LEARN
What is actually in your water?
Mineral water is not just water. Every bottle carries a specific mineral profile - sodium, calcium, magnesium, bicarbonate, fixed residue - largely shaped by the geology of its source. Two waters sitting side by side on the same shelf can differ in mineral content by a factor of 100.
These guides explain what those numbers mean, why they vary, how they affect taste, and how to use them to choose the water that fits you.
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Learn in a Nutshell
Everything you need to know about mineral water in just a few minutes.
Learn the essentialsStart here
New here? Start with the basics.
Not all water is the same - and understanding the difference between mineral, spring, tap, and purified water is the first step.
Types of drinking water explained →What water should I drink? How to choose the right one
From tap water to mineral water: discover what really matters and how to find the water that suits your preferences and habits.
Read: What water should I drink?Understanding mineral water
How to Read a Water Label
What mg/L means, which 6 numbers matter, and how to read any mineral water label in 2 minutes.
Read article →Why Mineral Waters Differ
Why two waters from the same region can taste completely different. It is all geology.
Read article →What Fixed Residue Means
The single most useful number on the label - what it measures and why it tells you more than any other value.
Read article →The minerals on your label
Sodium in Mineral Water
Ranges from near zero to over 1,000 mg/L. What it does, what it tastes like, and when it matters.
Read article →Calcium in Mineral Water
One of the most variable minerals in water - and one of the most nutritionally significant. What to look for.
Read article →Magnesium in Mineral Water
Highly variable, often underestimated. What it does in the body and which waters actually contain meaningful amounts.
Read article →Bicarbonate in Mineral Water
The mineral that makes water taste smooth and rounded. What it is, where it comes from, and how much varies.
Read article →Other Minerals in Water
Potassium, sulfate, fluoride, silica - what else is in your water and why it usually matters less.
Read article →Water & wellbeing
Mineral water and blood pressure
How sodium in water affects blood pressure - and what to look for on the label.
Read article →Mineral water and bone health
What calcium and magnesium in water actually do for your bones - and which waters have the most.
Read article →Mineral water during pregnancy
What to look for on the label and what to avoid during pregnancy.
Read article →Taste & experience
How Mineral Content Affects the Taste of Water
Why some waters taste light and clean while others feel heavy and mineral. A practical guide to predicting taste from the label.
Read article →Still vs Sparkling Mineral Water
Same minerals, different experience. What carbonation actually changes - and what it does not.
Read article →How much water should you drink per day?
The "8 glasses a day" rule is a myth. Your real needs depend on lifestyle, climate and diet.
Read article →Regulation & safety
Mineral Water Regulation in the European Union
How natural mineral water is defined, tested, and regulated across the EU - and what that guarantee means for you.
Read article →Nitrates in Drinking Water
What nitrates are, why they are monitored, what the EU limit is, and when to pay attention.
Read article →Brand comparisons
Side-by-side breakdowns of the most popular mineral water brands.
International
San Pellegrino vs Perrier: mineral content comparison
How the two best-known sparkling waters in the world compare on minerals and sodium.
Read article →International
Evian vs Fiji: mineral water comparison
French Alps versus Fijian volcanic source - two distinctive still waters side by side.
Read article →Italy
Levissima vs San Benedetto: mineral water comparison
Italy's two leading low-mineralization still waters compared by sodium, calcium and magnesium.
Read article →Italy
Ferrarelle vs San Pellegrino: mineral water comparison
Two iconic Italian sparkling waters with very different bicarbonate and magnesium profiles.
Read article →Romania
Aqua Carpatica vs Borsec: mineral water comparison
Romania's flagship Carpathian still waters: ultra-low sodium against richer magnesium.
Read article →Germany
Black Forest vs Ensinger: mineral water comparison
A very light Black Forest still water against a more mineral-rich Swabian source - same category, different label.
Read article →Germany
Gerolsteiner vs Apollinaris: mineral water comparison
Two of Germany's most famous mineral waters compared: calcium-rich Gerolsteiner against high-bicarbonate, high-sodium Apollinaris.
Read article →Germany
Vilsa vs Rosbacher: mineral water comparison
A light North-German still water against a much more mineralized Hessian source rich in calcium and magnesium.
Read article →How h2oMatch tools work
How each tool works — and what it uses to get there.
How Compare Waters Works
Place up to 3 waters side by side and instantly see how their mineral profiles differ.
How it worksHow the Water Calculator Works
How your mineral preferences are used to surface the waters that fit you best.
How it worksHow the h2oMatch Score Works
How your profile is translated into a personal compatibility score for every water in the database.
How it worksNow put it to use.
You understand what is in your water. Use the tools to find the one that actually fits you.