Boiled water is present in the diet of almost every person, it is used both for making tea or coffee and for cooking most dishes, and is used by many as an alternative to raw tap water.
There are many discussions regarding the benefits of boiled water, and most of them concern the harm of water boiled more than once. Let's try to figure out whether water that has been boiled again is really unsafe for health, why it is also called “dead” and which one should be preferred - boiled or raw liquid.
Composition of tap water
In order to understand what happens to water during the boiling process and how its composition changes during the second and subsequent heat treatments, it is necessary to know the component composition of tap liquid.
Tap water consists of the following components:
- The chemical formula of water is H2O, accordingly, it consists of two hydrogen atoms combined with an oxygen atom.
- The composition includes chlorine in a certain percentage, which is used to purify the liquid.
- Magnesium and potassium salts are present in the composition; they are the ones that “precipitate” during boiling. Visually, the presence of these salts is indicated by the appearance of scale on the walls of the kettle and its heating elements.
- Heavy metals and impurities, in the form of alkalis.
The liquid flowing from the tap is colorless, odorless, and tasteless.
Physico-chemical characteristics of water
The structure of a water molecule is known from a school chemistry course. It consists of two hydrogen atoms connected to one oxygen atom. The chemical formula of water is H2O. The liquid is colorless, transparent, tasteless and odorless. Tap and natural water (river, lake, spring) contains many dissolved mineral chemical impurities, most of which are harmful to the human body. In addition, natural water contains complex high-molecular organic compounds, microflora and microfauna.
What happens during boiling
The boiling process involves bringing a liquid to a temperature of one hundred degrees Celsius, at which the evaporation process starts and the composition undergoes changes.
Initially, it is worth saying that boiling is a process in which the present pathogenic microorganisms and bacteria die, if they are present.
But against the background of the detrimental effect on the pathogens of the disease, other processes also occur that are difficult to classify as positive for humans:
- When boiling, water evaporates, which is reflected in the concentration of impurities and metal salts in the resulting liquid towards an increase.
- Chlorine under the influence of high temperatures enters into chemical reactions, which results in the appearance of dioxins, as well as carcinogens that can affect the cells of the human body, with the risk of developing diseases of complex etiology.
- Potassium and magnesium precipitate under the influence of temperatures, become insoluble, and are not absorbed by the human body.
- Sodium fluoride, which is part of the component composition of tap water, takes on a form that is dangerous to humans after boiling.
Naturally, all these negative characteristics, with proper boiling, single and short, cannot become critical for a person, since “undesirable” components accumulate in the body slowly. According to scientists, a visible negative “effect” from drinking such a liquid is possible only if you drink only boiled water every day for several decades in a row.
So what's wrong with re-boiled water then? Is it harmful or not to consume water that has been boiled again?
Water "living" and "dead"
What happens to all these substances when water boils? Bacteria and viruses definitely die at the first boil. Especially if the water is taken from a dubious source. Salts of heavy metals, unfortunately, do not disappear from water, and when boiling, their concentration can only increase due to the fact that a certain volume of water evaporates. The greater the number of boils, the higher the concentration of harmful salts. But, according to scientists, their number is still not enough to cause significant harm to the body at one time.
As for chlorine, during boiling it forms a lot of organochlorine compounds. And the longer the boiling process lasts, the more such compounds are formed. These include carcinogens and dioxins that can have a negative effect on the cells of the human body. Scientists, in the course of laboratory studies, found that such compounds appear even if the water was purified before boiling. The harmful effects of such water will not be immediately noticeable; aggressive substances accumulate in the body for a long time, which does not immediately lead to the development of serious diseases. To harm the body, you need to drink this water every day for several years.
According to British woman Julie Harrison, who has extensive experience in researching the influence of lifestyle and nutrition on the occurrence of cancer, every time water is boiled, the nitrates, heavy metals and sodium fluoride contained in the water become more dangerous.
Nitrates
are converted into carcinogenic nitrosamines, which in some cases cause leukemia, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and other types of cancer.
Arsenic
can also cause oncology, heart pathologies, infertility, neurological problems and, of course, poisoning.
Sodium fluoride
negatively affects the cardiovascular system, and in large doses can lead to sudden changes in blood pressure and dental fluorosis.
Beneficial substances such as calcium and magnesium
when boiled, they turn into an insoluble form and are not absorbed by the body, and even become dangerous: they damage the kidneys, contribute to the formation of stones in them, and also provoke arthrosis and arthritis.
Repeatedly boiling water for children is especially not recommended, since its high sodium fluoride content can seriously harm their mental and neurological development. Another fact in favor of the inadmissibility of repeated boiling is the formation of deuterium - heavy hydrogen - in water. Ordinary water turns into “dead” water, the constant use of which is harmful to the body. However, scientists are of the opinion that the concentration of deuterium in water, even after several heat treatments, is negligible. According to the research of academician I.V. Petryanov-Sokolov, to obtain one liter of water with a lethal concentration of deuterium, you will have to boil more than two tons of liquid from the tap. By the way, water boiled several times changes its taste not for the better, so tea or coffee made from it will not be what it should be!
Is it possible to boil multiple times in a kettle?
There is a lot of discussion regarding the question of why you can’t boil water several times. There are people who claim that the procedure is not dangerous and does not cause harm to the body, based on the lack of evidence in this direction.
Doctors, in turn, claim that repeated boiling of water is harmful, and here’s why:
- Water boiled 2 or more times acquires an unpleasant, metallic taste.
- The boiling procedure “kills” the liquid, destroying all the beneficial substances. Repeatedly boiled water is often called a “dead” liquid, and even a liquid dangerous to the body.
- Due to evaporation, each time the concentration of salts and impurities in the remaining substance becomes greater.
Physicists also give an answer to the question why it is impossible to boil water twice: secondary boiling is accompanied by accelerated evaporation, and the processes of formation of unfavorable components for the body are accelerated. At the same time, deuterium is formed in water against the background of hydrogen evaporation, as a component that has a toxic effect on the body.
The water becomes hard, unsuitable for drinking, and there are no useful components left in it that the body needs for normal functioning. Carcinogens accumulate at an accelerated rate, and if they enter the body regularly, there is a high probability of developing cancer cells. A large amount of salts and impurities in the liquid contributes to the appearance of kidney and liver stones. Fluorides, formed from minerals and salts, under the influence of repeated exposure to temperatures, increase the likelihood of infertility in women, and for the younger generation they pose a threat of mental retardation.
According to modern scientific research, it is strictly forbidden to boil water several times; only primarily thermally treated water can be used as drinking water.
Naturally, whether to boil or not is up to you to decide, but the facts make you think about the relevance and safety of such a procedure, inclining in favor of the latter option.
Boiling to purify and soften water
The benefit of boiling is that it destroys dangerous bacteria and makes the water softer. This is the easiest and most affordable way to cleanse at home. If you boil water for 15 minutes along with steam, harmful chemical compounds will go away. But along with these elements, the concentration of calcium and other useful minerals decreases. At the same time, bleach and non-volatile substances remain in the composition. In boiled water they turn into more dangerous carcinogens.
The longer and more you boil water, the more useful substances will be lost, the more useless it will become. In addition, after boiling, salt deposits and stains remain on the walls of the dishes, and scale forms. At the same time, the level of dangerous pollutants in the water is low enough that it will not cause serious harm to health.
If you use an electric kettle, it turns off quickly and the boiling time is short. Therefore, repeated or even repeated boiling will not be harmful. However, many experts still do not recommend repeating this procedure and consider it unnecessary. Let's figure out why you can't boil water twice.
How many times can you boil
And let's move on to the main question: is it possible to boil water several times? The answer is clear - you can boil it, but you absolutely cannot drink it. Water boiled several times turns into a substance dangerous to the human body.
Accordingly, it is important to try to keep track of what kind of water is in the kettle and how many times it has already been boiled before you. If you want to make tea or coffee or just drink boiled, cooled water, try to adhere to the following simple rules:
- Each time, pour fresh water into the kettle or other boiling container.
- Descale your kettle regularly.
- Do not add to boiled, fresh water.
- Try to boil pre-settled or filtered water. There will be fewer impurities in it, and, accordingly, the concentration of heavy components and metals in the boiled liquid will be less.
According to researchers and scientists, you can boil water only once, in compliance with the rules described above - only under such conditions can the negative impact of boiled water on the body be eliminated.
Repeated boiling is dangerous: myth or truth?
A handful of doctors disagree with the opinion of the main group of scientists. Thus, endocrinologist Mikhail Bogomolov expresses the opinion that the changes that occur in water after repeated boiling should not be considered mortally dangerous.
To get a liter of dead water, says academician I.V. Petryanov-Sokolov, you need more than 2 thousand tons of liquid from the water supply. Water boiled several times causes much less harm to the body than smoking a cigarette or car exhaust fumes.
Boiled water becomes dangerous when heated several times to 100 degrees
But it is still advised to boil once rather than repeatedly. After the first boiling, all pathogenic microorganisms die. Tea is brewed with boiling water.
Do not dilute a hot drink with cold tap water, as this will lead to intestinal problems. When boiling, it is not recommended to dilute cold water in a kettle with hot water.
Which water is better: fresh tap water or boiled water?
Having dealt with the quality indicators of boiled water, let’s move on to the question of what kind of water is best to use so that it “increases” vitality, and does not become a provocateur, albeit in the distant future, of the development of incurable, complex diseases.
Naturally, if we consider boiling as a process preceding the preparation of an aromatic drink, coffee or tea, then there is no alternative - just boil, and before drinking, let the water settle for several minutes so that the chlorine and its derivatives evaporate as much as possible.
If you use it in its “pure form,” then it is better to give preference to filtered water in jug-type devices.
You should absolutely not drink raw spring water, as bacteria “live” in it, which can cause food poisoning and provoke more complex diseases.
Boiled once, settled water in a cooled form will not negatively affect the body, can be used without fear for health, in addition, it promotes digestion processes, improves blood circulation, and helps in removing toxic substances from the body.
Ideally, it would be best to alternate between taking “properly” filtered water and boiling it according to the described rules.
Is distilled water good or bad?
Many "experts" in the field of water purification often advise using distilled liquid. It seems that its beneficial qualities do not disappear even after several boilings. But is it?
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Distilled water, having gone through the stages of evaporation, cooling and condensation, receives simultaneous saturation with oxygen and carbon dioxide (as well as a number of other substances). As the level of carbon dioxide in a liquid increases, the aquatic environment becomes slightly acidic. If distillation is carried out several times, the water will become completely neutral (this is used for technical purposes, for example, for refilling batteries).
Reasons why you should not drink distilled water:
- Its pH is several units lower, which negatively affects metabolism.
- It does not dissolve the minerals that are needed for normal nerve conduction, to renew body tissues and maintain hormonal levels.
Is distilled water harmful or beneficial? It is definitely harmful, because if a person often drinks distilled water, he does not receive minerals in the required quantities, so he first develops kidney disease, and subsequently other pathologies.
Summarizing
Despite the divergence of opinions, it is still more correct to resolve the issue of boiling water multiple times, based on the arguments of researchers confirming the harmfulness of conditioned drinking and even its dangerous effect on the body.
Open your kettle and inspect its bottom and heating parts: the scale that has accumulated on them is only a tiny fraction of what can enter your body every day when you drink “deeply” boiled water every day. Be prudent and take care of your health when it comes to boiling: it is enough to add new water to the kettle each time before preparing your favorite drink.
