Not all water is tasteless
It has always been said that drinking water should be tasteless, odorless and colorless. There are two errors in this statement. The first is that the term insabora is not accepted by the Royal Spanish Academy. The correct term is insipid. The second is in the content of the whole statement: it is not correct. The reality is that water tastes, smells and has color. As for taste, water tastes very different, depending on its origin. Water that comes from a lake, a river, a spring, a well, rain or snowmelt does not taste the same. Considering that drinking water contains virtually no organic compounds, what is it that imparts taste? It is the dissolved salts, which are also known as dissolved minerals. The taste will depend on the type and concentration of these. Dissolved minerals can be hardness, sodium, potassium, iron, bicarbonates, chlorides, hydroxides, sulfates.... Currently, many bottled waters are treated with reverse osmosis. This process reduces the content of dissolved minerals and, therefore, not only makes water drinkable, but also produces water with a low salt content. It is a water with a different taste, which some describe as "light" (as opposed to the taste of water with higher salinity).
Do salts and minerals give flavor to the water we drink?
Yes, salts and minerals present in water significantly influence the taste of the water we drink. These dissolved components can come from natural sources, such as the dissolution of rocks and minerals in groundwater, or from anthropogenic sources, such as water treatment processes and pollution.
- Common Minerals: The most common minerals in water, such as calcium, magnesium, sodium and potassium, contribute to the taste and "hardness" or "softness" of water. For example, high calcium and magnesium content results in "hard" water, which has a characteristic taste and can leave deposits in pipes and appliances.
- Salts: Dissolved salts, especially chlorides and sulfates, can alter the taste of water. For example, a high level of chlorides can give water a salty taste, while sulfates can give a slightly bitter taste.
- Water pH: The pH of water, which can be affected by the presence of certain minerals and salts, also plays a role in the perception of taste. Water with a very low or very high pH can have an acidic or alkaline taste.
- Mineral concentration and balance: The balance and total concentration of minerals in the water is crucial. Even small amounts of certain minerals can noticeably change the taste of water. Purified water, such as distilled water, which lacks minerals, is often described as bland or flat.
In summary, while some minerals are essential for pleasant taste and health benefits, an excess or imbalance of these can result in undesirable tastes and water quality problems. It is common to hear or read claims that water low in salts is harmful to health. This is not the case. Many communities obtain all of their drinking water from rain or snowmelt, which is just as low in salts as water that has gone through a reverse osmosis or distilled process. These communities do not have a lower life expectancy or any morbidity due to water. If their diet is adequate, they get the minerals they need from it. On the other hand, it cannot be said that water low in salts is beneficial to health. It is important not to confuse "taste" with "potability". Taste is a matter of taste; potability is an essential necessity. If you would like to read an interesting and more extensive article on the subject, click on the following link: does water low in salts cause damage to health?