By definition, mineral waters contain not less than 250 parts per million total dissolved solids, all of which occur naturally and none of which are added later on after the water is collected. Iron, chloride, sulfate, potassium, magnesium, manganese, silica, chromium, lithium, and copper are among the most frequently occurring minerals to be found in mineral water, and all of these minerals have known health benefits (as long as they are not over-consumed).

Mineral water is considered a health tonic by so many people because of these naturally occurring minerals. Some doctors also say that because the minerals are dissolved in and delivered into the body by water, this makes their absorption by the blood that much faster and more efficient and therefore mineral water is a wonderful way of getting needed minerals into the body while also hydrating yourself.

However, the purported health benefits of bottled water remain unproven to any sufficiently scientific degree. There are not many scientists or doctors who claim that mineral water will harm anyone (although there have been some concerns raised about the possibility of getting excessive metals or sodium from mineral water), but there are a great many who say that it seems to simply be any other water except with a greater degree of cleanliness and an unusual taste (which some like and some hate). There are also researchers who claim, contrary to the others mentioned above, that the minerals contained in mineral water are not organic minerals and therefore the human body won't absorb them anyway. (However, there seems to be a great deal of evidence against that assertion, especially given the fact that we are made up 80% of water and water is called "the universal solvent.")

There are synthetic mineral waters, meaning waters that were not naturally occurring mineral waters when collected but have since been "enriched" with minerals. Once again, there seems to be no sufficient scientific evidence that these waters add anything of significant value into a person's body chemistry except the water itself. These synthetic mineral waters are not supposed to be labeled "mineral water" so the are often called vitamin water or enhanced water.

Some researchers have published studies that conclude there are health benefits from drinking mineral water that has been additionally fortified with vitamins.

There is, however, much better scientific evidence that bathing in mineral water can have health benefits including easing rheumatoid arthritic pains and helping to heal an array of skin ailments. Proponents of mineral water's health benefits say that if bathing in mineral water has health benefits then it only makes sense that consuming it should, too.