Do you know what is in the water you drink and use for cooking? It comes straight from your tap and has been processed by your local water board; you must assume it is safe to drink.
If you are lucky enough to live in NYC then you may feel particularly confident; it is known for having the best tasting water in the country; despite the fact that much of the 1 billion gallons delivered every day comes from reservoirs as far away as 125 miles from the city.
Is NYC Water Safe To Drink
Unfortunately, while this water is safe to drink and may have one of the best tastes in the country, it is not completely devoid of additives and chemicals. In fact, TimeOut recently discovered that the water in NYC actually has several chemicals which have potential health risks to people living within the city.
All the toxins, such as bromodichloromethane, are within government guidelines; but this does not mean they do not have potential effects for your health.
The Solution
To give yourself peace of mind it is a good idea, no matter whether you live in NYC or elsewhere, to indulge in a high quality water filter system. The best ones are those which have a reverse osmosis water filter built into them.
The reverse osmosis filter works through 5 stages to ensure all minerals, particulates and even fine particles are removed; leaving you with clean and even better tasting water.
You will also notice 3 specific benefits when cooking with clean water:
1. Improved Taste
Any water which has chemicals in, particularly chlorine, will have an altered taste. This is something you may not notice as you have always drunk it this way. However, once you remove these chemicals and additives you will be aware of how much better it tastes.
This translates into your cooking. Each of the flavors in your food will be clearer and more noticeable when they are not tainted by the influence of these minerals in your water.
2. Clean Fruits & Vegetables
Fruits and vegetables need to be washed before they are eaten; this is to remove any chemicals and other substances they may have picked up while in the soil. However, if you wash them with unfiltered water you may be adding just as many contaminants to them as you have removed; altering the flavor of your food again.
You can appreciate the pure taste of the fruit by washing it in filtered water.
3. Reduced Sodium
Finally, water from your tap is likely to be hard water; as many as 90% of the households in France have naturally occurring hard water. The consequence of this is that many homes already have water softeners fitted. These remove the calcium and magnesium from the water and replace it with soap.
Although this prevents damage to your appliances and makes it easier to get lather; sodium is another mineral which has to be monitored when being added to your body. Cooking with water that has not been filtered through 5 stage reverse osmosis may mean excessive exposure to salt; this will affect the taste of your cooking and can affect your long term health.
Summary
Whether you enjoy the best tasting water in the country or not, you will find that a water filter will provide you with clean water which tastes even better and offers several benefits when cooking. IT might be time to go shopping for a water filter!
