Are You Overlooking Contaminated Water as a “Food Toxin”?

. . . making the case for using clean water in preparing food for consumption Most water is unfit for human consumption. You may recall the EPA coming down hard on the Marine Corps base at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina. Or, how the U.S. Council of Environmental Quality reported that cancer risks of people drinking chlorinated water are 93% higher than those who don’t. Plus, toxins from landfill and agricultural runoff, sewage, industrial chemicals—even radiation from Japan’s 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster—continue to show up in our water supply. Role of water in food health Thus, it’s no surprise that water plays a big role in the quality of the foods we eat. In fact, whether you grow your own produce or buy from a local farmers’ market or grocery store, your food comes into direct contact with numerous water sources. Crops are irrigated…animals are hydrated…and some foods are grown entirely in water (aquaponics). Plus, foods are washed, rinsed, canned, cooked, and more. In every case, the food you eat is only as healthy as the water used in producing, processing, and preparing it for consumption. And, let’s not forget cleaning of equipment, utensils, and surfaces that contact food at every stage of its life cycle. How to minimize water contamination of food Sure, water influences the quality of foods we eat. So, it’s necessary—even critical—to control water quality. With that, here are some tips to help ensure your water doesn’t become an unintended “food toxin”.

1. Grow your own food. Homeowners—sometimes entire communities—tend to small garden plots or raise their own meat…sometimes in the middle of big cities. Doing this allows them to retain control over the quality of water used in irrigating crops and hydrating animals.
2. Buy organic. Always ensure 80% of your diet is fresh, raw organic produce. Truth is, organic produce is much lower in toxins because of the extra care and precautions taken by small organic growers.
3. Wash produce to reduce the risk of biological or chemical contamination. You can do so by placing fruits and vegetables under running water for two minutes. Plus, peel the skin off any produce—like apples or carrots—that can be peeled. For foods like lettuce, remove outer layers and wash the leaves separately.
4. If you do cook food…cook with water. Subjecting foods to high heat—like frying or broiling—destroys nutrients and creates toxins. Instead, steam or boil your foods in pure water as a way to preserve nutrients and reduce toxins.
5. Reduce—even eliminate—dining out. Fast-food or sit-down restaurants are notorious for causing outbreaks of food-borne illness...often due to contaminated water used in production and processing.
6. Clean up thoroughly after handling food. Avoid using chemical cleaners or suspect water sources. Instead, neutralize contaminants—including bacteria—using any number of all-natural cleaning products. You can find some at your local health store, by searching online, or by making your own right at home. Or, for a superior cleaning alternative, try our incredibly effective and versatile Beyond Health Cleaning Cloth.
7. Invest in a reverse osmosis (RO) home water purification system. The simplest, most practical way to control the quality of water that contacts your food is to install a high quality water purification system in your home.

Read this article to see why our Beyond Health RO Water Filtration System is uniquely designed to require the least maintenance…be the most economical…last the longest…and provide the safest, purest water of any RO system available…anywhere! Use these practical tips so water doesn’t become a “food toxin” that harms your health. What methods have you used to reduce water contamination of food in your home? Please tell us about it in the comment section below.  

Sources:

http://www.foodprotection.org/events/european-symposia/09Berlin/Uyttendaele.pdf