What is the best water for cooking?

Professional filters for cooking

Because water is part of what we eat

When we talk about water quality, we generally think about drinking water. However, beyond the glass, water quality is equally important in many areas of our daily lives, including something as basic as cooking. After all, water is part of what we eat. Do you know which water is best for cooking, how filtered water improves a recipe, or the many benefits this type of water offers when cooking in steam ovens?

How does water quality affect cooking food?

When we use water as an ingredient in the kitchen, we all agree that the best option is always high-quality water. But do we apply the same reasoning to the other stages involved in preparing a recipe? Do we consider that water plays a vital role in food hygiene, cooking and protecting the equipment used to prepare food?

Start with the water

For both food hygiene and cooking, we need water that is free from sediment and chemical substances in order to preserve the qualities of the products we cook and protect our health. Food can absorb substances dissolved in water through its porous surface. At certain concentrations and under certain circumstances, consuming these substances may lead to stomach problems, abdominal pain and other gastric disorders of varying severity.

What is the best water for cooking?

Filtered water is mains water that has been treated to remove potentially harmful particles and residues, reduce substances such as metals, lead, copper and limescale accumulated as the water travels through the supply network, balance its mineral content and block elements such as chlorine that affect its smell.

During cooking, whether used as a medium or an ingredient, filtered water ensures that the sensory characteristics of food remain intact, enhancing its full aroma and flavour.

How does filtered water improve a recipe?

Because filtered water is clean and balanced in composition, it helps bring out the positive qualities of food, particularly foods that absorb large amounts of water during preparation, such as vegetables, pasta, rice and pulses.

These results are the opposite of what happens when cooking with other types of water, such as hard water with high levels of dissolved calcium and magnesium salts. In addition to slowing the cooking process and therefore changing the result on the plate—it is not the same to cook fresh peas for 5 minutes as for 15 minutes—hard water increases the loss of vitamins and antioxidants because of the longer cooking time and alters the flavour of the dish. As mentioned above, food is affected by the medium in which it is boiled, cooked, blanched and so on.

Water is part of what we eat

Water quality is a vital ingredient in the kitchen

How does water work when cooking in steam ovens?

Water plays a leading role in steam ovens, both in cooking food and in the operation and maintenance of the equipment itself.

During cooking, the water in this type of oven’s tank is transformed into tiny steam droplets that are injected into the chamber, surrounding the food and promoting much more even and effective cooking.

During this process, steam is introduced into the cooking chamber through injectors. Using filtered water helps prevent limescale deposits in these injectors and corrosion on the oven’s metal and glass surfaces—two of the main threats posed by water in this type of steam equipment.

When we use water as an ingredient in the kitchen, we all agree that the best option is always high-quality water. But do we apply the same reasoning to the other stages involved in preparing a recipe? Do we consider that water plays a vital role in food hygiene, cooking and protecting the equipment used to prepare food?

What are the benefits of baking with filtered water?

Limescale deposits drastically reduce the effectiveness of steam injectors, disrupting the normal baking process. In the worst case, these deposits can even render the oven’s steam function unusable, resulting in repair costs and lost revenue because food cannot be produced.

By contrast, if the steam lines are free from limescale and can inject the required amount of steam correctly, the benefits include:

• Baked products with a juicier, tastier interior
• More intense food colour
• Less volume loss in baked products
• Bread with a crispier crust and tastier crumb

In addition to…

• Longer equipment life
• Shorter cooking times
• Lower energy consumption
• Lower repair costs

Which water filter do I need for cooking?

BRITA offers a suitable filter for every type of water and situation, including corrosive water. These filters protect the customer’s investment in equipment and ensure the best result on the plate. Because water is part of what we eat, BRITA offers filters for combi convection/steam ovens.

Discover your perfect filter here

BRITA® filtered water for cooking and steam baking

BRITA PURITY C Steam