When you boil water for tea, for example, do you refill the kettle with new water each time? If not, science says that you may be putting yourself at risk. Did you know that when you boil water, you change its composition? Usually, this is a good thing since the boiled water evaporates volatile compounds, making it safe to drink. However, if you reboil water that has already been boiled, its chemical compounds can actually change for the worse.

According to Healthy Food Team, “when water is reboiled, […] its compounds amass[,] increasing the risk of consumption of certain chemicals.” Here are some of the chemical compounds that can increase when you reboil water:

1. Arsenic:

   Over the course of several years, arsenic exposure can lead to arsenic intoxication. Risks of this kind of intoxication include diabetes, cardiovascular disease, skin lesions, cancer, and more.

2. Nitrates:

   These are in soil, air, water, and lots of things all over Earth. But when exposed to high heat, these can become dangerous. Nitrates exposed to high heat become carcinogenic and are associated with many difference types of cancer.

3. Fluoride:
   According to Healthy Food Team:

   A lot of research has been conducted on the controversial chemical fluoride and its presence in drinking water. It’s a fact that fluoride is found in water and it potentially poses a risk to your health. Although its harmful properties are scientifically proved, the government insists on retaining it in our water.

Luckily if you’re dealing with pure distilled deionized water, you don’t have anything to worry about. But whether you’re boiling distilled water or tap water, you might just want to play it safe and boil new water every time you want a cup of tea. It’s certainly an easy way to avoid all of these scary possibilities!