What Is the Healthiest Purified Water? An Expert Guide

November 16, 2025 •

3 min read

According to the World Health Organization, millions worldwide still lack access to safe drinking water, making purification a necessity. But what is the healthiest purified water, and does removing contaminants also strip away vital nutrients your body needs?

Quick Summary

An expert guide to the different types of purified water, comparing reverse osmosis, distillation, and remineralization to identify the healthiest choice for daily hydration and mineral balance.

Key Points

Purity Isn't Everything: While distillation provides extreme purity by removing nearly all substances, it also strips water of essential minerals, making it less than ideal for daily drinking.
Reverse Osmosis Removes Most Contaminants: RO is an exceptionally effective method for removing a wide range of harmful contaminants, including heavy metals, bacteria, and viruses.
Remineralization is Key: The healthiest purified water for regular consumption is often an RO-treated water that has been remineralized to add back beneficial trace minerals like calcium and magnesium.
Alkaline Water Lacks Strong Evidence: The superior health benefits often claimed for alkaline water, such as better hydration or disease prevention, are not yet backed by sufficient scientific evidence.
Consider All Factors: The 'best' choice depends on your specific water quality and health goals. Always research products certified by organizations like NSF or WQA to ensure they meet high standards.

Understanding the World of Purified Water

To determine the healthiest option, one must first distinguish between filtered and purified water. Filtered water typically passes through a medium, like an activated carbon filter, to remove sediment, chlorine, and some contaminants, which can improve taste and odor. Purified water, however, undergoes a more rigorous process, such as distillation or reverse osmosis, to remove a much broader spectrum of impurities, including chemicals, viruses, and bacteria. However, this intensive process often removes the beneficial minerals that naturally occur in water.

The Purification Process: What Gets Removed?

One of the most effective methods for purification is reverse osmosis (RO). In this process, water is forced through a semi-permeable membrane that filters out particles larger than water molecules, including lead, arsenic, fluoride, and nitrates. Another common method is distillation, which involves boiling water into steam and then condensing it back into a liquid. Both RO and distillation result in very pure water, but they also strip the water of essential minerals like calcium and magnesium.

The Contender: Is Distilled Water the Healthiest Choice?

Because distilled water is exceptionally pure, it is used in medical and industrial applications where mineral deposits are undesirable. However, for daily drinking, this very purity can be a drawback. The lack of minerals gives it a 'flat' taste that many people find unappealing, and it does not contribute to your daily mineral intake. For those with a balanced diet, drinking distilled water is safe, but it provides no nutritional benefit from minerals. Experts caution that long-term, exclusive consumption without mineral intake from food could potentially impact electrolyte balance.

Reverse Osmosis: The Modern Standard

Reverse osmosis systems are a popular home purification choice due to their effectiveness. While they create pure water by removing a wide range of contaminants, including heavy metals, bacteria, and viruses, they also remove all minerals. However, many modern RO systems include a post-filtration stage that adds beneficial minerals back into the water. This remineralization process restores a healthy balance, improving taste and nutritional value.

The Alkaline Water Question

Alkaline water has a higher pH than standard tap water and often contains added minerals. Proponents claim benefits such as neutralizing acid and better hydration. Some small studies have suggested potential links to improved hydration after exercise or bone health, but overall scientific evidence is limited and more research is needed. Consuming excessively high pH water can potentially disrupt your body's natural pH balance.

The Importance of Minerals and Remineralization

Essential minerals like calcium, magnesium, and potassium play a vital role in bodily functions, from cellular hydration to bone density. Since many effective purification methods remove these minerals, remineralization is a key step in creating the healthiest purified water. A water purification system that includes a remineralization stage offers the best of both worlds: the safety of contaminant removal with the health benefits of essential minerals.

Comparison of Purified Water Methods


Feature	Distilled Water	Reverse Osmosis (RO)	RO with Remineralization
Purity Level	Very High (removes everything)	Very High (removes most)	Very High (removes most)
Removes Contaminants?	Yes, very effectively	Yes, very effectively	Yes, very effectively
Retains Minerals?	No	No	Yes (re-added)
Health Benefits	Minimal (provides pure hydration)	Minimal (lacks minerals)	Optimal (pure and mineralized)
Taste	Often described as 'flat'	Can be flat if not remineralized	Improved, refreshing taste
Best For	Specific industrial or medical uses	Situations needing maximum contaminant removal	Daily drinking for balanced hydration

Conclusion: Balancing Purity and Nutrients

There is no single "healthiest" purified water for everyone, but for most daily drinking needs, the best option is one that balances effective contaminant removal with the presence of essential minerals. While pure distilled water serves specific purposes, it lacks the mineral content beneficial for hydration. For a truly healthy and balanced choice, a reverse osmosis system equipped with a remineralization stage is superior, providing both exceptional purity and valuable nutrients. Choosing the right purified water ultimately means prioritizing both safety and nourishment for your body.

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, distilled water is safe to drink, especially if you get essential minerals from a balanced diet. However, it lacks minerals and can have a 'flat' taste, so many prefer remineralized water for daily consumption.

There is a minor concern that demineralized water could potentially pull minerals from the body to maintain balance, especially with a poor diet. However, for most people with a healthy, varied diet, this effect is negligible.

Purified water, via methods like RO or distillation, removes a broader range of contaminants, including pathogens and chemicals, than standard filtered water, which primarily removes sediment and chlorine.

No. Alkaline water can be sourced naturally from springs with mineral content or produced artificially through electrolysis. Naturally sourced alkaline water may provide more beneficial minerals.

Not necessarily. Many bottled water brands use the same purification methods available for home use, and the industry is less regulated than municipal water. Home filtration is often a more reliable, cost-effective, and eco-friendly option.

First, test your local water to identify your primary concerns. Next, research certified systems (NSF, WQA) and compare technologies like RO, distillation, or basic filters based on their removal capabilities, costs, and the importance of remineralization to you.

Trace minerals like calcium and magnesium contribute to vital bodily functions. They are essential for proper cellular hydration, electrolyte balance, bone health, and supporting a resilient immune system.