These six types of water should absolutely not be consumed.
Water, isn't it just H2O? What else is there to explain? All water is the same? From a chemical perspective, water is H2O, but from a practical standpoint, not all water is created equal! Which types of water might we commonly drink, yet potentially suffer harm from?
Raw Water:
Raw water contains bacteria, viruses, and parasites that are harmful to the human body. Drinking raw water can easily lead to acute gastroenteritis, viral hepatitis, typhoid, dysentery, and parasitic infections. Especially nowadays, rivers, reservoirs, and well water are all contaminated to varying degrees by industrial wastewater, domestic sewage, and pesticides, making it even easier to get sick from drinking raw water.
Aged Water:
Commonly known as "stagnant water," this is water that has been stored for a long time without moving. Drinking this type of water often can slow down the metabolism of cells in minors, affecting physical development; in middle-aged and older people, it can accelerate aging. Furthermore, the increasing incidence rates of esophageal and stomach cancer in many areas are reportedly linked to long-term consumption of aged water. Relevant data indicates that the toxic substances in aged water increase with the length of storage time.
Boiled-Over-and-Over Water:
This is water that has been repeatedly boiled. Because it has been boiled for too long, the concentration of non-volatile substances, such as heavy metals like calcium and magnesium, and nitrites, is very high. Drinking this water for a long time can interfere with the body's gastrointestinal function, causing temporary diarrhea and bloating. Nitrites can also cause hypoxia in the body, and in severe cases, can lead to coma, convulsions, and even death.
Steamer Water:
Steamer water is the leftover water from steaming foods like mantou and buns. Steamer water that has been reused multiple times has a high concentration of nitrites. Drinking this water often, or using it to congee, can cause nitrite poisoning. In addition, the limescale in steamer water, once it enters the human body, can cause diseases of the digestive, nervous, urinary, blood-forming, and circulatory systems, leading to premature aging. This is because the limescale contains harmful elements like cadmium, mercury, arsenic, and aluminum.
Unboiled Water:
The tap water people drink is sterilized by chlorination. Chlorinated water can also separate into 13 harmful substances, of which halohydrocarbons and chloroform are carcinogenic and teratogenic. When water temperature reaches 90°C, the content of halohydrocarbons increases from 53 micrograms per kilogram to 177 micrograms, exceeding the national hygiene standard for drinking water by 2 times. Experts point out that drinking unboiled water increases the likelihood of bladder and rectal cancer by 21% to 38%. When the water temperature reaches 100°C, these two harmful substances will greatly decrease with the evaporation of the water. If boiling is continued for another 3 minutes, it will be safer to drink.
Re-boiled Water:
Some people have the habit of re-boiling the remaining warm water from a thermos to drink, with the intention of saving water, coal (gas), and time. However, this kind of "saving" is not advisable. Because the water is boiled again, the water evaporates again, and the nitrite content will increase. Drinking this water often can cause nitrites to accumulate in the body, leading to poisoning.
After learning about the types of water that should not be drunk, how should we drink the various types of water commonly seen on the market? Let's break it down below!
Spring water, purified water, mineral water, mineralized water, alkaline water... what should we actually drink? Experts answer: The purpose of drinking water is to replenish fluids, and plain boiled water is sufficient. What matters when drinking water is not the type of water, but its hygiene and safety.
A wide variety of drinking waters
Ms. Chen plans to install a home water purifier when renovating her new home. But she heard that such purifiers also filter out trace elements and minerals from the water, so the water she drinks will have no nutrition, and she is a bit undecided.
Mr. Guo is an experienced tea connoisseur and is very particular about the water used for brewing tea. "I only use bottled purified water or mineral water," he said. Because tea itself is weakly acidic, it needs weakly alkaline water to brew it. This balance allows the tea's intrinsic qualities to be more fully released, resulting in the best taste.
Alkaline water has now become a trend. There is a saying that drinking alkaline water can increase the chances of having a boy. Mr. Liu, who wants to have a child, is now buying it by the caseful to take home.
Drink water to replenish fluids
In fact, these are not even considered problems by doctors. Zhang Lili, a nutritionist at the Zhengzhou Maternal and Child Health Hospital, says, "The purpose of drinking water is to replenish fluids, and plain boiled water is enough." As for minerals and nutrients, they can be completely obtained from other foods.
Zhang Lili says that the issue to pay attention to when drinking water is not the type of water, but its hygiene and safety. "For example, secondary contamination caused by water dispensers, and the timely removal of limescale from repeatedly boiled water—these are the issues that need attention."
Regarding the magical effects of alkaline water, Zhang Lili says that experts currently disagree. The human body is in a weakly acidic environment, but it has physiological functions for self-regulation. The blood pH value is always constant. In this sense, there is no need to supplement with alkaline water to balance it. As for increasing the chances of having a boy, there is no scientific basis.
Think twice before drinking
The market offers a wide variety of beverages, many of which have added nutrients, minerals, or sugar. For taste preference, they can be consumed in moderation, but they are not suitable for everyone. Milk drinks and pure fruit juice drinks contain certain amounts of nutrients and beneficial dietary components and can be consumed in moderation as a supplement to the diet. Some beverages added with certain minerals and vitamins are suitable for drinking after outdoor activities or exercise on hot days. Carbonated drinks with high sugar and artificial colors should be consumed as little as possible.
Many people have heard of the concept of eight glasses of water a day, but how big is a glass? Does it include the water from food?
Zhang Lili says that according to the balanced dietary guidelines recommended by the Chinese Nutrition Society, the daily fluid intake for an average adult should be 1200 to 2000 millimeters. This can be adjusted based on individual body shape and weather changes. In a 200-milliliter cup, this is 6 to 10 glasses, which is about 8 glasses. "This amount does not include the water from food."
Zhang Lili especially reminds that it is best to drink water in small, frequent amounts, and not to wait until you are thirsty. When replenishing fluids in a state of dehydration, the body absorbs it immediately, but also metabolizes it away quickly, which反而 reduces the body's efficiency in using water.
Is it bad to drink from a plastic cup?
Office worker Lan Tian is used to drinking from a plastic water cup. But recently, she saw online a message saying that drinking hot water from a plastic cup can cause female infertility, which greatly alarmed her: So, what kind of cup should she use to drink water?
It is reported that most plastic cups contain toxic components such as polyethylene. At normal temperatures, this is not a big problem. However, when the water in the cup is too hot, or the cup is used for too long, these toxic substances can be released. There have indeed been reports that frequent use of plastic cups for hot water can lead to infertility in both men and women, but this has not yet been clinically confirmed. Zhang Lili recommends using glass or ceramic cups for drinking water.
What to drink for the first glass in the morning? Doctors recommend warm boiled water.
After a night without water, blood viscosity increases. For the elderly with high blood lipids and cholesterol, drinking a glass of warm water immediately after getting up can quickly dilute the blood.
Depending on the individual, other types of water can also be chosen. Drinking a glass of honey water on an empty stomach in the morning can replenish fluids and add nutrition. For the elderly and those with constipation, it can also promote bowel movements.
Many people like to drink fruit and vegetable juice upon waking in the morning. Zhang Lili says that milk or juice should not be consumed on an empty stomach, as it may cause gastrointestinal discomfort or increased stomach acid.