In 2013, Li was identified with a salivary gland tumor, which in the end required her to alter her dietary habits fully—water consumption included. Because of this, the avid water drinker (even earlier than her expert-level certification) started to pay nearer consideration to not solely how a lot water she was consuming but in addition which sorts.
“Earlier than turning into a water sommelier, I by no means actually paid consideration to which sort of water I drank, however by way of analysis, I’ve discovered that how we hydrate ourselves is equally essential,” Li says. After talking together with her, the reply was clear (pun meant) on which sort of water is her primary selection: natural mineral water. Extra forward on why this can be a sommelier’s drink of selection.
Why consuming high-quality water is essential
In line with Li, water is integral to only about each bodily operate. “Our physique is comprised of 75 % water. All of the meals we devour wants water to hold these vitamins to totally different components of the physique. What’s extra, our physique has trillions of cells, that are made up of 90.5 % water, too. By understanding that logic, the significance of water turns into much more obvious,” Li says. And as we age, we tend to get more and more chronically dehydrated, which means that the standard of the water we devour turns into much more crucial. Li compares correct hydration to a plant’s want for water to develop or the requirement for the right kind of water for a fish tank to make sure the animals survive: It’s dire.
Associated Tales
Whereas learning in Germany, Li rapidly realized that the best way water is processed in Europe could be very totally different from the way it’s completed stateside. “In Europe, they’ve very strict rules about what water merchandise may be referred to as or labeled. For instance, pure mineral water can solely be referred to as pure mineral water when it’s been sourced, harvested, and bottled correctly,” Li says, which helps of us know precisely what they’re shopping for on the retailer. That is particularly essential when distinguishing forms of water from each other.
In line with a research carried out by the World Well being Group (WHO), consuming water devoid of pure minerals, demineralized (water freed from minerals by means of purification), or remineralized (water with added minerals) for an extended interval could have a negative impact on the body’s ability to absorb minerals or potentially lead to chronic illness.
The problem? Distinguishing pure mineral water—which means it accommodates naturally-occurring minerals which are bonded to water molecules—from remineralized varieties may be tough. “Labels ought to embrace an inventory of the forms of minerals within the water. Against this, this not often is the case in the USA and Canada; we don’t usually discover such a academic info labeled,” Li says.
To that time, Li notes that North America’s high three bottled water manufacturers are usually not pure mineral water sources. “These widespread water manufacturers—Aquafina, Dasani, and Smartwater—fall into a special class of water I name ‘processed water,’ which lack the strong mineral content material of pure mineral water sources. It is because the primary precedence with regards to our hydration is that the water is clear and protected to drink. However while you delve into the world of water somewhat deeper, we start to ask ourselves: How can we additionally obtain simpler hydration?,” Li says.
Along with this, Li explains that it’s essential to look into these manufacturers’ sustainability and harvesting strategies with a crucial eye. “As a result of industrial revolution, a lot of our pure water sources—like streams from mountains and rivers—have change into closely polluted. As such, we must be wiser about the kind of water we drink,” Li says. For max hydration, she says it’s essential to search out water sources freed from contamination, akin to pure mineral water, which is rigorously harvested and utilized in manufacturers like Clearly Canadian, a model Li has partnered with because of its high-quality and ethically-sourced merchandise.
How does a water sommelier store for water?
Firstly, Li says the very best kind of water is one which satisfies three essential classes:
First, it must be clear, protected, and pure. “After we make extra cautious selections about the kind of water we devour, it’ll assist profit the subsequent generations to come back. We must always all be making sensible hydration selections for the way forward for our planet,” Li says.
“After we make extra cautious selections about the kind of water we devour, it’ll assist profit the subsequent generations to come back. We must always all be making sensible hydration selections for the way forward for our planet,” Li says.
When on the retailer, Li additionally tries to keep away from merchandise which are “purified,” as they gained’t comprise the hydration-boosting minerals present in pure mineral water. Some goes with distilled water.
Moreover, Li notes there’s been tons of buzz around alkaline water—with a impartial pH stage of about seven—and its assumed advantages. That stated, she reiterates what’s extra essential is how that alkalinity is achieved within the first place, aka how processed the supply is. “Pure mineral water must be alkaline because of its mineral content material. Conversely, while you add minerals to purified water, you’ll additionally obtain alkaline water, but it surely’s been much more processed,” Li says.
Except for these components, Li additionally emphasizes one other main duty for a water sommelier: Sourcing water that truly tastes good. When assessing water purely on taste, she’ll search for qualities like: How a lot pleasure it’ll deliver to a eating expertise? How will this water make our day-to-day water consumption and hydration extra enjoyable? How does such a water pair with a sure type of meals?
“For a water sommelier, we discover that the totally different mineral content material will provide you with a really totally different style and sensation on the palate,” Li says. That stated, she notes that the very best water is the one which’s accessible—particularly when you’re very dehydrated or parched.
An RD shares the highest meals for hydration:
