Perhaps one of the most persistent myths about water softeners is the ability to steal important nutrients and minerals from water. These contain calcium and magnesium, both of which are essential for a healthy body. Therefore, it is understandable that potential users of water softeners are concerned about performing the installation. That said, in a meaningful way, I can assure you that this is simply not the case. I will explain in detail in this article.
Is Water softener removing important substances and nutrients?
Hard water is rich in calcium and magnesium and is absorbed as water passes through soil and rock formations into waterways. Soft water has a low content of hardness minerals. This can be natural, or it can be due to water treatment in local governments or households. To soften hard water, it is necessary to remove the minerals, calcium and magnesium that cause hardness. This is achieved by exchanging these hard mineral ions with sodium (salt) ions in a water softener system.
Do bodies need calcium and magnesium?
Yes, both factors are very important to your health. Calcium is important for building strong bones and teeth, and a lack of magnesium can impair sleep and cause muscle spasms and severe pain.
The water softener has removed calcium and magnesium from us, isn't it unhealthy?
In fact, our food is the best and most important source of calcium and magnesium for our body. Inadequate intake of either nutrient can be harmful to your health. In particular, without proper magnesium levels, muscle spasms, sleep disorders, muscle tics/spasms, and even chronic pain can occur. Calcium is just as important for strong teeth and bones.
Calcium is easily found in dairy products, and magnesium is found in vegetables, fruits, nuts and grains. In fact, the calcium and magnesium contained in hard water cannot even be properly digested. Therefore, removing calcium and magnesium with hard water does not affect the absorption of these important minerals if you are eating a healthy diet.
How about the added sodium?
As already shown, the removal of calcium and magnesium ions is achieved by exchanging them for sodium (salt) ions. This means that a small amount of salt is added to the soft water, which can affect the taste of sensitive people. It is important to know that less than 3% of our daily sodium intake comes from drinking or cooking in soft water.
To get an overview of this, you will need to drink 68 glasses of soft water to get as much sodium as you would find in a single slice of white bread. This is a small amount of salt and most people will not notice any difference. This can be a problem if you or someone else living in your home is eating a low sodium or low salt diet for health reasons. In this case, it is advisable to consult a doctor before installing a water softener in your home.
Does your body need magnesium and calcium?
Absolutely! Calcium and magnesium are essential for good health. Inadequate intake of either nutrient can be harmful to your health.
However, food is the main source of magnesium and calcium. Dairy products are the richest source of calcium and make up more than 50 percent of total calcium in many diets. Food sources for magnesium are dairy products, nuts, fruits, vegetables and grains.
Most studies show that the calcium and magnesium contained in hard water are indigestible inorganic forms. Therefore, removing calcium and magnesium from water to soften them does not reduce the absorption of these nutrients.
If you want to add calcium and magnesium to your diet, drinking "hard water" (or water that has not been treated with a water softener) is not the solution. Instead, talk to your doctor about possible dietary changes and dietary supplements.
Netsol Water is Greater Noida-based leading water & wastewater treatment plant manufacturer. We are industry's most demanding company based on client review and work quality. We are known as best commercial RO plant manufacturers, industrial RO plant manufacturer, sewage treatment plant manufacturer, Water Softener Plant Manufacturers and effluent treatment plant manufacturers. Apart from this 24x7 customer support is our USP. Call on +91-9650608473, or write us at enquiry@netsolwater.com for any support, inquiry or product-purchase related query.
