Water is not just what comes out of your faucet. It’s big business as well as quality that affects your health and longevity, and that’s why it’s important to distinguish the best bottled water from the worst.According to market researchers, bottled water sales grow every year.
We’ve compiled a list of the top brands and their products with brief descriptions to help you make an informed decision about which water you will drink. There’s always a choice, so choose what you like and what’s right for you, this is just a recommendation and help in choosing.
A little bit of history
The bottled water business was doing fine in the 19th century, but in the early 1900s it was almost killed by the widespread chlorination of tap water. Predictably, only sellers of water from mineral springs managed to retain their positions. And the world owes it to one of these companies – the French Perrier – that the modern consumer is used to buying the product, which is poured from the kitchen tap. Perrier managed to make bottled water a fashionable product, and the company was founded in 1898.
A little bit of statistics
Bottled water is now in vogue and its sales in the United States have increased from about $50 million in 1960 to about $5 billion in 2000.All bottled water, non-carbonated or carbonated, can be categorized as both recycled municipal water and natural bottled water. Most bottled water sold in Europe is natural water and is most often consumed at home and in restaurants. Most Europeans prefer to drink water while sitting at a table rather than on the go. According to a 2005 study, Italians drink more bottled water than any other nation – 189 liters per capita per year – but only six percent of it is consumed not at the table.
Types of bottled water
A few decades ago, there were only a few types of bottled water. Today, however, consumers can find more than 3,000 brands on the market.
Mineral
In addition, bottled drinking water can be classified according to the type of source. First of all it is worth mentioning water which has health-improving properties. It is a mineral water. It is drawn from natural springs, and as a rule retains its natural composition. It is also worth mentioning that such product is subdivided into medicinal, table and therapeutic-drinking water.
Artificially mineralized
The bottled product can also be artificially enriched with minerals or other compounds. Such a variant refers to artificially mineralized products.
Purified
Well, for everyday use there is purified water. It is produced from artesian or surface sources. This version does not contain a large amount of salts and minerals. Before being bottled, this liquid undergoes many stages of purification and filtration.
Top Water Brands
The Danone Group of France and Nestle of Switzerland are the two major players in today’s global water market. Danone’s main brands are Evian and Volvic; Nestle sells other well-known names such as Perrier, San Pellegrino, Vittel, Contrex, Panna, Deer Park and Poland Spring. Also, half of the volume in the U.S. market is Coca Cola’s Dasani brand and PepsiCo’s Aquafina Water brand, which are treated water from municipal sources.
As the trend toward natural bottled water grows, consumers have become more educated and are demanding a greater variety of choices than just carbonated and non-carbonated water.
VOSS
Voss is Norwegian artesian artesian water, filtered for centuries through layers of rock and sand, nowadays the water is also saturated with carbon dioxide, except for the standard non-carbonated version.
VOSS is a popular water choice for upscale restaurants and bars as well as other premium customers. Voss water owes its popularity in high circles not only to its excellent natural taste, but also to its primary placement in first-class hotels and resorts in Europe and the United States.
VOSS water comes from an artesian spring in southern Norway. It is extracted from an underground aquifer that produces naturally pure water that can hydrate your body in a fresh and easy way.
The brand adheres to eco-friendly methods. It operates with 100% carbon neutrality. The company even sponsors its own Voss Foundation, which provides access to clean drinking water in sub-Saharan Africa.
FIJI
FIJI water is a multiple champion of all kinds of international bottled water ratings. This artesian water was first bottled in 1996 from a spring in the Yaqara Valley on one of Fiji’s two main islands, Viti Levu. The water is famous for its mild taste due to its high content of silica, calcium and magnesium
Today, FIJI is the most imported bottled water in the United States. The artesian origin of the water gives it its unique mineral composition, including a high concentration of silicon. FIJI water is famous for its signature square bottle and mild taste. Under the manufacturer’s strict rules, no human hands touch the water. It is perfectly protected from the outside air and any elements until the consumer opens it.
Evian
Evian is extracted in France near the mountain range of Chablais. The total mineralization level is 0.3-075 g/l. It has a refreshing and pleasant brackish taste and is considered a rich source of calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium and silicon dioxide. Evian can be used daily to quench thirst and replenish micro- and macronutrients lost during exercise or due to heat.
Evian customers give it top marks for its taste and ability to quench thirst, and the only complaint about the brand is its high priceThe familiar name has become synonymous with eternal youth all over the world thanks to the efforts of marketers.
Volvic
Though Volvic water is bottled only at the unique source in France, but it is available in more than 60 countries around the world. With its name the brand refers the customers to the very type of volcanic rock through which the water comes to the surface. This spring was discovered in 1927 and in 1965 it was approved for bottling by the local Ministry of Health. Since then, much has changed, but the temperature of the extracted water is still the same 8.8°C.
Volvic is produced in France and is extracted in the Auvergne Volcano Park. The level of mineralization is not high – 0.13-0.15 g/l, due to which “Volvic” can be comparable to ordinary water. It quenches thirst well and replenishes the loss of minerals such as magnesium, potassium and sodium.
The taste has a hint of silicon, which gives it a specific bitterness, for which some customers praise it, while others scold it.
Acqua Panna
It is an Italian brand of natural artesian still water. In terms of taste Acqua apaña is considered almost the best bottled water in the world. It has a mild and light taste that will quench your thirst and maintain your water balance with water obtained directly from a natural source.
It all began back in 1564 at the Villa Panna, the summer residence of the Medici family, which gave way to the Italian Renaissance. The Medici discovered the Acqua Panna water source and gradually moved its extraction closer to Florence, the capital of the Tuscany region.
The natural filtration process also gives Acqua Panna water a unique and mild taste. It has a pH level of 7.9, natural minerals and electrolytes and comes from an incredibly pure source.
WildAlp
Wildalp is a pure and natural spring water whose premium quality is based on the purity of the spring that flows from the heart of the Styrian Alps, which has been regularly monitored since 1935 and is a valuable product.
It acquires its outstanding qualities during a whole year of filtration through the Alpine rocks of the Austrian Hochschwab National Nature Reserve. The WILDALP flows from 2,277 meters above sea level and, during the course of the year, it passes through a water protection zone that the state has protected since the time of Emperor Franz Joseph.
To preserve the purity of the spring water, the water is bottled directly at the source, allowing it to preserve its origin, its natural energy and its special character, which it has developed during its long journey.
FJORD
FJORD is one of the purest waters on the planet. One of the few that can be classified as “natural mineral water”.
FJORD water is extracted from a spring. The water temperature at the spring is 8oC all year round. FJORD water source is located in Fyresdal (Telemark), Norway. Fyresdal is one of the most ecologically clean places in Norway with untouched nature and very low population density (about 1000 people).
The beautiful county of Telemark is “Norway in miniature”: fjords, mountains, forests, inland waters, rivers and wildlife. This beautiful, unspoiled nature is one of the most popular vacation spots in Norway.
The unique combination of minerals produces soft, gentle water with exceptionally low total dissolved solids (TDS) levels.
Mountain Valley
Since 1871, Mountain Valley water has been valued by U.S. presidents, world-class athletes, and even Hollywood stars for its refreshing taste and health benefits. This water has a unique mineral composition and neutral pH, which are believed to have therapeutic properties that help alleviate chronic illnesses. Elvis Presley, John Lennon and Joe Lewis firmly believed in the restorative power of this water.
The water is bottled right at the source in the mountains of Arkansas. It has a unique mineral composition. Thirteen U.S. presidents regularly asked to serve this water to their guests, and today Mountain Valley bottled water is served in the U.S. Senate.
Gerolsteiner
Introduced in 1888, Gerolsteiner mineral water is the most exported water in Germany. The production of Gerolsteiner follows strict purity requirements. The water originates from springs in the Eifel volcanic area. The source water originates at a depth of 60 meters in volcanic soils, which impart minerals and ample amounts of carbonic acid to the drink, which contains large amounts of calcium, carbonic salt and magnesium.
Icelandic Glacial
Icelandic Glacial is water obtained from the legendary Icelandic spring Elfus, one of the purest ecosystems in the world, this water is low in minerals and has a natural alkaline pH factor of 8.4. It contains no harmful minerals, silicon or heavy metals, or bacteria.
Not only is the water all-natural, Icelandic Glacial was officially the first bottled water company to receive carbon neutral certification in all aspects of production, from the product itself to the entire company. If you’re looking for an eco-friendly choice, this water is definitely worth considering.
The packaging is as eco-friendly as possible. Customers have the choice to buy BPA-free bottles or glass options. It is available in a wide range of different sizes to suit your needs.
Carbonated bottled water
We can’t ignore this category, the thing natural carbonated water is no less healthy and popular all over the world. Below we take a look at a few of the most prominent brands in this segment.
Vichy Catalan
This water comes from the Vichy Catalan thermal spring in the Caldes de Malavella area (Girona, Spain), well known since Roman times as a place with thermal springs. The water comes out from a depth of 2000 meters at a constant temperature of 59 ° C and pours immediately after the rise to the surface.
One of the most delicious and balanced waters with natural gas. Vichy Catalan is a legendary brand among Spanish mineral waters. Its genuine taste and undeniable mineral and medicinal properties have earned it an excellent reputation among consumers and gastronomic professionals.
Hildon Natural Mineral Water
Hildon is one of the most prestigious brands of mineral water in Britain, served in the House of Commons, the Royal Opera House and even rumored at Buckingham Palace, among others. The natural filter for this water is the chalky hills of Hampshire, which saturate it with calcium, and it is bottled almost right at the source, anyway, there is no chemical treatment at all. By the way, Hidon was the first company in the world to offer natural mineral water with a carbon dioxide saturation level below 2.9, which makes it ideal for blending with delicate wines, to which excessive carbonation can only be detrimental.
Ferrarelle Naturally Sparkling Mineral Water
The Italian número uno brand, Ferrarelle, was founded in 1893, even though Italians themselves have been going to the spring for hundreds of years. It is located in the protected Sorgeto di Riardo Park, near the extinct volcano Roccamonfina in Campania region. It is valuable because it has no unpleasant salinity and has a very high calcium, potassium, magnesium and fluoride content. Ferrarelle bottling plants are powered by solar energy. Carbonated and non-carbonated water is bottled in glass containers. This protects its taste and purity and reduces its negative impact on the environment.
FAQ
What are the benefits of water for the body?
Not everyone appreciates the benefits of water for the body. If you don’t drink water for a long time, you may experience hallucinations or even death. That is why you should not forget about satisfying the need for fluids. With its help the person normalizes the work of the whole body, improves not only the function of the digestive system and cardiovascular system, the water also has a beneficial effect on vision, hearing and emotional state.
Drinking the necessary amount of water a day, you will support the normal functioning of your body. For example, an adult needs to consume at least 2-2,5 liters of water per day. With such a simple and inexpensive product, you can get a lot of positive moments.
What can water be made up of?
The liquid we drink and call “plain water” is not only H2O. Drinking water dissolves organic and inorganic substances, salts and ions – calcium, magnesium, potassium, sulfates, chlorides, hydrogen carbonates, etc. The amount of these substances is determined by such an indicator as mineralization. It is measured in grams per liter.
It is measured in grams per liter. At mineralization level of 0.2 – 0.5 grams per liter water is considered fresh, at 1g/l – 3g/l it is considered saline.
The most fresh, i.e. pure from impurities is melted glacier water. Artesian water is the most mineralized, not counting the therapeutic mineral waters.
How to choose the right water?
Bottled water can be obtained from natural sources or taken from the tap. But in either case, the product must undergo special purification, which will remove harmful compounds, as well as chlorine, as far as the second option is concerned. In this case you should always look at the label, which will indicate the source of the product. The product taken from the tap will be cheaper.
If we are talking about natural mineral water and artificially mineralized product, then in the second case you should carefully study the label, paying attention to the number of microelements. Such products are not recommended for daily consumption, because they can be a source of accumulation of salts in the body.
As many have long known, not every plastic is favorable to the long-term storage of foods that are consumed in food. Therefore, before buying it is better to read the labeling of the plastic and check it on the bottom of the bottle.
In addition, we should not forget that water, as well as other products, can go bad and be unfit for consumption. So it is better to choose the products that are stored in a dark and cool place, these qualities can extend the shelf life. Also, do not forget that the larger the volume of packaging, the faster the expiration date.