Sodium is a naturally occurring mineral that shows up in everything, from the ground we walk on to the water we drink. Sodium is added to many things for health benefits and even to help soften or remove debris from liquids or foods, such as water.
If you’re struggling with water softening and want to get all that extra sodium out of your system, don’t worry: a water filter can help you get the job done right away. In addition to removing excess sodium, a water filter will also get rid of any other impurities and thereby give you clean and safe drinking water.
Though sodium makes up salt, it is important not to confuse the two: salt and sodium have very different functions and tastes.
How does water get contaminated with sodium?
Sodium is naturally occurring, meaning it is made by the world around us and can show up in the places we least expect it to see.
Sodium is a mineral that can be produced in soil or dirt. When groundwater runs through dirt, it can contaminate it and cause sodium to show up inside the water source. Other times, people with water-softening systems will intentionally add sodium ions into their water. Water softeners replace calcium or iron deposits in water with sodium ions in order to remove the water minerals and replace them with something softer and easier to drink.
This process adds a bit of sodium into your water as well.
Is water softened with salt safe to drink?
Water that has been softened with sodium or salt is largely safe to drink. The minuscule amount of sodium ions contained in softened water is not nearly enough to affect taste (i.e., to make your water taste salty) or to affect the quality of the water in any way.
However, some people might be trying to limit their sodium intake, in which case salt-softened water might not be the best option simply due to the additional sodium ions. In those instances, it is best to add a water filter to your softening system.
Begin by removing the hard water ions from your water and then run it through an additional filter. This will remove any and all excess chemicals and leave behind only refreshing and delicious water for you to enjoy.
Is it better to drink hard or soft water?
Hard and soft water have a few differences, largely related to taste and overall health benefits.
Many people don’t like the taste of hard water due to the additional chemical deposits that contaminate the water, such as calcium, iron, or even lead. By softening your water through the use of sodium ions, you remove those dangerous, unhealthy, and foul-tasting ions completely.
Soft water is generally best for you as long as you use a water filter to remove excess sodium and make sure that your water is healthy, pure, and fresh-tasting with every sip!
Which is the best water filter to remove sodium from water
A reverse osmosis system is perfect for filtering out sodium and any other contaminants in water (Here is a link to a good one on Amazon. It is designed and engineered in America so you can be sure they adhere to all safety protocols).
In a reverse osmosis system, water is forced through a membrane that filters out all impurities, leaving you purified water. An RO system can eliminate 99.9% of all contaminants from your water.
You can use a 3-stage or even a 7-stage reverse osmosis system for best results. In a previous article, we revealed how Starbucks uses a 3-stage RO to filter their water, which is primarily why their water tastes so great.
Final thoughts
A water filter can help you deal with the sodium contamination issue in your water. Though salt-softened water on its own is absolutely safe to drink, you can take your health and happiness to the next level by relying on a water filter to add an extra level of water security to your home.
With a water filter, you are not just getting safe water but also great-tasting water as well.