The type of water we use each day really does make a difference. When cooking and preparing meals, water plays a big part in how much good stuff from foods gets into our bodies. Most people just use what comes out of the tap, but do you know that alkaline water could be a better option? Continue reading this reading this article till the end.
In this blog, we will be discussing in what ways you can make use of alkaline water in cooking.
Also, read our recent blog post about Is Boiled Water is the Same as Filtered Water?
7 Ways to Use Alkaline Water in Cooking
Here are seven major ways to use alkaline water in cooking.
1. Boiling
Boiling alkaline water is a simple method that allows foods to cook faster than with regular water. The higher pH helps break down cell walls and release flavors more quickly. You can boil alkaline water for pasta, rice, vegetables, or any other foods typically boiled.
Children learning to cook will enjoy boiling alkaline water on the stove and seeing how much faster it reaches a boil compared to tap water. Give it a try - you may be surprised by how quickly your foods finish cooking when using alkaline boiled water.
2. Blanching Vegetables
Blanching is another easy way to use alkaline water in cooking. You can add veggies like broccoli, green beans, or cauliflower to boiling alkaline water for 1-2 minutes. This helps them keep their bright color and nutrients better than regular water.
The high pH of alkaline water allows vegetables to hold onto their flavor and texture when blanched. Kids learning cooking skills will have fun quickly blanching veggies in alkaline boiled water. They may be surprised at the results - vegetables blanched in this water stay crisp and tasty. Give it a try for yourself and see how your fresh veggies turn out.
3. Steaming
Steaming with alkaline water is a simple and nutritious cooking method for kids. Just add a small amount of alkaline water to the bottom of a steamer basket. Then, place vegetables or fish in the steamer above. As the water heats up, it will steam the food gently.
Using alkaline water means more nutrients stay in the food compared to regular water. Kids have fun watching their meal steam and learning to cook healthy. It's an easy way for them to get important vitamins and minerals.
4. Cooking Beans and Legumes
Cooking beans is easy using alkaline water. It helps break down phytic acid and lessens gas-causing parts of beans. You can soak dried beans in alkaline water for the day before cooking. This softens skin and helps digestion. When boiling beans on the stove, use alkaline water instead of regular water.
A higher pH level helps beans become tender and tasty. Your family will enjoy beans prepared this nutritious way without any stomach discomfort afterward.
5. Making Beverages
Alkaline water is perfect for brewing your favorite hot and cold beverages. Its pure, mineral-rich composition brings out the natural flavors in tea and coffee without adding any of its own taste. When making sun tea, allow the tea bags to steep in a pitcher filled with alkaline water placed in the sun.
The higher pH level helps extract more antioxidants from the leaves. You can also use alkaline water for cold-brew coffee. Simply steep coarsely ground beans in alkaline water in the fridge overnight.
The resulting drink will have a smoother flavor than coffee made with regular water, without any acidity. Alkaline water makes a healthy swap for brewing nourishing drinks.
6. Poaching Eggs
Since alkaline water has a higher pH value than normal water. This high value can greatly help in creating a more cohesive egg white when poaching. Let us explain how.
The pH level of the alkaline water forces the egg whites to coagulate more quickly. This then results in firm, delicate, and well-shaped poached eggs.
Moreover, using alkaline water can also contribute to preventing the egg whites from spreading out and creating a ragged appearance in the water during boiling.
7. Efficiently Marinating Meat & Sea Food
Marinating meat or seafood is a routine task in every kitchen, and to efficiently get this task done, alkaline water can be a great option.
The high pH levels can effectively tenderize the protein in meat as well as seafood. Not just this, the high pH levels will also contribute to breaking down the tough tissues of the meat. This then results in a fully tenderized meat and ultimately flavorful dish.
Apart from this, alkaline water can also help the marinated ingredients to penetrate into the meat efficiently. This will then create a delicious taste and odor.
So, now we think you will have a thorough understanding about in what ways you can make use of alkaline water; when it comes to cooking.
How to Make Water Alkaline Easily
There are numerous methods that you can use in order to quickly and efficiently make your water alkaline; some of the most simple ones are discussed below.
1. Use an Alkaline Water Filter
You can consider this as a one-stop solution for making normal tap water alkaline. An alkaline water filter makes use of a special ionizer that efficiently raises the pH level of the given tap water in order to make it alkaline.
There is a huge variety of alkaline water filters available on the market ranging from different prices. So, you can go with the one that you think is suitable according to your needs & preferences.
2. Add Baking Soda:
Adding baking soda to regular tap water is another easy method for making water alkaline. Apart from being simple, it is also the most affordable. If you are a newbie, then you should start by adding a small amount of soda like ¼ teaspoons to a single glass of water, and then shake it well until the soda efficiently dissolves.
Final Words
Alkaline water is a special water that can provide numerous health benefits. So, instead of just using it for drinking purposes, you should also use it in cooking. In this blog, we have explained different ways in which you can use alkaline water when it comes to cooking.