s dive in!
Purified Water
(Aquafina; Penta; Dasani)
Purified water is made when surface, underground, or tap water is filtered using a purification process such as reverse osmosis, distillation, or deionization. This removes impurities and contaminants like metals, bacteria, and parasites.
Distilled Water
(Glacéau smartwater)
Distilled water is created from the steam of boiled, purified water, which is then condensed back into water. The result is an extremely pure water, free of contaminants.
Alkaline Water
(Heinen’s Alkaline Water; Eternal; Essentia)
PH (potential of hydrogen) is a measure of how acidic or alkaline a substance is. The pH scale ranges from 0 to 14, with an acidic substance having a pH of less than 7 and an alkaline substance having a pH of 8 or above. A neutral pH is 7-7.9.
Alkaline water is first purified and then made alkaline with the addition of minerals and electrolytes. For this reason, you may want to consider drinking Heinen’s alkaline water in hot weather or after strenuous workouts to help replenish electrolytes lost through sweat.
Spring Water
(Heinen’s Spring Water; Evian; Acqua Panna)
Spring water comes from underground water which naturally rises to the surface. It has its own built-in filtration system at the hands of natural elements like limestone, sandstone, or clay, supplying the water with essential trace minerals. Spring water also undergoes a manual filtration process to ensure safety; however, the existing minerals remain intact.
Sparkling Mineral Water
(Heinen’s Italian Sparkling Mineral Water; Sanpellegrino)
Spring water and mineral water aren’t that different. In fact, mineral water typically comes from springs and therefore contains natural minerals. The effervescence of sparkling mineral water comes from naturally occurring gases, making it a popular dinner mocktail or soda alternative.
Key Takeaway
Your body is made up of 60% water and you simply can’t live without it! So, before worrying about the type of water you drink, I want you to first make sure you’re drinking enough of it. A general rule is to drink enough water to produce pale yellow, almost clear urine. Any of the above bottled waters can help you meet your personal quota. And if you’re looking for a little extra flavor, try making Fruit-Infused Water at home!
