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Mineral Water’s subtle taste and terroir are determined by the minerals it contains. The amount of minerals dissolved in water is indicated as total dissolved solids, measured in milligrams per liter (mg/l) or parts per million (ppm), which are equal. A water’s TDS is normally made magupmainly of carbonates, bicarbonates, chlorides, sulfates, phosphates, nitrates, calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, iron, manganese, and a few other minerals. Gases, colloids, or sediment is not included in the TDS measurement.
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MINERALITY
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Total Dissolved Solids (TDS)
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SUPER LOW
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0 - 50 mg/l
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LOW
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50 - 250 mg/l
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MEDIUM
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250 - 800 mg/l
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HIGH
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800 - 1,500 mg/l
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VERY HIGH
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> 1,500 mg/l
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After mouthfeel, TDS is the second most important factor in matching water with food. The higher the mineral content, the more distinct a water’s taste can be. Think of low TDS waters as comparable to white wines, with a clean, neutral taste and less weight; high TDS waters are more like red wines, with a heavier, more substantial feel. Very high TDS waters feel distinctly heavy and may have an aftertaste, much like a big, bold red wine. Most mineral water you drink, though, probably has a medium TDS measurement and is more like a heavy white or a light red wine.
Regulations regarding TDS vary throughout the world. In the United States, bottled water must contain at least 250 mg/l TDS to be labeled as mineral water. TDS above 500 mg/l qualifies a water as “low mineral content”; more than 1,500 mg/l allows a “high mineral content” label.
Distilled water has a TDS of 0 mg/l; seawater has about 34,000 mg/l. Most bottled waters fall within a TDS range of 50 to 800 mg/l (Ducale, 55 mg/l; Panna, 188 mg/l; Fiji, 210 mg/l; Evian, 357 mg/l; Perrier, 475 mg/l), but many highly regarded waters have a much higher TDS (San Pellegrino, 1,109 mg/l; Badoit, 1,200 mg/l; Contrex, 2,032 mg/l; Gerolsteiner, 2,527 mg/l). Some of these waters are thought to be curatives—their mineral compositions are believed to have healing properties (Famous Crazy, 2,783 mg/l; Vichy Célestins, 3,378 mg/l). But some curative waters have a low TDS: Fiuggi, for example, has a TDS of only 122 mg/l. |
