We all know the importance of keeping the body properly hydrated. Consuming about 2 liters of water a day helps ensure that the cells, tissues and organs are working optimally, and also toxins and waste materials are kept from accumulating.

Maintaining proper hydration means drinking up to 8 glasses of water per day — juice, coffee, tea and especially soft drinks, sports drinks and alcoholic beverages do not count!

Did you know that water you can drink come in many different types?

Read on if you think that consuming water is boring and that’s why you resort to glugging down unhealthy types of beverages — below you will come across the various types of water that you may count on each time you are feeling thirsty.

Feel free to share this article on your different social media sites especially if you feel that some of your family members and friends are not drinking enough water on an everyday basis.

Tap Water

It’s the most accessible and cheapest type of water that you can drink. In most parts of the United States, drinking tap water is completely safe.

If you believe that water treatment in your area is not worthy of your trust, you may simply invest in a high quality home filtration system to make sure that tap water you are about to drink is free of contaminants that may wreak havoc on your health. Or you may go for any of the water types discussed below.

Purified Water

Water that’s been purified via filtration systems is referred to as purified water. Purified water can be tap water or water obtained from other sources, such as groundwater.

The problem with purifying water is it eliminates not only contaminants but also anything else that’s added by water treatment facilities to tap water like fluoride, which is something that helps fend off cavities.

Distilled Water

Distilled water is just like purified water, except for the fact that it involves a process called distillation — water is boiled and then the steam produced is collected and then condensed.

The nicest thing about distilled water is it’s very pure and thus very safe to drink. Sadly, it is devoid of minerals that come with health perks, which means that the only benefit offered by distilled water is hydration of your body.

Mineral Water

Just like what the name says, mineral water is something that contains naturally-occurring minerals in water such as magnesium, calcium and potassium. So in other words, mineral water not only hydrates your body but also supplies it with trace amounts of minerals.

As expected, mineral water is not as cheap as tap water. Besides, you can also obtain minerals present in mineral water from various food sources — having a well-balanced diet is key.

Alkaline Water

A lot of health-conscious people opt for alkaline water these days as its consumption is believed to help reduce blood acidity by means of alkaline minerals added to it. Experts say that too much acid in the blood is associated with so many health nightmares.

Unfortunately, there’s not enough evidence that the consumption of alkaline water can in fact reduce blood acidity. Health authorities say that its intake may even reduce stomach acid, which may hamper proper digestion and also elimination of harmful bacteria in the food you eat.

Sparkling Water

If the reason why you prefer carbonated drinks over water is the fact that they are more interesting to consume, then you may consider going for sparkling water. Also known as soda water or carbonated water, it is fizzy due to the addition of carbon dioxide.

While it’s true that drinking sparkling water is a delight, there are a couple of cons that come with its intake. First, it doesn’t come with a cheap price tag. Second, it’s a terrible idea for you to go for it if you are suffering from bloating, acid reflux or gastroesophageal reflux disease or GERD.

Flavored Water

Also sometimes referred to as infused water, flavored water contains natural or artificial flavorings and sweeteners. It’s because of this why drinking it is always interesting.

The problem with flavored water is it’s usually expensive. What’s more, the presence of added ingredients may harm one’s health. For instance, you may have a hard time managing your blood glucose levels if the brand you like contains sugar. The good news is it’s easy to make flavored water at home by adding slices of fruits to a pitcher of water.