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Are you aware of how important the quality of your water is? You may think that your water quality is only important when it comes to drinking. But think of all the ways that you use your water! Drinking, bathing, cleaning, washing clothes, and cooking; The quality of your water can affect all these things! If you are someone who loves to cook but can’t figure out why it tastes a little bit off, you may want to consider checking out your water. Over 75% of homes in America tend to have hard water. Hard water can cause all sorts of negative impacts in your home and on your body; cooking being one of them!
Hard Water
Hard water consists of high levels of calcium and magnesium. Although you may not see them, they can have a big impact on what you are making for dinner! Pour some of your tap water into a pot and examine it. Does it have a bad odor to it? Does it taste bad when you take a sip? This could be because of the amount of chlorine or other chemicals in your water. Think about what you use this water for! When you go get groceries, you may have to come home and clean the fruits and vegetables; but do you know what you are cleaning it with? Did you know that the water you are cleaning and cooking with can actually absorb into the food? This applies to many of the foods that you cook and the food you plan to boil. It is very important that you filter the water prior to using it for your food.
Hard water also can increase cooking time! If you are in a rush and you are trying to get a full meal cooked, hard water could delay things from getting done as soon as you’d like. The water takes longer to boil, and it has the potential to increase the boiling point. If you are a big pasta or rice fan, these two dishes may take a bigger hit from the hard water. They can absorb the water and have a bad taste, and it could also affect the texture making it harder or tougher than it needs to be.
Baking
When water is not very good quality, it can have a big effect on your baked goods! Calcium and magnesium from hard water have the ability to change the structure of your ingredients. Gluten, yeast, and other ingredients can change due to the water. Low-quality water can cause the yeast to become rubbery and make the dough tough to bake with. At the same time, water that is too soft can make the dough sticky! Baking is an art form, and every aspect of the dish needs thought put into it.
Hard water is more alkaline and can slow the fermentation process of the yeast. Although not everything is visible, this dramatically affects the look, feel, and taste of whatever you are baking.
Solutions
There are a few things that you can do to help remedy this situation. We all want to make sure that our water quality is at its highest! When we become concerned with things like our food and drinks tasting better, we need to figure out what is causing it to taste the way it does. If you are dealing with hard water, a water softener would be a great option. This helps to remove the harsh chemicals and will result in better-tasting water. When your food absorbs the water, it will not have to deal with the chemicals and will taste much better in cooked and raw foods. This will also help the water to boil faster and taste better in rice and pasta foods.
If you are dealing with bad odors and you can see things in your water, you can look at a few different options. Reverse osmosis is a good option that will ensure your water is clean, free of impurities, and have a much better taste. You will notice a huge difference in your teas, coffees, soups, or anything linked right to water. But, you will also taste the freshness come back in your main cooked dishes as well. A lot of commercial kitchens use Reverse osmosis systems to make sure that their water quality is top-notch.
If you get frustrated and concerned with your cooking taste, consider factors as to why it could be tasting the way it is. Have your water tested to determine what chemicals you are dealing with and decide what the best option would be moving forward! High-quality water can have an amazing impact on the taste of your food.
