Donat Mg facts for kids
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| Type | mineral water |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Rogaška Slatina-springs |
| Country of origin | Slovenia |
| Introduced | 1908 |
| Colour | Transparent |
Donat is a special natural mineral water that comes from springs in Rogaška Slatina, a town in Slovenia. It has a lot of magnesium in it. People often drink it to help with problems like constipation, heartburn, or when their body needs more magnesium.
Contents
The Story of Donat
Donat water was first sold to people in 1908. But the springs in Rogaška Slatina have been known for a very long time. Old digs in the area show that people from Celtic and Roman times might have used these springs too.
The first known owner of the springs was a church in a nearby village called Sveti Križ. The first time the mineral water spring was written about was in 1141. It was mentioned in a document about land. The water was first tested in 1572 to see what was in it.
Early Days and Royal Interest
In 1670, a doctor named Paul de Sorbait, who worked for the royal family in Austria, introduced the water to the court. Soon, other doctors in Vienna and around the empire started telling their patients to try therapies with this water. The springs became very popular in 1665 when a count named Petar Zrinski talked about their healing powers. A hospital in Graz even tested the water as a medicine.
Around this time, the first inn (like a hotel) was built near the springs in 1676. In 1685, a doctor named Johann Benedikt Gründel wrote the first scientific book about the Rogaška mineral water.
In the early 1700s, Emperor Leopold I gave the right to sell the water to important people in Vienna. Later, in 1721, Emperor Charles VI gave the selling rights to a group of pharmacists in Vienna. This group kept the rights until 1782. After that, the local owners took over, and the area didn't grow as much for a while.
Growth and Popularity
In the early 1800s, a governor named Count Ferdinand Attems started buying land around the Rogaška springs. He wanted to make sure the springs were used safely and to build a modern spa. People and doctors supported his idea. Work began in 1801. By 1869, Rogaška water was the third most sold water in the world! Only water from French Vichy and German Selters sold more. You could buy it in many places, even in Italy, Greece, and Egypt. It even won an award at a big World Exhibition in Chicago in 1893.
From that time on, tourism became very important in the area. Many hotels were built between 1840 and 1860. A new railway line from Vienna to Trieste in 1857 made it easier for people to visit. Many famous people came to the resort, including members of royal families and important nobles. Even the famous composer Franz Liszt visited and played music for the guests.
In 1908, a new spring with a lot of minerals was found by a team led by Dr. Joseph Knett. This special mineral water was named DONAT.
Modern Times
After the Second World War, new wells were found. This helped scientists learn more about how to find and get underground water in Slovenia. Many wells were drilled to get enough Donat (and Tempel) mineral water for the health spa and the bottling factory.
After Slovenia became an independent country, the resort faced some challenges. But now, it's doing well again. Many beautiful 19th-century buildings still stand along the main street, showing its rich history. Today, Rogaška Slatina has several hotels, a health resort, and a spa park.
Donat is a brand name owned by a company called Droga Kolinska, which is part of Atlantic Grupa. This company also makes Cockta, a well-known Slovenian soft drink. Today, Donat is sold in many countries across Europe.
How Donat is Produced and Sold
In 1934, most of the Donat bottles were sent to other parts of Yugoslavia and abroad. About 2,500,000 bottles were sold in total.
By 1974, the factory in Rogaška Slatina sold Donat and Styria as special medicinal waters. Tempel was sold as a regular table water. Donat and Tempel were sold all over Yugoslavia and Europe. They were the third biggest sellers of mineral water in Yugoslavia.
In 1975, a scientist found the best spot to drill for Donat Mg water. In 1976, the water was officially named Donat Mg. By 1977, more Donat Mg was produced than Tempel water, and sales grew a lot.
In 1985, they started selling Rogaška table mineral water along with Donat Mg. They also opened a new bottling line. In 1986, a new distribution center was built in Belgrade to help send the water to more places.
What's Inside Donat Water?
Donat water has many different minerals. Here's a table showing some of the main ones:
| Total Minerals (TDS) | 13197 mg/L |
|---|---|
| Calcium (Ca2+) | 362 mg/L |
| Magnesium (Mg2+) | 1040 mg/L |
| Sodium (Na+) | 1570 mg/L |
| Potassium (K+) | 17 mg/L |
| Chloride (Cl−) | 74.4 mg/L |
| Sulfate (SO42−) | 2092 mg/L |
| Fluoride (F−) | 0.17 mg/L |
| Nitrate (NO3−) | 0.1 mg/L |
| Manganese (Mn2+) | 0.11 mg/L |
| Aluminum (Al3+) | 0.2 mg/L |
| Strontium (Sr2+) | 9.8 mg/L |
It's usually suggested to drink about 500 milliliters (half a liter) of Donat per day.
How Donat Helps Your Body
Helping with Constipation
Donat Mg is a natural way to help with constipation. It works like a "saline laxative." This means it has special salts, like magnesium sulfate (also known as Epsom salt) and sodium sulfate. These salts pull water into your intestines. This makes the contents in your intestines bigger, which then pushes on the walls of your intestines. This pressure helps your intestines move things along, making it easier to go to the bathroom. The magnesium in Donat also helps by making your intestinal hormones work better.
Reducing Heartburn
Your stomach makes a lot of acidic liquids every day, mostly hydrochloric acid. Donat Mg has a lot of hydrogen carbonate, about 7,800 milligrams. Hydrogen carbonate is very good at soaking up acids. When you drink Donat Mg, it helps to balance out the extra stomach acid. This makes Donat Mg a natural way to help with heartburn, similar to some medicines.
Fixing Magnesium Shortage
Magnesium is a very important mineral that your body needs to stay healthy. Your body carefully controls how much magnesium it has. If your cells don't have enough magnesium, your body takes it from places where it stores magnesium, like your bones and liver. If you don't have enough magnesium, you might feel constipated, lose your appetite, feel tired, have low energy, get muscle cramps, feel tingly, be easily annoyed, have trouble sleeping, get headaches, or find it hard to focus.
Experts say that adults need about 375 milligrams of magnesium each day. Drinking about 0.3 to 0.4 liters of Donat Mg natural mineral water can give you enough magnesium for the day.
Scientific Studies on Donat
A scientific study was done in Berlin, Germany, to see if Donat Mg really helps with digestion. The study followed all the rules for testing medicines. It looked at people who had constipation problems. After six weeks, the people who drank Donat Mg went to the bathroom three times more often than those who didn't. During the study, more than 94% of the people who drank Donat Mg and 97% of the researchers said that Donat Mg worked well, was easy to take, and made their lives better. This study was done very carefully to make sure the results were accurate and safe.
