How To Remineralize RO Water & Why It’s Important

Most people start with being thirsty, grabbing the nearest glass, and guzzling down copious amounts of water without the slightest thought on what they’re drinking. However, according to recent studies, one in five water sources in the United States is dangerous for the population consuming it.

You’re smarter than that.

You have thought all of this out and decided to start filtering your water through the process of reverse osmosis. It’s okay to feel proud of yourself. After all, you are the gladiator that had conquered the threat of polluted water for your family, but maybe you conquered a little too much.

Natural water is supposed to have some things in it.

Those minerals are, but are not limited to calcium, potassium, chloride, sodium, magnesium, phosphorus, and a host of other minerals depending on the water’s location. Shout out to all my nerdy readers. I hope you enjoyed this mineral list as much as me.

Your RO water (Reverse Osmosis) does not contain any of these minerals anymore. It’s a mineral massacre of epic proportions that you took part in. Feeling guilty yet? RO filters the water too good depriving your entire family of having the bountiful H2O mother nature intended. Let’s look at some of the benefits of remineralizing your reverse osmosis water.

The Benefits Of Remineralizing Your Water

The health perks of remineralizing your water are in the substance of the minerals themselves. Let’s take a look at what minerals can be re-integrated into your water and the rewards that each mineral will have on your family’s lives.

Calcium: This mineral is responsible for continued bone density in both women and men. Your body is 2% calcium based. According to the World Health Organization, you should ingest 20 mg of calcium a day. That’s easily attainable when you add calcium to your water.

Magnesium: A pinch of magnesium per day can keep deadly diseases like diabetes away. When you add magnesium to your water your body benefits by repairing muscle tissue faster. Magnesium is partially responsible for feeling rested the next morning. It helps restore your bodily systems.

Phosphorus: This is a type of acid compound that your body uses to balance its pH levels. It works in tandem with calcium to help strengthen your bones and teeth. Forget fluoride; phosphorus is a dental dream come true. Well, except for your dentist.

Potassium: Potassium is a mineral that is considered an electrolyte. It works with sodium to balance your blood pressure and is a critical ingredient for maintaining proper body fluids. Potassium also helps the body perform nerve and muscle functions.

Because the average reverse osmosis system does not implement remineralization, you can drink liberal amounts of water and still be dehydrated. As stated above the combination of potassium and sodium helps fuel electrolytes in your body.

Nerdy Fact: According to the WHO (World Health Organization) up to 20% of our daily intake of calcium and magnesium can be sourced from the water we drink.

People, and especially children can suffer from heat exhaustion or stroke, and most people think it’s due to a lack of water, but in reality, it’s a result of a lack of minerals in the water.

Here are Several Ways You Can Remineralize Your RO Treated Water.

If you’re reading this, you probably have a reverse osmosis water filtration system installed in your home or office. A lot of people do not remineralize their water because they’re afraid of additional hardware and cost associated with upgrading their systems.

Yes, you can hard install equipment, and we will cover that option.

First, we will start with less invasive remineralization techniques. Remember, this process is not about cleaning the water but adding back all of the good stuff you scrubbed away.

The Trace Mineral Drops Technique.

This is one of the most simplistic ways to add minerals back into your water. All you have to do is go to the grocery store and buy electrolyte blends in the bottle. Don’t want to drive, then order online. Sometimes it’s called trace mineral drops. It’s mostly a liquid combination of necessary minerals like magnesium, calcium, and iron.

It’s cheap. Like really cheap.

The average bottle of trace mineral drops is only $15 at our local store. When we say cheap, we mean it! There are a couple of downsides to this method. Usually, it is not as efficient at mixing the minerals in the water, so they end up concentrated in your glass.

Let’s be honest; it is also a pain to try and manually add minerals to your drinking water every time you make a batch from your tap. It pretty much defeats the reverse osmosis streamlined process for most homeowners. All right, let’s explore our next option.

Install A Remineralization Stage For Your Reverse Osmosis Water System

Some new reverse osmosis systems come with a remineralization stage built in. If yours has one, then that’s great, but for the rest of us, we need to add that stage manually. It’s not that hard and requires very little plumbing knowledge. Not sure which system you need? We have reviewed plenty here.

Essentially you turn off the main water line, cut the pipe after your RO system, and hard plumb the re-mineralization stage system. Sure, it’s a little less friendly than mineral drops, but you can go six months without needing to change the cartridge that adds critical minerals to your water.

We recommend this system which is perfect

The main trick to picking the right system is checking for the best inflow and outflow valves. You do not want to lose water pressure due to the re-mineralization process. Another tip is always to make sure that the cartridges used by your system contain all the minerals you want to find in your water.

Now It’s Your Turn Water Lovers!

By now you should have a good start at understanding what minerals are essential to have in your water. You also learned how to remineralize RO water. Grab a cold glass of ice water and comment below with a question or suggestion related to the water we drink.

So when asked “How to remineralize RO water?“   You can say you understand why.