In the pursuit of wellness and balance, understanding the foundational role of hydration is more than just a health hack—it’s a lifestyle revolution. With insights from Olaf Lyche, the visionary behind Three Bays, this guide dives into the art and science of selecting the right water for your body, unveiling how the simple act of drinking water can be transformed into a daily ritual for enhancing vitality, beauty, and mental clarity. Whether you’re navigating the pressures of the digital age, seeking sustainable choices, or aiming to elevate your fitness and mindfulness routines, discover how embracing the nuances of hydration can unlock a new level of health and wellbeing.
Elevating Hydration: A Flavourful Journey Through Water Choices
Hydration transcends mere necessity; it’s an opportunity to indulge in a spectrum of natural flavours and make your daily water intake anything but mundane. Let’s explore how each type of water not only contributes to our wellbeing but also offers unique taste experiences.
Tap Water: Sourced from public drinking water supplies, tap water is treated by local authorities to meet safety standards before it makes its way to our homes through a network of pipes and pumps. While it’s convenient and undergoes purification processes, the mineral content is relatively low, with a Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) of about 20-40 mg/l, making it a blank canvas for adding natural flavours.
Surface Water: This category includes water from lakes, rivers, and reservoirs—often sources for tap water. Surface water’s TDS can vary but generally falls within the 20-40 mg/l range, similar to tap water. It captures the essence of its natural surroundings, offering a base for further purification and mineral enhancement.
Groundwater: Found 30-60 metres below the surface, groundwater comes from underground aquifers that may be less susceptible to pollution than surface water. Its TDS ranges from 30-150 mg/l, indicating a higher mineral content than tap water, yet with variations based on geographical location. Groundwater’s stability and mineral richness make it a valuable source for bottled water varieties.
Spring Water: Emerging from confined aquifers, spring water can be collected through bores or flow naturally to the surface. With a TDS up to 250 mg/l, it offers a balanced mineral profile. Spring water combines purity with a hint of minerals, providing a refreshing and slightly earthy taste.
Mineral Water: Also sourced from confined aquifers, mineral water boasts a TDS over 250 mg/l, enriched with naturally occurring minerals like calcium, magnesium, and potassium. This high mineral content not only contributes to its unique taste but also to better hydration and electrolyte balance, making it a premium choice for those seeking enhanced wellness benefits.
Purified Water: Undergoing the process of reverse osmosis, purified water is stripped of not just impurities but also minerals and electrolytes, resulting in a very low TDS. While it’s the epitome of purity, this lack of minerals means it doesn’t provide the same hydration efficiency or taste profile as mineral-rich waters.
The Importance of Water with Minerals
Water is essential for every bodily function, from regulating temperature to transporting nutrients and removing waste. Even mild dehydration can significantly impact your physical and mental wellbeing. Signs of dehydration include thirst, dry mouth, decreased urine output, fatigue, headaches, and dizziness.
When it comes to hydration, not all waters are created equal. We spoke to Olaf Lyche, co-founder of Australian mineral water company Three Bays, to learn how mineral-rich waters can provide an edge.
What makes Three Bays Mineral Water unique compared to other mineral water brands?
In short, it’s the mineral content. Specifically, the diverse number of minerals in the water. Most mineral waters have five or six minerals dissolved in the water; Three Bays has 22. This is evident in the Total Dissolved Solids measurement, 1,300 milligrams per litre.
A word about mineral water definition: In Australia, there are no rules for minimum mineral content to be called “mineral water”. As long as the water has some dissolved minerals, it can be called mineral water. Most Australian water brands are in fact ground water, 30-60 meters deep, which are shallow water sources often exposed to surface conditions and contamination, with typical TDS range of 30-50. In contrast, Three Bays’ source is the Palaeolithic Basement, a 900-metre-deep aquifer.
Can you share details about the mineral composition and total dissolved solids (TDS) levels in your water?
Three Bays has a TDS of 1,300 and comes out of the ground in still version. This is very unique as most mineral water springs with high TDS come out of the ground naturally sparking. Three Bays’ 1,300 TDS is measured by reading a range of dissolved minerals in the water, including magnesium, calcium, sodium, bicarbonate, chloride and sulphur. What’s unique about Three Bays’ TDS measure is the balance of these minerals.
Three Bays has 92 mg/l magnesium and 64 mg/l calcium. This is extremely rare as most mineral waters have the opposite ratio: lots more calcium than magnesium. This is important because most adults suffer from calcification in their arteries. Three Bays’ is great for heart health because magnesium and calcium work together: magnesium relaxes muscles, calcium contracts muscles. Without at least 50:50 ratio of the two minerals, calcium can’t be absorbed into the cells, and can result in calcium build-up in the artery walls. This is a big advantage Three Bays.
In addition, Three Bays has a rare combination of a range of trace minerals that are critical for human health. They include Iodine, Zinc, Boron, Selenium, Barium, Silica, Vanadium and many others. No other mineral water brand in the world have so many minerals dissolved.
How do the minerals present in Three Bays provide hydration benefits?
The minerals help Three Bays penetrate the cells for effective hydration. For example, water cannot penetrate human cells without sodium, sodium is critical to enable cells to burn glucose. Also, water must have magnesium and bicarbonate to penetrate the cells and must have selenium in order for the magnesium to penetrate the mitochondria and the ATP to provide cells with their energy. Plain water like tap water and rain water have very low TDS (20 -50) and cannot penetrate the cells, resulting in frequent urination and loss of energy.
For those leading active lifestyles, how can mineral water help replenish electrolytes lost through sweat?
Firstly, hydrating with plain water can dehydrate you, flush out electrolytes, and can cause you to urinate all day. The human body is 70 percent water, a third of that is salt water, salt meaning all electrolytes. We cry, sweat and wee salt water. Three Bays, with it’s 1,300 mg/l TDS help active people maintain proper hydration. Why: When we sweat, we lose a lot more than just water. According to well-known U.S. medical doctor Dr. James DiNicolantinio, the minerals lost in sweat after one hour of exercise are:
- Sodium: 1,200 mg
- Chloride: 1,7250 mg
- Potassium: 140 mg
- Calcium: 40 mg
- Magnesium: 10 mg
- Iron: 0.63 mg
- Copper: 0.4 mg
- Zinc: 0.4 mg
- Iodine: 52 ug (microgram)
- Selenium: 40 ug
Three Bays contains a great balance of all these minerals and many more. This helps athletes get more energy and better endurance. We conducted a major study in late 2018 with Victoria University’s Institute of Sport and Active Living, ISEAL. In this double-blind study, large group of endurance athletes ran a series of 10,000 metre distances without any intervention. In the intervention period, the study divided in a placebo group that drank tap water for two weeks, and an intervention group that drank Three Bays (then called Aqui-Live) for two weeks. The intervention group that drank Three Bays showed an average endurance improvement of 2.1 seconds. A major advantage for endurance athletes. It’s the very high mineral content that does this.
What are some of the key factors you look for in sourcing and bottling your mineral water?
We are lucky to have this world-class mineral spring on our holiday property in Red Hill on the Mornington Peninsula. Naturally we only drink our own mineral water. We began bottling the mineral water in our garage in 2015. Since then, we’ve transitioned all bottling operations to a professional bottling plant in Dandenong South.
Are there any tips you can provide to help people stay properly hydrated throughout the day?
Simple, drink two litres of Three Bays every day. Our bulk product, the 10 litre cask is an economical and practical way to drink Three Bays daily.
Factors Affecting Your Needs
Not everyone’s hydration needs are the same. Your individual requirements can vary based on several factors, including physical activity levels, exposure to hot or humid environments, altitude, and illness. Pay close attention to your body’s signals and adjust your fluid intake accordingly.
Strategies for Optimal Hydration
To stay properly hydrated, follow these simple strategies:
- Drink water with minerals regularly throughout the day, even when you’re not thirsty. Carry a reusable water bottle with you and track your daily intake to ensure you’re meeting your intake goals.
- Monitor your urine colour – aim for a light-yellow hue, which indicates adequate hydration.
- Incorporate hydrating foods into your diet, such as fruits and vegetables with high water content. Some excellent options include watermelon, cucumbers, strawberries, spinach, and grapefruit. Try out this recipe!
- Replace electrolytes like sodium and potassium during prolonged exercise or excessive sweating.
- Set reminders or use apps to prompt you to drink water regularly throughout the day. Stay ahead of thirst by establishing a consistent hydration routine.
“As someone who has struggled with staying hydrated in the past, I can attest to the transformative power of simple hydration habits. By committing to drinking a glass of water first thing every morning upon waking, I’ve noticed a significant improvement in my cognitive function, energy levels, and overall wellbeing. It’s a small change, but it has made a world of difference.”
The Benefits of Proper Hydration
Maintaining proper hydration levels can offer numerous benefits, including:
- Improved physical performance and endurance
- Enhanced cognitive function and mental clarity
- Better regulation of body temperature
- Reduced risk of kidney stones and constipation
Water and Sleep
While hydration is important, drinking plain water alone may not provide quality sleep benefits. Magnesium, a key mineral, acts as the “relaxation” mineral that allows your body and mind to achieve restorative sleep. Too little magnesium can disrupt sleep cycles, leaving you tired and groggy.
Rather than just consuming any water before bed, opt for mineral-rich waters with adequate magnesium levels. The diverse mineral content in mineral water can help promote better sleep by delivering magnesium in the body.
Personalised Hydration Needs
Remember, hydration needs are highly personalised. Factors like age, activity level, and climate can all impact your individual hydration requirements. Stay mindful of your body’s signals and adjust your fluid intake accordingly for optimal health and performance.
Conclusion
In the vast world of hydration, discovering your perfect match of water is a unique form of self-care and expression, much like curating your playlist or personal style. And in this diverse palette, our pick is mineral water—the health boost it offers aligns perfectly with our ethos of wellness and vitality. Remember, your hydration journey is as personal as your Instagram feed—vibrant, diverse, and tailored to your tastes and wellness goals.
