Here’s why drinking water kept in a clay pot is good for your health

Come summer, and you will see the road lined by vendors setting up makeshift shops selling clay pots like surahi and matka for storing water. Many of us have memories of drinking chilled water from these clay pots during many a scorching summer day. Indeed, the habit of using earthen water cool enough is an old tradition. It can be traced to ancient times, long before refrigerators were invented and became the common occurrence in homes they are today.

The practice is believed to be rooted in the Ayurvedic belief that the clay pots impart various nutrients to the water stored in them and also remove impurities. It is because of this reason that before water purifiers entered our lives, people depended on clay pots to keep their water not only cool but also potable.

Clay pots work on the process of vaporization. Vaporization is a process in which a liquid turns into a gaseous form when subjected to heat or high temperatures. When you pour water into an earthen pot, the clay of the vessel absorbs the heat of the water and it evaporates, thereby keeping it cool. One should avoid drinking water stored in a fridge as it is at a lower temperature than that of your body and hence can cause a cold or a cough.

Here are five reasons why drinking water kept in an clay pots is beneficial:

Shields you from heat strokes

You might have seen people buying clay pots from vendors sitting on the roadside once summer strikes. The water kept in earthen pots like a matka or a surahi is enriched with minerals and hence, shields one from a heat stroke that is a common occurrence for those who step out in the scorching sun during peak summer months like May and June. The water kept in these pots is naturally cool and hence keeps several problems away, which usually affects people during the summer.

Natural coolant

The earthen pots used to store water is made of clay, which is porous and thereby naturally keeps the water cool. This also means that you don’t have to depend on a refrigerator or be at the mercy of electricity to have access to cool water during the summer. Not to mention, it serves as a much more affordable option too. Not only this, but the water stored in clay pots is enriched with the properties of natural mud. A unique quality of these clay pots is that they can cool the water in accordance with the climate.

Maintains the body’s Ph levels

If you store water in an earthen pot, the clay imparts its properties to the water. Clay is alkaline in nature and hence, helps one maintain their bodies’ Ph levels. Your body is acidic in nature. The water stored in earthen pots is alkaline in nature and when react with the acidic nature of your body, it ends up maintaining its Ph levels. By balancing the Ph levels of your body, the water can help keep digestion and acidity at bay. These vessels work on the principle of vaporisation, which is why the water kept in them is always cool.

Helps with digestion and boosts metabolism

Today, it is not uncommon to find people storing water in plastic bottles in their fridge or even outside. Being portable and cheap, plastic does serve as a convenient option. However, it also contains BPA and several other chemicals. Storing water in a plastic container is not without health risks. Opting for clay or earthen pots can remove that risk. Experts say that drinking water stored in a surahi or matka can also maintain testosterone levels, unlike plastic. Also, drinking water kept in clay pots also helps with digestion problems. Lastly, using less of plastic and more eco-friendly materials like clay will help in reducing plastic pollution as well.

Prevents sore throat

The moment the peak summer months of May and June are over, you might have heard you people warning you against drinking water straight out of the fridge lest you might catch a cold. However, there is no such problem with water kept in an earthen pot. You can drink water stored in a clay pot throughout the year without having to worry about getting a sore throat and a cold. Even if you have a cold, you can safely drink the water. In fact, clay pots are great for those suffering from respiratory diseases. In other words, an earthen pot is your all-weather refrigerator, which you can buy at the fraction of the cost of the electrical appliance.

Compared to a refrigerator whose price often runs into thousands of rupees, you can buy an earthen pot for well under Rs 100. Not only can you use it all year round, but it is also an eco-friendly product, unlike refrigerators which are made of plastic and use a lot of electricity.