Why do most Italians in Italy drink mineral water? I lived there for 2 years and have been back since but can't stand mineral water.

Most if not all Italian Americans I know don't like it either.

So why is sparling natural mineral water so popular in Italy? For me it tastes terrible! It's not good for you either.

Good question Villa - there was an article in the paper on Sunday about the water supply in general, and one of the findings was that 40% of Italians don't trust the mains drinking water. For 26 years my father-in-law told me that the tap water was very good, was tested far more rigorously, and more often, than the bottled water, and for 26 years he drank the bottled water.

We have followed suit - no matter what is reported, I still feel that if Italians don't drink the tap water, there must be a reason, so I don't either. Also, if you shop around, the bottled stuff is quite cheap (17 eurocents for 2 litres), and in the summer is easy to keep cool by putting it the fridge.

Well I really like the taste of Uliveto - Uliveto is just a little sparkling. When I am in Italy I always buy a case to keep at home and when I go to a restaurant I generally ask for a acqua leggermete frizzante. The Uliveto website claims that the water is good with special diuretic quality, but I buy it for the taste. Consider that I do not like Coke at all I am really disapponted when in the US they sell Coke for a fraction of what bottled water costs !
Villa : you are in the US - please look at the video 'Supersize me' you can rent it easily and figure out how much sugar is in all the soda people drink here. Mountain Dew is the worse because its high amount of sugar and caffeine. I see too many oversize ( really obese ) people drinking Mountain dew:for me there should place a warning lable on the can ...just like they do on sigarettes.

I don't drink coke or any of that crap. La mia mamma never bought it when I was a kid either. I only drink bottled water now and have for years. I'm not talking bottle water here. I'm talking mineral water. Seems the point was losted somewhere.

So why do Italians drink mineral water instead of just plain bottled water?

A proposito. This past summer while in this big park just outside of Perugia where only Italians go I saw them drinking like crazy out of fountain water. So I joined in like a native.

Villa - all bottled water is labelled as mineral water here, whether it is flat or sparkling, so that's probably where the point got confused, it's just the naturale or frizzante bit at the end that disguinshes between the two (or the semi sparkling that Paolo mentions).

Va bene, but still the question has not been answered.

COKE (Pepsi samething)

#1. In many states the highway patrol carries
two gallons of Coke in the trunk to remove blood from the highway after a car accident.



#2. You can put a T-bone steak in a bowl of Coke
and it will be gone in two days.


#3. To clean a toilet: Pour a can of Coca-Cola into the
toilet bowl and let the "real thing" sit for one hour,
then flush clean. The citric acid in Coke removes
stains from vitreous china.



#4. To remove rust spots from chrome car bumpers:
Rub the bumper with a rumpled-up piece of Reynolds
Wrap aluminum foil dipped in Coca-Cola.


#5. To clean corrosion from car battery terminals: Pour
a can of Coca-Cola over the terminals to bubble
away the corrosion.



#6. To loosen a rusted bolt: Apply a cloth soaked in Coca-Cola
to the rusted bolt for several minutes.

#7. To bake a moist ham: Empty a can of Coca-Cola into
the baking pan, wrap the ham in aluminum foil, and bake.
Thirty minutes before ham is finished, remove the foil, allowing the
drippings to mix
with the Coke for a sumptuous brown gravy.



#8... To remove grease from clothes: Empty a can of Coke
into the load of greasy clothes, add detergent, and run
through a regular cycle. The Coca-Cola will help loosen
grease stains. It will also clean road haze from your
windshield.

FOR YOUR INFORMATION:

#1. the active ingredient in Coke is phosphoric acid.
It will dissolve a nail in about four days. Phosphoric
acid also leaches calcium from bones and is a major
contributor to the rising increase of osteoporosis.

#2. To carry Coca-Cola syrup! (the concentrate) the
commercial trucks must use a hazardous Material place
cards reserved for highly corrosive materials.

#3. The distributors of Coke have been using it to clean
engines of the trucks for about 20 years!




Now the question is, would you like a glass of water?
or Coke?

So why is sparling natural mineral water so popular in Italy? For me it tastes terrible! It's not good for you either.

I like it because it feels fresh, but Mamma and my wife like the naturale so I'm outvoted. I'm surprised that it's not good for you though - it only has either natural or carefully controlled added CO2, nothing else, and no chlorine like tap water.

Why do most Italians in Italy drink mineral water? I lived there for 2 years and have been back since but can't stand mineral water.
Probably because they like the taste and they like the bubbles.

> Most if not all Italian Americans I know don't like it either.
I don't like Italian american food so I guess we are even.

>So why is sparling natural mineral water so popular in Italy? >For me it tastes terrible! It's not good for you either.

Many like the sparkles. ( I like leggermente frizzante ) ....
About being good or not I believe water in general is good for you with or without bubbles.

This is an example of an article i found online
EFFECTS OF A BICARBONATE-ALKALINE MINERAL WATER ON GASTRIC FUNCTIONS AND FUNCTIONAL DYSPEPSIA: A PRECLINICAL AND CLINICAL STUDY

MICHELE BERTONIa, FILIPPO OLIVERIa, MARTA MANGHETTIa, ELENA BOCCOLINIa, MARIA GRAZIA BELLOMINIa, CORRADO BLANDIZZIb, FERRUCCIO BONINOa and MARIO DEL TACCA, , b
a Gastroenterology and Hepatology Units, University Hospital of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
b Division of Pharmacology and Chemotherapy, Department of Oncology, Transplants and Advanced Technologies in Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
Accepted 3 September 2002. ; Available online 21 November 2002.



Abstract
The present study was performed in order to evaluate: (1) the influence of a bicarbonate-alkaline mineral water (Uliveto®) on digestive symptoms in patients with functional dyspepsia; (2) the effects of Uliveto® on preclinical models of gastric functions. Selected patients complained of dyspeptic symptoms in the absence of digestive lesions or Helicobacter pylori infection within the previous 3 months. They were treated with Uliveto® water (1.5 l day−1) for 30 days. Frequency and severity of symptoms were assessed at baseline and day 30 by a score system. Preclinical experiments were carried out on rats, allowed to drink Uliveto® or oligomineral water for 30 days. Animals then underwent pylorus ligation to evaluate gastric secretion of acid, pepsinogen, and mucus. In separate experiments, gastric emptying was assessed. Crenotherapy was associated with a relief of epigastric pain, retrosternal pyrosis, postprandial fullness and gastric distention. At preclinical level, Uliveto® water increased acid and pepsinogen secretions as well as gastric emptying, without changes in bound mucus. The enhancing actions of Uliveto® on gastric secretions and emptying were prevented by L-365,260, an antagonist of gastrin/CCK-2 receptors. These findings indicate that a regular intake of Uliveto® favors an improvement of dyspeptic symptoms. The preclinical study suggests that the clinical actions of Uliveto® water depend mainly on its ability to enhance gastric motor and secretory functions.

Author Keywords: functional dyspepsia; mineral water; crenotherapy; gastric functions; gastrin



PS Villa : Why people like hot pepper and spicy food ?

Grazie Paolo.

Any sparkling (carbonated) drink will erode the enamel on your teeth if you drink it frequently, including sparkling water.

Any carbonated drink - whether it has sugar or not, if drunk regularly, plays havoc with the protective enamel on your teeth.

all those "facts" about Coke are quite lame, sorry.

first of all, the main component of soda drinks is carbonic acid
second, the concentration is too low to be harmful especially if you consider that skin and mucosae are already slightly acid themselves, and that the stomach walls produce hydrochloric acid with a way lower pH than coke

those warnings about coca cola are just some urban myth

this is interesting:

http://www.21stcenturydental.com/smith/pH_drinks.htm

basically, lemon juice is like 4 times more acid than coca cola :D

so unless you wash your mouth with coke for hours, you don't risk much

I take it you're hooked on Coke.

Use to work for Coke. They would let us drink all we wanted for free. Had enough sence not to drink it. All the people who worked there had rotten teeth and poor health. Lucky for me I did not work there for long.

Just type in coke or soft drinks and health issues. You'll see how much stuff comes up.

Well cuteness
To me is not the coke or soda itself the issue. Many people gets sort of addicted to this and they do drink far too much - Also the same people tend to add fast-food and not-so healthy diets together with all kind of sodas. - I did not bann coke from the house but I try to lower the usage - My son is 7 and he does not seem to care for soda. To me ( personally) soda does not taste good either so I do not see the point.

Going back to the mineral water:
As Mark pointed out
- All bottled water in Italy is called mineral water.
You can ask for
1) liscia ( or without bubbles )
2) leggermente frizzante ( not so bubbly )
3) frizzanete / effervescente ( bubbly )

Note that while 30 years ago the only bottled water was type 3 or frizzante. The most popular now ( 2008) is the Leggermente frizzante and even what we call frizzante is far less bubbly than the S Pellegrino that is imported in he US - to which I would give a 4 in bubbliness

I personally always choose leggermente frizzante or Uliveto which stands between 1 and 2 in the scale above

So adjusting the list :

1 liscia ( or without bubbles )
1.5 uliveto
2 leggermente frizzante ( not so bubbly )
3 frizzanete / effervescente / gassata ( bubbly )
4 San pellegrino - Turbo bubbly :-)

Lemon juice however, when taken w/water becomes alkaline in the body and will balance out acids in the body; this is one reason I think the Italian people are so healthy! They eat a lot of lemons and use a lot of lemon juice on meats, salads and fruits, etc.
I've been buying the 365 italian water at Whole foods for .99 a bottle, but they just upped their price. I wonder if it is really from italy; it says it is. Just can't trust anything anymore. I miss the big 2 liters of frizzante we used to buy at Dico in italy for .35!

i guess why italians drink bottled mineral water is because the people do not trust the tap water plus in areas where agriculture is abundant like here in Emilia Romagna, reports of nitrates seeping into the water systems are among the issues. Although not publicly reported like in the media, it is a common knowledge that even my agricultural professor told us that, on the 1st day i arrived in Italy to do my semesters.
For an easier proof, take a pot of tap water and boiled it in which after that you will see a ring of white substances at the edge of the pot. Thats calcium or 'calcare'.
maybe thats why italians do not drink tap water but for me, i normally used it to make tea every morning and so far nothing has happened to me...:)

"Going back to the mineral water:
As Mark pointed out
- All bottled water in Italy is called mineral water."
You can ask for
1) liscia ( or without bubbles )
2) leggermente frizzante ( not so bubbly )
3) frizzanete / effervescente ( bubbly )

Again I'm not talking bottled water per se. We all drink
bottled water because the stuff out of the tap is bad.
I'm talking frizzanete mineral water not just regular water.

is it spelled Frizzanete or Frizzante?

i ask my italian mates and they say they drink l'acqua frizzante because it helps digestion after a heavy meal - they say it helps you burp?
apart from that, in summer , a cool l'acqua frizzante helps cool down the body faster and quench the thirst even better than l'acqua normale...

Sparkling water in Italy will not erode the enamel on your teeth.
the false carbonated waters will, there is a difference--the sparkling water in Italy comes with the bubbles naturally--the waters comes up from the ground sparkling.

Well, several of my Italian American students and
others say they can't stand the taste of the stuff.

Sono di accordo.

Villa
yes I was trying to explain that there are several degres of bubbliness.
I like mine only leggermente frizzante (a choice NOT availble in the US ) - I like the taste of Uliveto ( Not available in the US ) - you like it without any bubbles ...You are welcome - Some people like the bubbles and the taste of bubbly mineral water - I see no problem with that. :-)

Why do most Italians in Italy drink mineral water?

Not just Italy, but Europe in general.

Personally, I can't stand the stuff. I don't know what the infatuation with the stuff is.

I always order/buy bottled water that is non-carbonated...or better yet, a bottle of red wine.

Mountain Dew is the worse because its high amount of sugar and caffeine. I see too many oversize (really obese) people drinking Mountain Dew.

Paulo, that applies to any soft drinks. The stuff is crap. It costs pennies to make hence the huge profits...no wonder they can afford endless refills in restaurants.

The US counld't afford a national healthcare system unless they regulated the fast food industry and people's eating habits.

Hey, I love visiting. It makes my 15 extra pounds look like nothing. I always look like a starving third world visitor. LOL

Traveller, did you see my post about how terrible
coke and soft drinks are? Almost nobody believed it.
Coke and soft drink drinkers are in denial.

Soft DrinksSoft drinks have subversive and destructive physiological consequences ... You can put a T-bone steak in a bowl of coke and it will be gone in two days. ...
tuberose.com/Soft_Drinks.html - 34k - Cached - Similar pages

I agree with Villa! Soft drinks are pretty much pure crap. I think it's amazing how Americans are so obsessed with these beverages. I especially like when these overweight white women order diet cokes along with 2 cheeseburgers and fries! What kind of mentality is that!?

5 thums up for Slow Food movements!
no to Fast foods...?

Well I agree completely about the soda. However this has nothing to do with mineral ( Bottled ) water in Italy.
The one I like the most ( Uliveto ) comes as is from the source in the ground - Also the producers claims that it is good for you in many ways - There is no relation what so ever with soda that is artificially made-up. Here is the Italian from Uliveto label. Some bubbly ( mineral water come directly from the ground with bubbles some have added bubbles. At this point however I think I need to add an article on the subject on the main website -

Anyway here are some pieces from the Uliveto Label -

Acqua Minerale Naturale ULIVETO
Acqua minerale naturale bicarbonato solfato-calcica. Imbottigliata in Uliveto Terme come sgorga dalla sorgente
Aiuta la digestione.

Microbiologicamente pura. Effervescente naturale. Bicarbonato calcica. L'acqua Minerale Naturale Uliveto può avere effetti diuretici; può favorire la digestione e combattere la dispepsia; può svolgere azione coadiuvante nel trattamento della stipsi dell'adulto e del bambino.

You can put a T-bone steak in a bowl of coke and it will be gone in two days. ...


ummm.....no this is urban legend, which has been spread all over the net in the past years by chain letter spam.

First off - has anyone tried this before repeating it? Better yet, has anyone gone to the American South where you can try delicious ribs and brisket that are marinated in Coca-cola, or even better- Dr. Pepper?

I've marinated my share of meats in Coca-cola, sometimes as long as 24hrs and if Coke could dissolve steak in 48hrs, I would assume there would be signs of severe muscle fiber break-down. But no, all the Coke does is make the meat a little more tender (like all marinaded do) with a nice sweet kick to it.

Soda is not good for you because of too much sugar, calories and caffene - not because it is toxic, it's 98% sugar-water!

L'acqua Minerale Naturale Uliveto può avere effetti diuretici; .

I've never really understood this claim - it's on the label of several mineral water varieties over here - aren't all drinks diuretic?? Why don't they put this on wines, beers and spirits, which in my experience are far more diuretic than water!:D

Why do Italians drink so much bottled water? Because the climate is so hot of course & water from the tap actually comes out warm.

Come ho detto molte volte non sto parlando di bottle water regulare. Sto parlando di mineral water.