Is Distilled Water Safe to Drink Every Day?

For most healthy adults, yes — distilled water is generally considered safe to drink every day. Distillation significantly reduces dissolved minerals, metals, microbes and many other contaminants, and your body gets most of its minerals from food rather than water. If you eat a varied diet, the main differences you will notice are the taste and the absence of limescale.

What exactly is distilled water?

Distilled water is water that has been boiled into steam and then condensed back into liquid in a separate container. Dissolved salts, metals such as lead, nitrates and most microorganisms do not travel with the steam, so they are left behind in the boiling chamber. What collects in the bottle is water with a very low level of dissolved solids.

This is different from simply boiling water. Boiling kills most microbes, but everything dissolved in the water stays in the pot — and as some of the water evaporates, those substances actually become slightly more concentrated. Distillation physically separates the water from what was dissolved in it.

Is it safe to drink distilled water every day?

For healthy people, drinking distilled water daily is generally regarded as safe. Water’s main job in the body is hydration, and distilled water hydrates just as well as any other clean drinking water. Distillation has also been used to produce drinking water for a very long time, for example on ships and in places where fresh water is scarce.

The more useful question is not “is it safe?” but “what does it change?” Compared with tap or mineral water, distilled water:

• contains little or no calcium, magnesium, sodium or other dissolved minerals
• has significantly reduced levels of contaminants such as lead, nitrates and microbes
• tastes softer or “flatter” to many people
• leaves no limescale in kettles, irons or humidifiers

Does distilled water leach minerals from your body?

This is the most common worry, and it is largely a myth. The idea is that because distilled water is “empty”, it must pull minerals out of your body to balance itself. In practice, the water you drink mixes with food, saliva and digestive fluids almost immediately, and your kidneys and hormones tightly regulate the minerals in your blood. There is no good evidence that drinking distilled water as part of a normal diet strips minerals from the bones or tissues of healthy people.

That said, it is fair to acknowledge the other side. The World Health Organization has published discussions on drinking water with very low mineral content, noting that while food is the main source of minerals, drinking water can contribute a modest share of calcium and magnesium for some people — particularly those whose diets are low in these minerals. So the balanced view is this: distilled water is not harmful in itself, but it does not supply minerals either, so your diet should.

Where do you get your minerals, then?

From food. Dairy products, leafy greens, nuts, seeds, beans, whole grains, fish and fruit provide far more calcium, magnesium and potassium than a typical daily amount of drinking water. Even hard tap water usually covers only a small share of daily needs.

If you would like some minerals in your water, for taste or peace of mind, there are simple options:

• add a few drops of a food-grade mineral concentrate
• mix distilled water with some mineral water
• use distilled water for tea, coffee and cooking, where the ingredients add minerals anyway

Why does distilled water taste different?

Minerals and dissolved gases give water much of its flavour. Once they are removed, some people describe distilled water as “flat”, while others find it clean and soft. Chilling it, letting it stand in an open glass bottle for a while so it takes up a little air, or pouring it back and forth between two containers can make it taste livelier.

Is distilled water acidic?

Freshly distilled water is close to neutral. As it sits exposed to air, it absorbs a little carbon dioxide, which lowers the pH slightly — typically to around 5.5–6. This is a weak effect: coffee, fruit juice and soft drinks are considerably more acidic, and your body regulates its own pH balance whatever you drink.

Who should take extra care?

Distilled water suits most people, but a few situations deserve a conversation with a professional:

• Babies and infant formula — follow your paediatrician, the formula instructions and your local health authority’s guidance on which water to use and how to prepare it.
• Medical conditions or special diets — if your doctor has given you advice about fluids, sodium, potassium or other minerals, follow it.
• Fluoride — distillation significantly reduces fluoride. If your area adds fluoride to tap water for dental health, ask your dentist whether you need another source, such as fluoride toothpaste.
• Heavy sweating — during long, intense exercise or hot weather you lose salts in sweat whatever water you drink; replace them through food or electrolyte drinks as you normally would.

This article is general information and not medical advice.

How do you keep distilled water fresh at home?

Distilled water is very clean when it leaves the condenser, but like any water it can pick up contamination from dirty containers or long, open storage. A few habits help:

1. Store it in a clean, closed container — glass or food-grade plastic — somewhere cool and out of direct sunlight.
2. Wash and dry the collection bottle regularly.
3. Descale the boiling chamber on a regular schedule; harder water leaves more residue.
4. Replace the activated-carbon post-filter as the manufacturer recommends.
5. Use stored water within a reasonable time, and refrigerate it if you keep it for more than a few days.

Why do distillers use a carbon post-filter?

Distillation is very effective at leaving minerals, metals and microbes behind, but it is not perfect. Some volatile organic compounds and certain chlorine by-products boil at temperatures close to, or below, that of water, so a small amount can travel with the steam. That is why Megahome distillers pass the freshly condensed water through an activated-carbon post-filter (CF-001) before it reaches the bottle, helping to capture these compounds and polish the taste.

What does daily distilled water look like with a home distiller?

A countertop distiller makes it practical to produce distilled water at home instead of buying it. Megahome’s MH-943TWS home distiller, for example, has a 4-litre capacity, a stainless-steel boiling chamber, a choice of glass or PP collection bottle and automatic shut-off when the cycle is complete. One batch takes about 5.5–6 hours, so many households run it overnight or once a day to keep a steady supply for drinking and cooking. If you prefer an all-stainless-steel design, the MH-943SBS offers the same 4-litre capacity.

Megahome has been making water distillers in Taiwan since 1992 and has exported them for more than 30 years to over 60 countries. The range holds eight international safety certifications — CE, UL, GS, PSE, C-TICK, CCC, CB and UKCA — which relate to the electrical and product safety of the appliance. To find a retailer or distributor near you, visit Where to Buy.

Key takeaways

• For healthy people with a varied diet, distilled water is generally considered safe for everyday drinking.
• Distillation removes the vast majority of dissolved minerals and significantly reduces many contaminants; food, not water, is the main source of minerals.
• The claim that distilled water “leaches minerals from your body” is not supported by good evidence — but distilled water does not supply minerals either.
• Babies, people with medical conditions and anyone given specific advice by a doctor should follow that professional guidance.
• Clean storage and regular distiller maintenance keep your water fresh.

Frequently asked questions