Summer in Malta is a thrilling cocktail of sun, sea, long days that never seem to end, and evenings watching the sun go down with a frilly drink in hand. Yet summer can be particularly harsh – and the heat can take its toll. One of the best ways to counter the heat is to hydrate – with water being the healthiest option.

That said, while water is, on the surface, the same – it’s actually not, and there are significant differences between local table water and natural mineral water.

According to the European Commission, natural mineral waters can be distinguished from ordinary drinking water by their purity at source, their constant level of minerals and the fact that they are intended for human consumption in their natural state and are bottled at source. In Malta, the local table water goes through extensive treatment and purification processes in order for it to meet drinking standards.

Unlike table water, natural mineral water like Levissima water, does not need to be treated – and naturally contains various minerals and trace elements. Natural mineral water has other benefits, and ensures intake of oligoelements such as calcium, magnesium, bicarbonates, fluorine, which are fundamental, together with water, for the natural course of biochemical reactions and physiological processes.

Levissima water is a natural mineral water that flows in Valtellina, in the heart of the Central Alps, in a protected area on the western edge of the Stelvio Natural Park. This natural mineral water is bottled directly at source, in order to maintain the mineral water’s natural inherent qualities.

Levissima natural mineral water is also beneficial for digestion – indeed, it can have an essential role in stimulating digestion, nutrient absorption (Bankir et al., 2017; Bothe et al. 2017; Società Italiana di Nutrizione Umana (SINU), 2014; Toxqui & Vaquero, 2016; Zubkova et al., 2001), and has diuretic effects because the bicarbonate content in the water increases the excretion of uric acid (Bertaccini & Borghesi, 2009).

Initially known almost exclusively by the inhabitants of Cepina, in the Alta Valtellina, the Levissima water owes its name to the Latin adjective ‘levis’, which means ‘light’. With a fixed residue of 88.3mg/L at 180ᵒC, Levissima mineral water is classified as an oligomineral water, or lightly mineralised water. Compared to table water, Levissima is: Lower in sodium (2.1mg/L versus 5mg/L in table water); Higher in calcium (23.1mg/L versus 5mg/L); and lower in chlorine (0.3mg/L versus 5mg/L). This mineral composition makes it ideal for low sodium diets and infant food preparation.