(Newswire.net — October 24, 2018) — A popular myth is that once you use sodium bicarbonate to soften hard water, it begins to taste salty due to the increased levels of sodium. This is wholly untrue, and here’s why.
Is Drinking Softened Water Bad For You?
Softening hard water is usually achieved using sodium bicarbonate which, unlike sodium chloride or table salt if you like, is not salty. That being said, softening water that has a hardness exceeding ten grains per gallon results in the addition of around twenty to thirty milligrams of sodium to every eight ounces of water.
To put this into more perspective, eight ounces of orange juice has around 25 grams of sodium. A can of diet soda (the 12-ounce can, not the super-sized one) contains about 40mg of sodium, and your favorite brand of low-fat milk has around 120mg of sodium in every eight ounces. All of these beverages contain higher levels of sodium than softened water, and not a single one of them is considered a major source of it.
Our bodies obtain the largest percentages of sodium primarily from the food we eat, specifically processed foods, and from good old table salt. Your body needs around 2,400mg of sodium per day, which is the recommended daily amount. So, if eight ounces of softened water contain between twenty and thirty milligrams, drinking as much as two quarts of soft water a day will only add between 160 mg and 240 mg to your diet.
This is not a very significant increase of sodium in your diet, and so there is no chance that it can be harmful to your health. If you feel like you are already taking in too much sodium, it is recommended that you consult your physician about reducing your sodium consumption possibly through a complete diet change. It is only in rare non-sodium-related cases that a physician would advise you to stop drinking softened water.
A bigger concern than the extra sodium that is added when you soften hard water are the organic contaminants that are not removed during the process. Softening hard water merely reduces its mineral content — in no way does it affect the composition of the water, so harmful organic contaminants remain even after you soften hard water. To counter this, most soft water consumers do not just soften their water, but they also make use of a drinking water system, which works by eliminating both organic and inorganic contaminants as well.
So, is drinking softened water bad for you? Many homes combine the benefits of water softeners with drinking water systems so that while the former converts hard water into soft water, the latter takes care of any remaining contaminants. For most, this is the best way to turn naturally hard water into water that’s not only softened but treated and clear of all harmful impurities that may be present.