It seems like every time you look around there is a new mineral water brand on the supermarket shelves.

This isn't surprising to me. A lot of people know that drinking mineral water benefits their health.

Actually, natural minerals do amazing things in your body. And there are many ways mineral water benefits you.

Take iron, for instance. Without iron your blood can't efficiently carry oxygen around your system. Then, magnesium regulates your blood pressure and makes your immune system stronger. Sodium moderates fluid levels for you. And calcium, as we all know, strengthens bones and keeps our teeth white and strong.

There are many other things minerals do. That's why the researchers call them "essential" minerals.

Without them we become sick, and mankind seems to have realized this early on. For thousands of years people have gone to natural, mineral-rich springs for mineral top-ups and cures for illness that would not go away with any other remedies. Mineral water benefits have a long history!

These healthy minerals come from the rocks deep down in the earth. They've been dissolved by the water down there and over huge reaches of time have been slowly brought up into our surface water systems.

Drinking good water is nature's way of making sure we get the minerals we need.

Yet researchers tell us that here in the US we are getting fewer minerals than we used to. Just take one quick example; magnesium. On average, we now receive half the magnesium we used to get 100 years ago: thanks to our move into the cites, away from the natural, clean water of small rural towns; and because we are eating far too much refined, fat-rich, processed food. Ominously, that 50 percent drop has pulled us well under the minimum magnesium requirement for healthy adults.

I could go on, but you get the picture. (And you didn't come to this article to get hit with statistics.)

Knowing this, you'd think the people building water purification systems would make sure they don't take out these minerals when they remove dirt and chemicals. But actually, some of the most popular purification systems do exactly that -- they remove the minerals.

Watch out for them. Read the fine print on any water purification system disclaimers.

Take the reverse osmosis water systems, for example. They are popular, and widely used in homes. Dirt and some chemicals are effectively removed by these systems. At the same time they filter out every single essential mineral and let through all the cancer-causing chemicals with a molecular structure smaller than that of water. What you get from these osmosis systems is sterile, chemical-rich water that looks clean but has no healthy natural minerals and contains an unhealthy mix of chemicals that cause cancer.

Another example of a purification systems that takes mineral water benefits away are the distillers. As they turn water to steam and then back to water, they remove life-sustaining natural minerals. You're left with lifeless, de mineralized water.

And there are other systems that do us the same disservice, giving us poor water without the mineral water benefits which mineral revitalization water purification systems provide.

So, I'd suggest you be pro-active as you look at healthy water supply appliances. Look for mineral revitalization water purification systems. There are some good ones on the market. They'll deliver mineral water benefits to you and your children -- right from the tap. And they're a lot cheaper per glass than bottles of mineral water will ever be!