When I visited Turkey in early October, I had the opportunity to discover one of the country's most famous treasures: its remarkable natural mineral waters 🙌🏼
In addition to its scenic beauty and rich history, Turkey also has a diverse and flourishing mineral water culture, each of which probably (later you'll find out why probably 😉 ) has a unique mineral composition, distinctive taste profile and sometimes even healing properties.
Here are eleven unique mineral waters that I discovered from my trip to Turkey:
No. 1: Kizilay Afyonkarahisar
The history of this water dates back to the 8th century BC, when the daughter of King Midas fell ill and was cured by the hot spring. The medicinal water of Kizilay Afyonkarahisar was bottled as early as 1890 and used in hospitals. It has a total mineralisation of over 3,481 mg/l and is rich in sodium and bicarbonate, among other minerals.
No. 2: Kizilay Erzincan
Since 2014, the company has been offering a second water that is in no way inferior to the first. At 1,917 mg/l, it contains slightly fewer minerals, but the magnesium content is very high at 317.45 mg/l. This makes it a daily companion in the world of work, for example to minimise stress.
No. 3: Uludağ Natural Mineral Water
The licence to bottle water from the slopes of Uludağ Mountain near Bursa was granted in 1912. The natural mineral water has a high content of hydrogen carbonate (1,429 mg/l), calcium (179 mg/l) and magnesium (72 mg/l), which makes it an ideal product for daily use (e.g. sports, heartburn, digestion).
No. 4: Uludağ Premium
This is the sparkling version, launched in 2009. With its light carbonation and refreshing profile, Uludağ is an ideal accompaniment to strong Turkish cuisine.
No. 5: Sirma
Sirma is another brand of natural spring and mineral water. There are four springs: Sapanca, Bursa, Aydin and Burdur. It is unclear whether and to what extent the springs differ in terms of mineralisation, as no details are given on the website.
No. 6: Pürsu
Pürsu has been available since 2011 with the two brands Pürsu Elite and Pürsu Premium from different regions (Uludağ and Nazilli). As with Sirma, there is no information on the mineralisation of the water.
No. 7: Kestane
The spring water known as 'chestnut water' comes from a chestnut forest and has been known since 1930.
No. 8: Mila
The water comes from the heart of Sapanca.
Unfortunately, not all the minerals are listed on the website. Sulphate (23mg/l), Sodium (8.3mg/l), Chloride (10.4mg/l).
No. 9: Erikli
Erakli, owned by Nestlé Waters, has been on the market since 1952 and also comes from Mount Uludağ. The website states that 16 million bottles of Erakli are consumed every day. There is also no information on mineralisation.
No. 10: Damla Natural Spring Water
Damla belongs to Coca-Cola. The brand includes four springs: Sapanca, Uludağ, Elazig and Sandras. No information on mineralisation can be found.
No. 11: Beypazarı Mineral Water
Beypazarı from Ankara is one of Turkey's best-known brands of mineral water. It is highly carbonated and has a refreshing, lively taste that goes well with rich dishes. Its high mineral content (over 3,323 mg/l), especially calcium (205 mg/l), magnesium (124.6 mg/l) and hydrogen carbonate (1,433.5 mg/l), gives the water a remarkable taste and helps to digest especially acidic foods and drinks.
To sum up, Turkey has a great variety of unique mineral waters. However, as a consumer, I would like to see the companies be more transparent about the mineralisation and what effect the individual minerals in the water have on the human body. Kizilay, Uludağ and Beypazarı have already done this very well in some cases.
With that said: Su iç, #hidratekal
Best regards
Timo Bausch
Certified Water Sommelier
About Timo Bausch
My fascination with mineral waters began in 2016 during my training as a Water Sommelier. Since then, I have been exploring the characteristics and diversity of water. In addition to pairing water with food, wine, coffee and other beverages, I offer the creation of water menus for restaurants and hotels. Furthermore, it is also important to me to draw attention to the importance of drinking water.
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