March 17th, 2024

When you leave a glass of water out overnight to drink in the morning, it tastes a bit off or "stale".  Well, apparently this is something that worries people.  So reporter Kaitlin Vogel asked whether people should drink water that has been sitting out overnight, and what causes this change in taste.  Indeed, there are some reasons why water that has been left out to the open air overnight can taste funny:

• It is at room temperature, making it less palatable.
  
• The water interacts with gasses in the air which dissolve into the water making it more acidic.
  
• Solids in the water, such as minerals like calcium, may precipitate to the bottom of the glass.
  
• Some small amount of evaporation may happen, making the water a bit more concentrated.
  

Whether any or all of these things occur in the glass of water sitting on your nightstand, there's no reason not to drink it!  As I stated in the article in Parade magazine, "However, none of these potential changes in the water are likely to be harmful. "For that reason, I disagree with the premise that you ‘shouldn't drink it,’" Dr. Claudio adds.
So, make this one less thing to worry about.