Sous Club Food News, Facts, and Fun Reviews

Category: Food Allergy Facts For Kids

Use These Good Safety Rules When using Tap Water in the Kitchen

Ah, water.... It goes by so many names like agua and H²O. We bath in it, use it to wash our dishes and our clothes. We even swim in it in the summer months.

Psst! Did you know that between 60 to 70 percent of our bodies are made up of water? That's more than half of each of us!

Want the straight facts about cooking with this necessary liquid that is in 100% of all our favorite recipes? If you live in the city then you need to pay close attention to the tap water that comes out of your kitchen sink! Do you know why? It's because the city recycles your water! Now out in the country where we live our tap water comes from a well. Well water can be dirty with all kinds of things too, so my advice pretty much covers everybody who gets their cooking water from the kitchen sink!

You see, even though water is clear and looks clean, there are actually a lot of crazy things floating around in it. These tiny floating bits of stuff are called contaminants. You can't see them unless you pour a glass of water and stick it on the counter right away in front of a bright window with the sun shining through. Psst! Run the tap water first thing in the morning to drain out the contaminants. Water sitting in pipes collects a lot of debris! You might see them floating around in the glass.

Some of the most common contaminants are plastics and metals like PVCs, copper and lead (they come from plumbing pipes), chemicals like fluoride and chlorine (which is toxic at high levels), and tiny living organisms called parasites. Most people now adays use special water filters that they put on their faucets to clean the tap water. Even if you have one of these there are still some things you should do when you cook with tap water.

When you are using tap water in your kitchen remember to:

• Always make sure it is not cold unless the recipe asks for cold water. Just let it sit out at room temperature.
• Wait 2 minutes after the water boils before adding your vegetables to it. Do this because boiling water gets rid of some of its oxygen. Getting rid of the oxygen helps your veggies keep their nutrients. 
• Psst! Hot Water from your water heater is the worst!Don't drink or cook with tap water when you get up in the morning unless you let it run for about a minute first to clear out any settled contaminants.
• After filling your glass, check the water to make sure it is not cloudy. If it is just wait a few minutes. If it clears then those clouds are from tiny bubbles. Those bubbles are formed from the water pressure in the tap when you fill a glass. If the water stays cloudy you may have iron deposits, dirt, or bacteria in your water.
• To stop your pasta, veggies, or potatoes from boiling over in your pot, add a few drops of oil to the water before you add your food.