Water is the most vital element to sustain life on this planet. 70% of the human body is made up of water. You may or may not know this but in ancient times, our ancestors and even our grandmothers followed the practice of storing water in copper containers. Their goal was perhaps to safeguard drinking water but there’s more to the story. In today’s world where we have UV filters and RO purifiers to purify water, the storage of water using copper containers may sound old-fashioned and useless.
However, ancient practice referenced in texts is now supported by various scientific studies.
Storing water in a copper vessel makes a natural purification process. It kills all the microorganisms, molds, fungi, algae and bacteria present in the water that could be harmful to our body and makes the water perfect for drinking. Also, water stored in a copper vessel, preferably overnight or for a minimum four hours, acquires a certain quality from the copper.
Copper is an important trace mineral that is essential to human health. It contains antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti-carcinogenic and anti-inflammatory properties. It also helps neutralize toxins.
Unlike some nutritional elements, the body cannot synthesize copper, so you need to avail it from dietary sources. The finest dietary sources of copper are seafood, organ meats, whole grains, lentils, nuts, seeds, cereals, potatoes, peas and some dark green leafy vegetables.
Drinking 2-3 glasses of water that has been stored in a copper vessel is another way to supplement enough copper in your body. Eminent Dietitian Avni Kaul shares some amazing healing benefits of drinking water in a copper vessel.
Helps the digestive system to work better
Copper has properties that help kill harmful bacteria and decrease inflammation in the stomach, making it a good remedy for ulcers, indigestion and infections. Copper also helps cleanse and detox your stomach, regulates the working of the liver and kidneys, and ensures proper removal of waste and absorption of nutrients from food. When water is kept in a copper container, the mineral gets leached into it. This water helps in breaking down food particles and improves our digestion.
Maintain heart health and beats hypertension
Heart-related diseases are one of the most common ailments and copper helps minimize the risk of developing the disease. As per the American Cancer Society, copper has been found to help regulate blood pressure, and heart rate and reduce one’s bad cholesterol and triglyceride levels.
Helps in weight loss
To reduce weight quicker, try drinking water stored in a copper vessel regularly. Besides fine-tuning your digestive system to work better, copper also helps our body break down fat and eliminates it more efficiently, thereby supporting your body to keep only what it will use and excrete the rest.
Safeguards from infections
Copper is known to be oligodynamic in nature (the sterilizing impact of metals on bacteria), and can damage bacteria quite effectively. It is particularly effective against E.coli and S.aureus, two bacteria that are quite commonly found in our environment and are known to cause severe illnesses in the human body.
Improves skin health and melanin formation
Copper is the major component in the formation of melanin (a pigment that mitigates the colour of our eyes, hair and skin) in our bodies. Apart from that, copper also helps in the production of new cells that support replenishing the topmost layers of your skin leaving you with smooth and supple skin.
