#FINEWATERSFlavor of Water
Because water is a universal solvent, rainwater collects particles and chemicals even as it's falling. Geological strata only add more to the composition the minerals and trace elements of the local area give each water its distinct terroir. Underground geology may filter water for decades or even millennia; when the water finally emerges at the source it has terroir.
Washington Post declares that unknown to many shoppers urged to buy foods that are “low sodium” and “low salt,” this longstanding warning has come under assault by scientists who say that typical American salt consumption is without risk.
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.
With the growing popularity of bottled water and Mineral Water, the FineWaters Balance provides a scale to define the differences between various bottled waters based on carbonation levels.
Virginality indicates how protected a water is from its surroundings. It is determined by the water’s level of nitrate, an inorganic compound made up of one nitrogen atom and three oxygen atoms.
The pH (for "potential hydrogen") measures a substance’s level of acidity or alkalinity. On this scale, 1.0 to 6.9 is acidic, 7.0 is neutral, and 7.1 to 14.0 is alkaline (also referred to as basic).
Wine needs time to smooth out its tannin structure, but the quality of mineral water is not determined by its age. Vintage does influence water, however.
Calcium and magnesium levels combine to determine the mineral water’s “hardness”. Bottled water is naturally soft, thanks to low levels of calcium and magnesium. Higher levels are often found in municipal water, which is often “softened”—particularly in the United States—to be used at home. The taste of water is impacted heavily by softening.
- In The News
- History of Bottled Water
