Arrowhead is a drinking water brand from BlueTriton and is sold chiefly in the western USA. It sources water from springs in the mountains. It has been named after an arrow-shaped natural rock formation in the San Bernardino mountains.
Come on, let’s take a plunge and find out if Arrowhead water is good for you.
Table of Contents
What is in Arrowhead water?
Arrowhead water is sourced from 13 selected springs. Water thus sourced goes through distillation. It has electrolytes but just like natural water, the product does not contain calories, carbohydrates, and proteins.
So, what does Arrowhead water contain?
The pH of Arrowhead water
Arrowhead has a pH of 6.33-8.2. This complies with the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommendation that drinking water sources should have a pH of 6.5-8.5. This compares with the neutral pH of 7 of normal water.
TDS of Arrowhead water
TDS or Total Dissolved Solids refers to the concentration of dissolved substances like organic matter and inorganic salts in water. TDS in Arrowhead water is 213 parts per million (ppm) as against World Health Organization’s (WHO) recommended TDS of up to 300 ppm for drinking water.
Minerals in Arrowhead water
Minerals are crucial for good health. They keep the bones, muscles, teeth, and skin in good condition. Natural water from springs and underground reservoirs contains large quantities of minerals like calcium, magnesium, potassium, and sodium sulfate.
So, what minerals does Arrowhead water contain? A water analysis report of December 2019 prepared by the company reveals that its bottled water has these minerals.
| Mineral | Quantity (milligrams per liter) |
| Calcium | 20.4 |
| Potassium | 1.5 |
| Magnesium | 3.6 |
| Fluoride | 0.1 |
| Sodium | 11.1 |
| Chloride | 13.2 |
What does Arrowhead water taste like?
There is differing opinion on the taste of Arrowhead water with the majority of consumers weighing toward the negative. Customers have stated that the water does not taste like something that is obtained from fresh mountain springs.
The unpleasant taste of Arrowhead water has been attributed to the traces of minerals in it. It could also be because of the high sodium content.
Is Arrowhead water filtered?
Yes, the water undergoes strenuous filtering and purification. Arrowhead water is sourced from these mountain springs.
- San Bernardino mountain springs in the east of Los Angeles
- White Meadow, Luken, Sopiago, and Sugar Pine springs in Northern California
- Deer Canyon, Long Point Ranch, Southern Pacific, and Palomar Mountain Granite springs in Southern California
- Hope spring in Canada
- Ruby springs in Colorado
To ensure sustainability and to protect nature, the company collects water from the surface of the springs.
Once sourced, Arrowhead water goes through a stringent distillation procedure. Following the purification through distillation, water undergoes reverse osmosis, ultraviolet wavelength, and ozone disinfection. The procedure is aimed at ensuring utmost safety.
The purified water is then added with minerals. In addition to this, the company periodically tests its bottles and water to make sure that they are safe and of good quality.
Is Arrowhead water acidic or alkaline?
pH (potential of hydrogen) is a scale used to measure the number of electrically charged particles in a substance. Arrowhead water has a pH of 6.33-8.2 as compared to the neutral pH of 7 of normal drinking water. This is closer to EPA’s recommended values of 6.5-8.5 – so, the water is alkaline and safe to drink.
It is understood that water with a pH of less than 6.5 is acidic and contaminated with pollutants. Frequent consumption of such water will result in toxicity and adverse health effects like vomiting, diarrhea, fatigue, organ damage, and poor immune system.
On the contrary, drinking water that has a pH of 7-8.5 neutralizes acid in the body. Alkaline water promotes good bone health, lower blood pressure and blood sugar levels, hydration, and strong immunity.
However, water with a pH of more than 8.5 will taste bitter.
Is Arrowhead water good or bad for you?
Over 60 percent of the human body is made up of water. Water keeps the body hydrated and regulates body temperature. Not consuming adequate water can lead to serious medical problems.
While water is essential, the source of water that we consume is as important. Drinking contaminated water or water that is too acidic can cause several health issues like dehydration, gastrointestinal problems, stomach aches, muscle cramps, fatigue, and even death.
So, is Arrowhead water good for you? Let’s check based on different criteria.
- The pH of Arrowhead is said to be between 6.33 and 8.2. While the upper limit is safe, the lower pH limit of 6.33 is not too encouraging. This figure is lower than the recommended lower range of 6.5. The range indicated is too broad and ambiguous.
Therefore, if you experience symptoms of acidity, muscle cramps, diarrhea, or vomiting after consuming a few liters of Arrowhead water, it is probably not alkaline enough for you. You should immediately stop drinking it.
- The TDS of Arrowhead water is 213 ppm; much lower than WHO’s recommended value of 330 ppm for drinking water. It is believed that water with TDS of less than 250 ppm would be low in calcium, zinc, and magnesium.
With a TDS of 213 ppm, Arrowhead water is not harmful to you. However, it would not provide you with essential nutrients – hence not a healthy option.
- Water that is sourced from springs is understood to be rich in calcium, magnesium, potassium, and sodium. However, the distillation and purification process is known to remove 99.9 percent of the natural minerals from water.
Arrowhead does add minerals like calcium, potassium, magnesium, fluoride, sodium, and chloride back. While this may be good for you, you should remember that you are not being supplemented with all the minerals of natural spring water.
Further, research in recent years has shown that drinking reverse osmosis (RO) water leads to magnesium and calcium deficiencies. RO water is also found to increase the risk of heart diseases, hypertension, ulcers, jaundice, and fractures.
- Some of Arrowhead’s single-serve water bottles are made from PET plastic, which is considered safe for human use by the FDA. The three-liter, one-gallon, and 2.5-gallon water bottles are made using high-density polyethylene, while three-gallon and five-gallon bottles are made using polycarbonate.
The company clarifies that bisphenol-A (BPA), an industrial chemical used to make plastics and resins, is absent in packaging below three gallons. BPA is a toxic chemical that can affect the brain and prostate glands in fetuses and children.
Although PET plastic, high-density polyethylene, and polycarbonate are approved by the FDA, these plastics leach antimony that can cause cancer, menstrual problems, skin issues, and gastrointestinal symptoms.
Arrowhead water safety
Let us now evaluate if Arrowhead water is safe in the following cases.
Arrowhead for babies
You can give Arrowhead water to your baby after she completes six months. While the levels of fluoride, sodium and other minerals in the product are safe for your baby, the leaching of toxins from the plastics is of concern.
BPA and other chemicals in water from plastic bottles are harmful to the nervous system, brain, thyroid functions, prostate gland, and behavioral patterns of babies. Therefore, use bottled water only when necessary for your baby.
Arrowhead for plants
Spring water is beneficial for plants – however, it should be free of chemicals. BPA, HDP, and polycarbonate hamper the growth of roots and plants. They change soil chemistry and destroy the ecosystem.
It is not a good idea to water your plants using Arrowhead. It is neither safe nor cost-effective.
Arrowhead for dogs and pets
There could be no direct harm from drinking spring-sourced water like Arrowhead. However, even low levels of BPA and other chemicals from plastic bottles can cause diabetes, cancer, reproductive issues, obesity, and change in metabolism in dogs and other animals. Tap water is safe and the best option for your pets.
If you are thinking of using Arrowhead water for your aquarium, it is not a good idea either. Purified and distilled water is not good for betta fish as it is deficient in the minerals and nutrients that the fish needs. You should use clean tap water for your aquarium.
Is Arrowhead water safe to drink?
Over the years, Arrowhead has been striving to cut down the amount of plastic in its bottles. The manufacturers also test their products at each bottling line for about 200 times a day.
The efforts of the company to make its product secure for us are laudable. However, is the product really safe to drink? Let us check on different parameters.
Fluoride content
Arrowhead water has about 0.1 milligrams per one liter of Fluoride. The US Environmental Protection Agency allows a maximum of four milligrams per liter as a safe level for fluoride in public water systems. However, levels of 2.4 milligrams of fluoride per liter are considered ideal.
Considering the daily recommended fluoride intake of 2.9 milligrams for adults from food and other sources, the fluoride content in Arrowhead water appears to be safe and perfect.
Minerals
Spring water, from where Arrowhead water is sourced, is rich in a variety of minerals. However, the distillation process carried out to purify Arrowhead water removes 99 percent of these minerals from water.
The company adds minerals like magnesium, sodium, potassium, fluoride, calcium, and chloride back into the purified water through a manufacturing process. Their composition is in line with the recommended values for drinking water. However, they are not in the same quantities as in the spring water. They are also not natural. Further, purified water will be lacking in some minerals as compared to natural water. Also, naturally occurring minerals in their organic quantities enrich the taste of water.
Arrowhead may be a good option for you when you are traveling or when you do not have a better choice. In the normal course, it is healthier to drink water from natural sources as they are richer in minerals.
Chlorine content
Arrowhead water does not contain chlorine. The distillation process removes chlorine from water. The product however contains 13.2 milligrams of chloride per liter. This is within the recommended safe level of 250 milligrams per liter of drinking water.
Salt content
The level of salt in Arrowhead water is not clear. Distillation and reverse osmosis reduce the number of dissolved salts present in natural water. Natural salt provides water its taste. Therefore, to make the water delectable, bottled water companies usually add salt after purification. This actually makes salt content higher in bottled water.
While salt in naturally-occurring quantities is important for several bodily functions, higher salt intake will cause kidney problems, high blood pressure, osteoporosis, stomach cancer, and heart issues.
Arsenic
Arrowhead water has arsenic in low levels – less than 3 ppb. The EPA limits the amount of arsenic in drinking water to 10 ppb.
Arsenic is a heavy metal and extremely toxic. Drinking water containing arsenic for a longer period is known to result in health issues like heart troubles, cancer, high blood pressure, skin issues, and neurological problems.
Ingestion of arsenic is exceedingly detrimental to children – it can hamper growth and brain function. Drinking too much water that contains arsenic also causes poisoning in pets.
Lead
Arrowhead water is unlikely to contain lead. The distillation and purification process it undergoes rids it of heavy metals like lead. Additionally, bottled water factories do not use lead pipes – which eliminates the prospects of the heavy metal leaching into the water.
Increased exposure to lead in drinking water causes lead poisoning that can result in cardiovascular problems, high blood pressure, headaches, abdominal pain, and reproductive issues.
Electrolytes
Electrolytes in drinking water refer to the composition of minerals like magnesium, sodium, potassium, and calcium. They are important for the proper functioning of muscles and nerves
Arrowhead water contains most of these minerals, however in lower quantities than natural water. The product, therefore, provides you with some essential electrolytes. You may have to drink more Arrowhead water if you are experiencing low electrolyte symptoms like dizziness, vomiting, headache, muscle cramps, and fatigue.
BPA
According to the manufacturers, BPA is not present in packaging below three gallons. The amount of BPA present in packaging over three gallons is not known.
BPA is a toxic chemical that can have serious health effects on both children and adults. Several countries have banned harmful chemicals from food and beverage packing materials.
This surely is a chemical to stay away from.
Sodium
The product contains 11.1 milligrams of sodium per liter – this is within EPA’s recommendation that sodium content in drinking water should be less than 20 milligrams a liter.
Sodium and chloride alter the taste of water depending on their composition. Consumption of the right amount of sodium is crucial for the human body for normal muscle functioning, fluid levels, and blood pressure.
Is Arrowhead water safe during pregnancy?
Arrowhead water is safe during pregnancy because it is purified and is sans contaminants. It does not contain bacteria and viruses that can cause miscarriage and preterm delivery.
However, the product does not contain enough minerals and electrolytes that you need as pregnant. Such deficiency can make you anemic and frail to face childbirth. Additionally, intake of higher salt that possibly comes from drinking bottled water will increase your risk of having gestational diabetes.
If you are pregnant, denounce bottled water as much as possible and grab tap water for improved hydration and energy. Tap water is considered safe during pregnancy – it adheres to standards for safe drinking water.
Can Arrowhead water make you sick?
Arrowhead water cannot make you sick by itself. If you drink it when you are already low on electrolytes, or when you are experiencing weakness, vomiting, headache, muscle spasms, and similar symptoms, the product may not help you much.
Overconsumption of Arrowhead water can make you sick because
- It can cause electrolyte and mineral deficiency
- High salt content can cause health issues
- Arsenic, BPA, and other plastic toxins can result in medical complications
Arrowhead water delivery
You can order Arrowhead water through the company’s ReadyRefresh water delivery service. You can log into the ReadyRefresh app from your device to make the order. Alternatively, you can call the company or send a message on its phone number to place your order.
How much does Arrowhead water delivery cost?
The Arrowhead water delivery cost depends on your water delivery subscription and the type of product you choose. Typically, it costs $7 for a five-gallon bottle of spring water.
You get a discount of over $50 on your first order for Arrowhead water on the ReadyRefresh app.
References:
- https://www.arrowheadwater.com/
- https://www.livestrong.com/article/289504-arrowhead-water-nutrition-facts/
- Does Glossier Skincare Have Fragrance? - October 21, 2022
- Is Aveeno Color-Safe? - October 20, 2022
- Is Acure Color-Safe? - October 20, 2022
