Did you know that doctors and formula makers recommend distilled water for baby formula? When using powdered formula, it is essential to use clean water that is free of possible contaminants like lead, pesticides, bacteria, viruses, nitrates, and more. Ingesting toxins like lead, arsenic, or nitrates can cause lifelong health problems or even death in extreme cases.
Unfortunately, it is hard to know precisely what is in your tap water. Municipalities test for several known contaminants, but most of them even recommend purified water for babies, elderly or immunocompromised people. Babies have tiny bodies, so the effect of bacteria, viruses, pesticides, lead, or other contaminants can be much worse than on adults.
purifiers.
| Contaminant | Carbon Filter* | Reverse Osmosis** | AquaNui™ Distillation Systems |
 Arsenic |
partially |  |
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 Bacteria |
partially | |
|
 Cesium (radioactive) |
? | ? | |
| Chlorine | |
|
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| Fluoride | |
|
|
| Lead | |
|
|
| Mercury | |
|
|
| Nitrates | partially | |
|
| Pesticides | |
|
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| Salt | partially | |
|
| Viruses | |
Lead
One of the most devastating contaminants for children is lead. It can lead to lifelong learning disabilities, hyperactivity, lower IQ, anemia, impaired formation and function of blood cells, and in extreme cases, coma or death. Once your baby or child is exposed to lead, their body can never get rid of it. There is no safe level of lead. Unfortunately, lead has been found in the water of many cities like Flint, Michigan, schools, and many older homes with lead pipes.
Nitrates
Finding nitrates in water is a known problem. Nebraska, Kansas, Iowa, California, and other farming areas have higher levels of nitrates in groundwater. Nitrates can cause blue baby syndrome, and this can cause lethargy, diarrhea, vomiting. It is called blue baby syndrome because, as the red blood cells are robbed of oxygen by nitrates. Blue baby syndrome will cause your baby’s skin, and lips will appear blue. Sadly, it can even lead to death.
Pesticides
Moms and dads everywhere are becoming more concerned about pesticides in water and food. For babies and children, the effect of pesticides can be more significant due to their bodies still developing and being small. Did you know that over 1 billion pounds of pesticides are used each year in the USA. “Although the EPA regulates and monitors several drinking water contaminants, many pesticides are not regulated contaminants.” (Source: National Pesticide Information Center http://npic.orst.edu/envir/dwater.html) Pesticide levels will vary state by state and season by season. Using distilled water for baby formula is the only way to be entirely sure that your child is not being exposed to dangerous pesticides.
Viruses & Bacteria
Many people don’t know viruses or bacteria have infected their water until people start getting sick. When people start getting sick, towns or cities issue a boil alert, which tells their population that, to make water drinkable, they must boil it first to kill harmful contaminants. Illnesses caused by E.coli, Legionella, or Salmonella can be horrible for adults, but even worse for babies. By distilling water, your baby is protected from known and unknown viruses.
Factors That Lead to Legionella Growth
- Construction
- Water main breaks
- Changes in municipal water quality
- Biofilm
- Scale and sediment
- Water temperature fluctuations
- pH fluctuations
- Inadequate levels of disinfectant
- Changes in water pressure
- Water stagnation
(source: CDC https://www.cdc.gov/legionella/wmp/overview/growth-and-spread.html)
Unknown Contaminants
While municipalities try their best to add chlorine and to disinfect drinking water, it is known that there some chemicals and contaminants that go unchecked. “One study found several pharmaceuticals in treated tap water, including atenolol (a beta-blocker), carbamazepine (an anticonvulsant), gemfibrozil (an antilipidemic), meprobamate (an antianxiety medication), and phenytoin (an anticonvulsant).” (Source: PBS.org https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/article/pharmaceuticals-in-the-water/) Most parents would not want to feed their infant baby formula laced with pharmaceuticals.
The Best Drinking Water
Distilled water is the best drinking water without a doubt. Water distillers mirror the hydrologic cycle and efficiently purify water by boiling, condensing, and collecting water. It is so simple and so perfect that there isn’t a better way to get pure water. Investing in a water distiller guarantees your family clean, fresh water for years to come, regardless of water main breaks, viruses, water temperature variations, or changing water sources, as in the case of Flint, Michigan. Uses for distilled water go way beyond just making baby formula, drinking, cooking, baking, ice making, and pets. It can also be used for plants, irons, humidifiers, and much more.
Learn about other great uses for distilled water like using it for cooking, drinking, making coffee and tea and much more.