I am led to understand that the minerals in water are inorganic and therefore the body cannot assimilate them into our cells. What is the truth?
Calcium, Iron, Potasium, etc. are all inorganic and I’m pretty sure my body not only assimilates them, but actually needs them the keep living.
not to mention sodium…
If we couldn’t absorb inorganic minerals from water, then we never would have stopped using lead pipes.
Gypsy: Tom, I don’t get you.
Tom Servo: Nobody does. I’m the wind, baby.
We get these from our food. Calcium in water is rock and not an organic mineral as the calcium from milk etc.
John, the inorganic minerlas in water exist as ions, not as “rocks”. Our body can absorb these ions.
Gypsy: Tom, I don’t get you.
Tom Servo: Nobody does. I’m the wind, baby.
Jan2000,
Even if we did swallow a small rock of, say, calcium carbonate (a common mineral you see in drinking water), the acid in your stomach would readily disolve it. Also, as pointed out by Alphagene, the minerals in water do mostly exist as ions that the body can absorb. When the water becomes saturated with the ions, that’s when you start seeing the solid mineral in your water. So, if you can see the solid mineral, you can be sure that the ions of that mineral are also present.
It’s the same way with Tums™. They advertise that stuff all the time as a source of dietary calcium. Look at the side of a container of Tums™. The active ingredient is “calcium carbonate”. Not the best source of calcium in the world, but some of it does get absorbed by your body.
Hell…. For that matter, go to the store and find some calcium supplements. Most of the cheaper bottles will be calcium carbonate tablets.