What is the ideal drinking water temperature?
I have often been asked in my talks, should you drink cold, room temperature or hot water?
It appears there is as much confusion regarding the ideal temperature, as there is to how much water we should be drinking.
Up until now the common belief is room temperature, however water slightly cooler, or slightly warmer actually uses a few calories by the body to bring it to body temperature. This calorie amount does not add up to anything substantial so this won't be the deciding factor.
Water likes the cold
This is a little more complicated but water left to its own devices will tend to aim for 4 degrees celsius.
Spring water or water flowing down from the mountains will seek cover of trees and vegetation to shield it from the sun.
The vigorous flowing of the water mixed in with a bit of water thermodynamics will help water to maintain this temperature.
Common sense tells us, we must copy this too
When you are dehydrated, maybe having been at the beach all day, simply ask yourself when stopping at a shop.
Do I feel like a cold drink out of the fridge or one off the shelf at room temperature?
99% of the time the answer is,"cold of course"
The most interesting thing science has discovered so far, is that there appears to be a forth phase of water, not just ice, liquid and steam which we were all taught as basic chemistry at school.
The forth phase
This forth phase is when water is the most dense. This occurs naturally where we have not intervened with the natural landscape by deforestation and the stripping of vegetation to leave barren river banks.
What is also interesting is that water will follow the shade, it likes to be dark, cold and free flowing.
Hitler, was worried too
Hitler had a problem with his springs drying up and sought many an expert to help alleviate this escalating disaster.
It wasn't until he met with Viktor Schauberger(Austrian naturalist and iconoclast) who explained that the deforestation and clearing of the trees was causing this, was he able to rectify it.
How do we copy this?
I have spent a lot of time researching, testing and trialling different methods to bring water as close to this ideal as possible.
At first it may seem a little time consuming, but with practice you will find it incredibly simple.
I use a Stoneware Gravity Water Filter System for my home which uses a ceramic filter. The ceramic filter is to filter chlorine and other nasties that may have made it into tap water out.
I understand that many of you may not be using a water filter and may see this as costly. A cheap solution is a water filter jug which I would fill with tap water and place this in the fridge which is dark and cold.
I add a tablespoon of azomite or bentonite clay(to add a mineral component) to the bottom of the unit, where the clean water drains into once it has been filtered.
The next step is to put the water into two 1 litre glass containers in the fridge to help cool them down to 4-6 degrees celsius.
Once these have cooled down, I will fill up my double-insulated 1 litre drinking flask. (You will still have a spare 1 litre in the fridge for later). Once the water is in the double insulated flask it should keep cold for up to 48hrs.
I and many others trying this would definitely agree it does feel more hydrating.
Something to ponder
Viktor Schauberger found when experimenting with copying natures methods of cooling and energising water, that participants drinking 1 litre of this water would only gain 300-400 grams in weight.
What had happened to the other 600-700grams was a mystery.
We have come a long way but clearly this leads to the idea that water is not just water.
My name is Blair Harvey and I have had the pleasure of working at one of Australia's best Health Retreat's for the past fourteen wonderful years. Over those years I have had the delight of working with a spectacular kitchen team, we all have an immense passion for cooking good healthy food that is unique and tantalizing to your taste buds. Together we have not only developed our skills in cooking wholesome, nourishing and out right delicious foods, but we have been committed to broadening our knowledge of healing with whole foods and exploring the beauty of healthy living. Because of our enthusiasm in the benefits of foods and there healing properties I developed a blog to help us SHARE what we have learnt with the rest of the world.
You will find tasty gems of wisdom on health, food and healing, helping to expand your mind and revitalize your knowledge of healthy eating.