Did you know that pure water is actually a terrible conductor of electricity? It’s the dissolved salts that make it conductive. That’s why you don’t get electrocuted by a glass of distilled water—but you still shouldn’t test it with a toaster.
In 2017, a group of endurance athletes in a study were given pure water and suffered significant hyponatremia (low blood sodium). They had to be given salty pretzels to recover. The perfect drink for a marathon? It’s not pure water—it’s water with a dash of salt and sugar.
Ancient Romans actually fermented their water with herbs to make it taste better. They knew purity wasn’t the point; refreshment was.
