Though the internet is a great platform for researching any given topic, it is also a platform that constantly circulates myths and misconceptions. One such misconception is that softening water removes nutrients and minerals essential to the body. This is not true, and here are the reasons why:
Water softening does not eliminate essential minerals and nutrients
First, let’s differentiate between ‘hard’ and ‘soft’ water. You can determine the hardness of water mainly by measuring the amount of magnesium and calcium it contains. High levels of these minerals indicate hard water. These minerals are gathered as water flows through the ground, over weathering rocks and into our waterways.
Some characteristics of hard water include:
- A thin film on your hands during washing. This is a result of calcium in the water reacting with soap to form scum. As a result your hands will need to be rinsed longer.
- Spots that appear on silverware, dishes and glasses that come out of the dishwasher. These spots are residues of calcium carbonate.
- Mineral stains that appear on clothes coming out of the washing machines cause clothes to wear out faster.
- Mineral deposits form in pipes, shrinking the diameter and lessening the water pressure.
In contrast, soft water has low levels of calcium and magnesium. It may occur naturally like rainwater, or maybe a result of softening through using a water softening system either at the municipal water plant or at home. One example of a water softener is a residential ion-exchange water softener that exchanges magnesium and calcium for sodium to soften the water.
Are magnesium and calcium essential to the body?
Absolutely! Both minerals are essential to the body, particularly in bone health. They also support essential everyday bodily functions.Inadequate consumption of both minerals can lead to health problems such as chronic pain, muscle cramps, poor sleep and muscle twitches.
However, you should note that the main source of these nutrients is food, not water. The primary source of calcium is dairy products which account for 50 percent of total calcium in many diets. Magnesium is sourced from vegetables, grains, nuts, fruits and even dairy products.
Several studies indicate that calcium and magnesium components found in hard water occur in an inorganic form that the body cannot digest. Thus, removing these minerals from your water while softening will not decrease your daily intake. If you want to add these two minerals to your diet instead of ‘hard water,’ consult your healthcare provider about nutrition supplements and possible dietary changes.
Does ‘soft water’ increase my daily intake of sodium?
You may wonder if your daily sodium intake will increase when you use soft water since you are essentially exchanging calcium and magnesium for sodium. There is very little sodium produced when water is softened. It has no significant increase in your daily sodium intake. Even though it all depends on the hardness level of your water, the sodium content will not affect your diet in any way.
Drinking or cooking using soft water contributes to less than three percent of your daily sodium intake. Compared to the sodium in a single slice of bread, you will have to drink more than six glasses of soft water to reach the same amount.
Dr. Sheldon G. Sheps of the Mayo Clinic concluded that “The added sodium doesn’t add up to much. If you take a glass of soft water (8 oz) the sodium content usually will have less than 12.5 milligrams of sodium, which is well within the Food and Drug Administration’s definition of ‘very low sodium.’ For healthy people this much sodium in the water would be unlikely to cause any health issues. The important thing to remember is that most of the sodium in an average person’s diet comes from table salt and processed foods. Based on this analysis processed foods and the salt shaker is adding more sodium to the average persons diet.”
Even so, if you have a low sodium diet or are concerned about your sodium intake, consult a doctor before installing a home water softener.