WATER AS A NUTRIENT

Water is made up of 2 hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom. It is an essential nutrient in our bodies. Without water, we cannot survive. An individual can live for up to two months without food but only a few days without water. Water is the most abundant compound in the human body. It represents the 75% of the total body weight for the newborn. The quantity of water in a human adult is equal to about 60% of total body weight with relative variations according to age and sex. WATER

Even if water doesn’t give calories, it is a valuable nutrient essential for survival. Water carries nutrients and oxygen to the cells, removes waste from the cells, helps to regulate body temperature, helps to absorb food nutrients and converts them into energy, is crucial for many life-supporting chemical reactions that constantly occur throughout the human body. WATER'S ROLE IN THE BODY

Water cannot be stored in the body. That’s why recommendations are to drink at least six to eight glasses of water daily. This amount is necessary—even when you don’t feel thirsty— to replenish water losses and maintain healthy kidney function. The daily water necessary depends on different conditions: the age (it is greater for the newborn), the climate conditions, the diet, the physical activity linked to work or sport,etc. It is generally thought that adults need about 1g of water and children 1,5 g every kcal taken by food. DAILY WATER REQUIREMENT

The remaining portion has an endogenous origin and is formed as a final catabolic product in the oxide-reduced processes. (endogenous water) The greatest portion of water in the human organism is introduced into the body through food and drinks. ( exogenous water) THE WATER FOR OUR BODY

The ratio between introduced or produced water and water eliminated by our body in 24h is defined water balance. Water Balance

An individual is considered balanced in terms of water content when his/her water intake together with the amount that is formed within the body is equivalent to the quantity of eliminated water (urine, lung and skin's excretory functions ). Water Balance

" Water for human consumption" (better known as "drinking water"), "Mineral water", "Spring Water“. In compliance with the directives in our country, water addressed to human consumption can be: Water for human consumption

Directive 98/83/CE established the parameters according to which a water can be defined as “Water for human consumption”, or “drinking water” all over the European Community. This directive has been included in the Italian regulations by the Decree of Law 31/2001, changed by Decree of Law 27/2002. Drinking water comes from a variety of both natural and manmade resources; it’s transported from reservoirs to homes through a distribution network or some kinds of packaging or drinking containers. Water for human consumption

Organoleptic requirements: it must be clear, achromic, unscented and with a good taste due to the mineral salts, oxygen and carbon dioxide content. The best temperature is 12°C. Chemical-physical requirements : the salt content can’t exceed 1,5g per liter and it must not contain ammonia, nitrite or other toxic molecules. Bacteriologic requirements : water must be bacteriologically pure, it must not contain pathogenic germs like salmonellae, vibrios, coliform bacteria or enterococcus (which indicate faecal contamination). Drinking water must have organoleptic, chemical and bacteriologic requirements which make it good to taste and safe for health. DRINKING WATER

Water contains, in solution, different quantities and types of gaseous or solid elements and for this reason it has particular chemical, physical and organoleptic properties. Mineral water must have healthful properties, due to the content of mineral salts and the small quantities of oligoelements. Moreover, it must be bottled at source; carbon dioxide can be added. Mineral water can be defined as underground water which, while flowing, becomes pure and mineral. MINERAL WATER

As far as its characteristics, source water can be compared to the drinking one and, like that, must be pure and cannot be subjected to any disinfectant treatment. Spring water is that water addressed to human consumption, bottled at the source, deriving from a stratum or underground bed, arising from a source with one or more natural or drilled outfalls. Spring Water

It is the new drinkable bottled water. It can even be tap water, chlorate or processed in different ways, according to the consumers’ needs. Table Water

A label is the mineral water’s “identity card”, thanks to which is possible to know its characterizing elements. Like any prepackaged food, bottled water must carry the following labeling information: common name list of ingredients if it consists of more than one ingredient net quantity name and address of the company responsible Reading and interpreting a label

In bottled water is very important the overall salt content, fixed residue, which allows to classify water in the following way: Lightly mineralised Oligomineral Medium Mineralised Highly mineralised Mineral Water Classification

Mineral water can have different taste according to the presence of minerals in it. Water with a low fixed residue corresponds to neutral water (flat), with an indistinguishable taste which grows at the growing of the salts content. Today, drinking water at the restaurant still means choosing between “sparkling” and “still” water, as once people only chose between white and red wine.

LIGHTLY MINERALISED WATER They have a fixed residue lower than 50 mg/l and a very low mineral salt content. They are prescribed in diets low in sodium, in hypertension and for children. They are very good as table water; they haven’t any contra-indications.

OLIGOMINERAL WATER Fixed Residue : more than 50 mg/l and lower than 500 mg/l ( low salt content ) Particularly diuretic, they are prescribed to people suffering from hypertension and are a good aid for digestion. People following a diet low in sodium drink low mineral water.

MEDIUM MINERALISED WATER Fixed Residue : between 500 and 1500 mg/l ( medium-high salt content). They are good for digestion, thanks to a high bicarbonate content and are prescribed to people with serious mineral deficiency.

Fixed Residue : more than 1500 mg/l (high salt content). It isn’t indicated for a daily use. Its intake is for therapeutic purpose, due to the high content in sodium, sulphate, potassium, magnesium and others salts. It overcomes the maximum fixed residue level for drinking water required by law. HIGHLY MINERALIZED WATER

Trendy restaurants have already started to introduce, with the traditional menus, the mineral water list, each with its specific properties. So, for undecided people, it was born the water sommelier : a new professional figure, suggesting how water can be combined with food. Sparkling water with cheese, meat and desserts. For delicacies, instead, natural water is better. Everything at the right temperature and with the right glass. The"Water List" at the Restaurant

To taste it better, mineral water has to be served in the right glass; not only wine, but also water needs the proper glass. Water should be poured into glasses without facets so that its fresh temperatures is altered as less as possible by the contact of one's hand with the glass itself. Moreover, if you press the stem of a glass between your fingers, you can examine water’s clearness and the possible arising of the little bubbles, without altering its crystalline purity with coloured glasses and baroque decorations. ? THE RIGHT GLASS

It was born the Mineral Water Taster Association (Associazione Degustatori Acque Minerali http://www.degustatoriacque.com ) whose goal is the instruction of professional water tasters, able to combine food with the proper water. For example A flat mineral water with a high carbonate content is the best with meat because it helps with digestion, while for fish is better a sparkling water, with a low content in salts, in order not to cover the flavour of the dish.

Buy different kinds of water looking forward the right combination with the dishes. Keep the packaging far from the direct light of the sun and from heating sources, in places suitable to the perfect preservation of the product. Handle the packaging with care to avoid damages to labels, to caps, setting apart the unwrapped or unlabelled packaging. The Association of the Mineral Water Tester, Wrote out the decalogue of the perfect Water Sommelier.

Propose water to the customers in its original bottle, showing its characteristics. Open it at the table trying to avoid damages to the neck of the bottle They suggest a temperature around 10° for sparkling, and around 12° for flat water It is better to use large, thin, smoothed, uncoloured, transparent crystal glasses. For sparkling water are better glasses with stem and base, to avoid the contact with hands, which could be warming water.

Avoid using ice: it alters the flavour and mixes with a water coming from a different source. Don’t dip the bottle in the ice bucket to avoid the label to come off. Use a “glacette” if required or according to the climate conditions

COMBINATION WATER-FOOD

COMBINATION WATER-FOOD

COMBINATION WATER-FOOD

COMBINATION WATER-FOOD