Reverse Osmosis Water Filters

[Plato]

I see a lot of postings about cooking equipment and knives and other such topics, but I have not seen anything on water purifiers. As we all know, starting with quality ingredients is one of the most important aspects of cooking, and one of the most basic and universal ingredients in every recipe is dihydrogen monoxide - a.k.a. water. With that in mind, I would like to know if anyone else is interested in the quality of their water as it relates to cooking, and what better way to find out than to start a topic on Reverse Osmosis Water Filters.

I have found reverse osmosis to be the best, most economical method of water purification around, and after cooking with pure water, let me tell you, you really notice the difference. If your tap water does not taste good by itself, it will not taste good in your food!

Some of my favorite RO systems are by TGI Pure. They offer both under sink and countertop units - depending on your preference one of those systems would probably be perfect for your drinking and cooking needs (especially good for smoothies and protein shakes).

If you’re interested, a here is great site for Reverse Osmosis Systems: LINK REMOVED
They have plenty of information, and if you’re in the United States you can even order a unit from them.

 

[tancowgirl2000]

We rather like our Well water....fresh and pure from the ground...how pure, well its natural. Has no bad tastes, no egg smell, no chlorine added, no extras except whats supposed to be there.

 

[Andy CWS]

We rather like our Well water....fresh and pure from the ground...how pure, well its natural. Has no bad tastes, no egg smell, no chlorine added, no extras except whats supposed to be there.

Glad you like your well water. But if you are seious about improving the quality of your recipes using water, relying on terms such as "pure" and 'natural" is not very reassuring. Poison ivy is natural and pure is a marketing term to coax in customers. Fresh water is water that is neither soda based or salt based. Dirty river water containing industrial chemicals is still listed as 'fresh water'. There is no quality scale attached to the word fresh. It is more a description of what it is not than what it is.

Use this simple test: Use RO water and your well water in two rock glasses and zap them in a microave oven for three minutes. Put a regular sized Lipton tea bag (orange pekoe) and let steep for a few minutes. Now tell me which one you would rather drink? look at teh clarity, experience the aroma and savor the taste of the RO tea and then compare.

Other recipes will have a simlar reaction.

Just stating that some is pure and natural because it came from the ground, is not what I would call very wise. I AM glad that you like it, but...

Andy Christensen, CWS-II

 

[Jeekinz]

I'd rather a distiller. A relative of mine used to manufacture them. No filters to change. Just remember, any of those purifiers also remove the good things water has, so you may want to take vitamins to suppliment them. Espescially if you have kids.

You'll also want to filter your ice cubes.

 

[Andy CWS]

I think your point of view is fairly common.

However, a distiller, which produces very clear water with a minimal--if any--TDS, does require careful and constant maintenance. As the water evaporates and then condenses, the minerals that remain collect as scale build-up and an acidic solution is used to remove this calcification. Don't confuse with distilling with deionization, which is another way to treat water to a high degree.

A great amount of energy (compared to ROs) is used to perform this process, and, in home units, may produce only about one gallon per day. Also, ROs remove VOCs whereby distilled water does not in most cases.

Now then, the argument of removing "good things" is too vague to debate unless I assume you mean valuable minerals, salts and metals processed by the body. Water should never be a source of but, instead, a transporter of nutrients. Your nutrients are best gathered by a proper diet and supplements, as you mentioned.

Furthermore, the minerals, metals and salts found in water supplies (that are not purposely added) are inorganic for the most part. The calcium in well water is dissolved rock caused by acidic (carbonic acids) water making contact with limestone, for example. This dissolved rock is then ingested and does not metabolizing with the organs of our bodies like the calcium coming from milk, cheese, yoghurt, etc.

If that were the case, I recommend going out to the driveway, grab a handful of limestone gravel, puree it and blend it with water, boil it and Presto! you have got your daily recommended value. I am jesting of course, but please don’t confuse inorganic minerals in well/surface waters with those gained from our foods and beverages. Sucking on a ten-penny nail won’t increase your iron supply in an effective way, either.

Even if that were acceptable, are you getting 2% of your recommended amount or 2-million percent? There are too few ways to justify this as your means of health maintenance.

Nonetheless, on one hand you don’t recommend an RO because it removes 'good things' but you DO recommend a distiller which removes even more than an RO. I am not saying that either method is good or bad or better or worse, but I am just trying to understand the technology and a little science to make my choice for which water treatment is to benefit what in which way.

Andy Christensen, CWS-II

 

[Caine]

Just remember, any of those purifiers also remove the good things water has, so you may want to take vitamins to suppliment them. Espescially if you have kids.

What most people are not aware of is any purifier, be it reverse osmosis, distiller, or a Brita water pitcher, also removes the flouride that is put in there to protect your teeth.

Dentists are starting to notice the weakness in people's tooth enamel now that almost everyone is drinking bottled water. Now they can afford a Mercedes S500 for themselves AND an GL450 for the wife and kids.

 

[Andy CWS]

What most people are not aware of is any purifier, be it reverse osmosis, distiller, or a Brita water pitcher, also removes the flouride that is put in there to protect your teeth.

Dentists are starting to notice the weakness in people's tooth enamel now that almost everyone is drinking bottled water. Now they can afford a Mercedes S500 for themselves AND an GL450 for the wife and kids.

Whoa! I prefer to have my water fluorine free. The jury is still out on fluoridation. First of all, I don't believe it is meant to be injested. Our dentist provided a spray bottle for our daughter and told us to apply it to her teeth and then rinse out thoroughly.

Do a google on "fluoride risk" and you will find numerous atricles from prestigeous organizations that warn of this addition to out water supplies.

True, there are also many that proclaim the benefits. Like I said, the jury is still out, but in the meanwhile, I prefer to have it removed and brush after eating.

Your city water can also carry as much bleach as a swimming pool. Nittrates, chlorides, sulfates, chlorine-resistent bacteria and so on may be present before RO treatment.

Andy Christensen, CWS-II

 

[meshoo96]

I live in NJ and the water here is awful. I have a really bad oven that I need to bake with a pan of water on the bottom rack, but when I cook or roast, I have to take it out. I used a roasting pan and it's got this nasty brown film in it from the water evaporating. So we bought one of those Pur water filters for the tap and it's only a few weeks old and we already need a new filter. The last time I used one of these, the filter lated me 4 months and I only changed it because it said to change it after 4 months even if the filter wasn't run out yet.

 

[Andy CWS]

I live in NJ and the water here is awful. I have a really bad oven that I need to bake with a pan of water on the bottom rack, but when I cook or roast, I have to take it out. I used a roasting pan and it's got this nasty brown film in it from the water evaporating. So we bought one of those Pur water filters for the tap and it's only a few weeks old and we already need a new filter. The last time I used one of these, the filter lated me 4 months and I only changed it because it said to change it after 4 months even if the filter wasn't run out yet.

Not sure if you had a question here or an inquiry. Pur is not an RO but just a carbon filter meant primarily for city water and the removal of chlorine.

Andy Christensen, CWS-II

 

[SixSix210]

And living in the industrial wasteland that is the N.E. is giving that bad boy a W O R K O U T.