What Minerals to Add to Reverse Osmosis Water? Learn Here!
Written by: Gene Fitzgerald // Last Updated: Jun 23, 2023
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So you want to remineralize your RO water. Great! Even if it isn’t necessary at all times, it really can’t hurt, and who doesn’t love some extra minerals here and there?
But which ones are the most important to re-add back into your reverse osmosis water? So many minerals are considered essential; are you supposed to add them all in?
The answer is no. Although many minerals are found in water, only a few are considered important as they are found in water in quantities significant enough to warrant them being a potentially substantial dietary source. Let’s find out what those are!
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Key Takeaways
- Calcium, magnesium, fluoride, sodium, copper, selenium, and potassium are the minerals considered the most important to human health found in water sources.
- When adding minerals back into reverse osmosis water, the main ones to focus on are calcium, magnesium, sodium, and potassium.
What Minerals to Add to Reverse Osmosis Water?
Side note: Water may be a source of trace minerals that could benefit health. Each water source will vary in the composition of minerals and their amounts. For example, if you have copper piping, your water will contain trace elements of copper that will may be present in water that only moves through PVC piping. Some water contains more calcium and magnesium than other sources, and some contain more iron and sodium. The best way to understand your feed water composition is to have it tested!
So, what minerals to add to reverse osmosis water to remineralize it effectively?
First, let’s understand which minerals are considered essential. An essential mineral is something that can only be obtained from dietary sources (food and water). According to the WHO, 21 minerals are considered essential for humans, and these are:
- Chlorine
- Phosphorus
- Molybdenum
- Fluorine
- Calcium
- Magnesium
- Sodium
- Potassium
- Ferrous iron
- Copper
- Zinc
- Manganese
- Iodine
- Selenium
- Iodothyronine
- Selenocysteine
- Boron
- Chromium
- Nickel
- Silicon
- Vanadium
Of these, the fourteen in bold font are essential for optimal physical health as they affect the body’s bone and membrane structure, metabolism, or water and electrolyte balance.
Out of all of these fourteen, the ones that are of particular importance to health, as they are sometimes found in more significant levels in water sources and therefore may have more of an effect on overall intake, are calcium, magnesium, fluoride, sodium, copper, selenium and potassium, so; theoretically, these are the minerals that would be most important to add back into your RO water.
Of course, we may be trying to filter out some of those minerals, such as fluoride. While fluoride is essential for healthy teeth, it is now thought we get enough of it from toothpaste or food sources and that too much may be unhealthy. Selenium can be toxic in high doses, so it is crucial to be very careful if adding it manually.
Usually, the main minerals added back in after reverse osmosis are sodium, calcium, magnesium, and potassium.
Ways to Add Minerals Back into RO Water
There are several ways in which minerals can be added back into the water after undergoing reverse osmosis treatment; some are more convenient and effective than others.
Remineralization Filters
A reverse osmosis remineralization filter is a post-filter that can be added to your reverse osmosis setup, providing it is compatible with additions. It will add minerals back to the water just before it passes through your RO faucet.
This is a straightforward way to remineralize your water, as you don’t have to remember to manually add things to the water before you drink it; the filter takes care of it all for you.
Mineral Drops
Mineral drops or electrolyte blends are available to remineralize water before you drink it. They come premixed and balanced, and it is essential to only add the amount recommended by the manufacturer. Being drops, they dissolve easily and quickly, unlike mineral salts.
The downside is that you must remember to add the drops before drinking the water, which can be frustrating.
Mineral Salts
This involves manually adding mineral-rich salt into your water and mixing it, such as Himalayan salt or dead sea salt. These salts are relatively high in trace minerals, and it is thought they may mimic the balance of electrolytes found in water, though the jury is still out if it is an effective method.
Most sources say to mix ½ a teaspoon of the salt per gallon of RO water, but others say this isn’t enough to remineralize it with the trace minerals, and you actually would need a few grams of salt per gallon, potentially tipping you into too much sodium land.
Alkaline Pitchers
Alkaline pitchers are jugs that you pour water into, and it filters through remineralization stages, adding trace minerals to the water to make it more alkaline. It is excellent if you aren’t consuming too much water in your household or not using it for cooking, as the pitcher only holds so much.
Why Remineralize At All?
Healthy individuals with a balanced diet may not need to remineralize their reverse osmosis drinking water, as they get plenty of the essential minerals from their food. If you are not one of these people, you should consider remineralization. Other reasons to remineralize are:
- If you have difficulty with nutrient absorption, for example, with surgeries such as gastric bypasses, conditions such as celiac disease, or age.
- Taste preferences as RO water can taste bland, and the minerals may make it taste better.
- It may improve hydration; if your water tastes better, you will be more likely to drink it.
- If you are prone to reflux, as RO water naturally falls to the acidic side of the pH scale.
- If you use your RO water for cooking, some evidence suggests it may leach minerals from vegetables (though this is inconclusive).
Overall, mineral deficiency could result in brittle bones, fatigue, issues with blood pressure, cramping, kidney problems, and digestive issues, so if you do not think you are getting adequate amounts from your diet, then it may be worthwhile to remineralize your reverse osmosis water.
Further Reading:
Is RO Water Bad for Your Health?
No, reverse osmosis water is not bad for your health. In fact, the main reason people invest in a reverse osmosis filtration system is not to get rid of the minerals but to eliminate dangerous contaminants in water, such as heavy metals. Ingestion of these, over time, can cause considerably worse health issues than drinking non-remineralized RO water.
If your choice is between drinking water high in contaminants and minerals or drinking water with no pollutants but no minerals, you are better off with the latter. Then, if you are worried, take the simple step of remineralizing your water after filtration to get the best of both worlds – contaminant-free water with a healthy mineral balance.
How Are Minerals Removed from Water During Reverse Osmosis?
RO systems use a membrane to filter out mineral ions, and other, unwanted substances from the water. The process of reverse osmosis separates these components using size exclusion. This means that all impurities do not pass the reverse osmosis membrane as they are too large for the membrane’s tiny pores, while pure H2O is small enough to get through.
Reverse osmosis systems for home use tend have 3 to 5 stages depending on the model you buy, including pre-filters for sediment and compounds such as chlorine, the RO membrane filtration step, and then post-filters to condition your water. Each stage will remove contaminants from water, but the RO membrane removes the most.
If you have any questions about what minerals to add to RO water please don’t hesitate to leave a comment below!
About the Author Gene Fitzgerald
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