And which one is better for you?
It depends on what you like!
Both spring and mineral water are harvested from our Earth's natural water table or "hydrosphere". Both mineral and spring water are naturally occurring, wild waters.
In his ground breaking (and ignored by the mainstream) water crystal study, many of these natural spring or mineral waters from famous spring or spa locations around the world were examined by Dr. Masaru Emoto in the late 1990's. The water crystals observed from samples taken these wild and pristine sites revealed beautiful and symmetrical crystals.
The water crystal below is the structure formed from a water sample taken from the famous Lourdes Spring in France.
The primary difference between mineral and spring water is that mineral water will tend to have a higher mineral content or level of TDS (total dissolved solids). The argument as to whether one is better for you than the other is..., well, an argument!
Like asking a crowd of people what color to paint a room, everyone has their own opinion. Some people consider the high mineral content of mineral water to be beneficial and healthy while others believe that the excess of minerals is "too much of a good thing" or "to crowd the palate".
Mineral water will tend to have more a distinctive taste, depending on the types of minerals present in the region. While spring water will have a more neutral flavor.
Spring Water is normally bottled directly at its source and is free of contaminants or the negative influences of "modern" pipes or filtration devices.
Spring water is not filtered, the mineral content is left in its naturally occurring state.
Spring water is water which has moved to the surface of the earth from some type of underground source and therefore considered free of contaminants and untouched by modern treatment methods. A real "wild water."
Spring water is commonly used today as a "go to" water by many people for all their beverage uses, such as making coffee or tea. Many people enjoy its fresh taste and find it superior to their municipal water, and do not mind buying their water.
Mineral water is water which has either naturally or artificially added minerals. A mineral
spring is spring water (emerging from an underground source) which has a high enough mineral content to classify it as a "mineral water." Natural waters having over a 250 PPM (parts per million) of a mineral substance are considered mineral waters. Mineral water is also frequently carbonated. Sometimes the carbonation is naturally occurring such as in Perrier (France) and Gerolsteiner, (Germany) and in other cases the mineral water is carbonated after collection. Many companies such as Mountain Valley Spring water (from Arkansas) offer still and sparkling versions of their water.
While most water that is available through our municipal supplies needs to be processed to reduce its contamination and sometimes its mineral content, wild mineral water is normally obtained from a water source rich in minerals considered to be beneficial to health. Natural mineral water sits in contact with its rocks and the minerals are slowly imbued to the water over time.
Mineral waters are as unique as their locations and generally contain more than one trace mineral considered to desirable to ingest. Mineral composition often includes iron, magnesium, calcium, or zinc, as well as bicarbonate and sulfur. In the USA, water companies are not allowed to promote the health benefits associated with consuming mineral water.
Perrier, for example, contains calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, chloride, sulphate, fluoride and nitrate.
Bathing in mineral or natural spring water is a time honored tradition, long associated with
well being, regeneration and renewal. One can fine natural hot springs, mineral springs and spas all over the world. Many of these locations have been operating as spas since ancient times. Among them, Abano Terme, in Italy is a natural hot springs still popular today and also used by the ancient Romans.
At right, water crystal from spring water in Saijo, Hiroshima prefecture.
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