The controversy between steam distilled drinking water and spring or "fresh" water is nearly legend in natural health circles. Until now, the problem of choosing between the two for drinking and cooking purposes has usually been a matter of who to believe and personal preference.

However, all of that has been quickly changing with information now becoming available on these critical issues. Some of the key questions which have surrounded this controversy include:

Studies over the past several years have indicated a partial correlation between water hardness and heart disease. What appears to be at fault with these studies has been the lack of information on the presence of chlorine in these two water types. Chlorine is normally found in softer water sources and has been directly implicated in heart disease by any number of authoritative sources.

Other variables unaccounted for include demographic and socioeconomic variables such as lifestyle, race, age, etc. In addition, pre-existing medical and genetic conditions including high blood pressure, alcoholism, smoking habits, obesity, stress and the use of oral contraceptives, all of which are thought to be underlying causes of heart disease, were not considered in the studies.

Furthermore, the studies used data from the water treatment plants, not the consumers tap. Softer water is known to leach heavy metals such as lead, cadmium and others which are found in the home plumbing and have been directly associated with high blood pressure, heart disease and mortality.

As reported in Water Technology magazine, the conclusions thus far cannot be used to implicate distilled water, which has little or no mineral content, in heart disease studies---nor can the use of mineralized water be identified as reducing such possible problems.

The World Health Organization (WHO) concluded likewise but has gone one step further and cautioned against the addition of minerals to water products without adequate epidemiological studies as well as evaluations of safety and effectiveness. The WHO says that in the future, the use of water to convey beneficial effects (minerals, etc.) should proceed cautiously.

Tap water and even spring water contains only a very small percentage of an individual's total daily intake of minerals. A 1990 study by Nutrition Almanac concluded that water accounted for less than five percent of daily mineral intake. Only calcium and magnesium occur in spring water in appreciable amounts to contribute in any manner to body mineral requirements. Most other trace minerals needed by the body are completely lacking and must be obtained through more reliable and less expensive sources, namely fruits and vegetables.

With fewer and fewer sources of uncontaminated spring water available, more and more individuals are switching to more reliable and cleaner water sources, namely distilled water. At vending machines and water stores, individuals are preferring de mineralized or purified water for drinking, understanding that simple filtration does not remove metals, sodium, bacteria and other unwanted materials from the source water.

During the 1970's, studies in the USSR suggested that spring water was instrumental in regulating the rate of biological functions in the body. It was suggested that "fresh" or spring water's ice-like structure promoted biological actions.

However, the idea that fresh water entering the body is in a more usable form than de-mineralized water is not proven by the body's absorption process, which determine structure of molecules entering the blood stream and cells. The kidneys control and convert these to usable forms.