When Raw Foods Pro Sarma Melngailis (President and Owner of One Lucky Duck and Pure Food and Wine restaurant) shared her thoughts on tap water with us, we second guessed our prior “NY water is the safest in the land!” motto. Read her manifesto below, and let us know what you think;
By now most people would agree that: a) drinking water is really important for good health, and yet b) most water is so tainted it can be scary to drink. Which is quite a problemo. According to an article in the New York Times, one in 10 Americans is exposed to carcinogens in their tap water and unsafe chemicals in well water (runoff from fertilizers, pesticides, industrial sites, and aged water pipes). And bottled water is no better. Standards for bottled water are exactly the same as the standards for tap water, and on top of that, plastic from the bottle releases toxins – yuck. (And there are plenty of other reasons not to use bottled water, like the effect of mountains of non degradable plastic bottles on the environment…1.5 millions tons of plastic waste/year from water bottles?)
Overwhelming? Scary? Yes! But it doesn’t have to be. When we opened Pure Food and Wine in 2004 we installed the very best water filtration system we could find (and now a smaller one at One Lucky Duck Chelsea Market too). So, all of the water at Pure Food and Wine and One Lucky Duck is filtered using the Tensui Filtration System. It’s hooked up to the main line, so that means our ice is filtered water, all the water you’re the fruits and vegetables are washed in is filtered, even the water you wash your hands with in the bathroom is Tensui filtered. AND the water in the dog bowl that we put outside for passing pooches is Tensui water (in case you’re wondering why your dog is always pulling you over so he/she can have a drink).
We put a note on our menu that we serve and use only Tensui water, and since it also tastes so unusually good, people ask us about it ALL the time. Hence this blog post, so we can direct people here for more info. In a nutshell, the Tensui System reduces chlorine, DBP, trihalomethanes, pesticides, MTBE, organics, metals, offensive tastes, radon, carcinogens, odors, and many other toxins found in water. BUT, it’s different from other filters because it also leaves in vital minerals such as calcium and magnesium, imparts antioxidants, neutralizes free radicals, adds silicia (important to all cell formation), adds dissolved oxygen and potassium, raises electrolyte levels, promotes neutral alkalinity for immunity, creates lower surface tension for better assimilation of vitamins and nutrients, and produces bacteria-static and fungi-static water. That’s a lot to swallow, but it’s all really good! What Tensui does not do is use damaging chemicals or expensive filter cartridges. And it automatically cleans itself! We really think it’s the best filtration system out there.
Since this amazing water is just pouring out of our taps, please feel free (encouraged) to ask anyone to fill your bottle. Whether you’re at the counter at One Lucky Duck (yes, both locations) or sitting for lunch at Pure Food and Wine, before you go ask someone to fill up your water bottle. You’ll be helping your body and the planet! (And if you want an awesome cute BPA-Free One Lucky Duck water bottle, we have those too – except they’re not free like our water!). Seriously, if you’re strolling through Chelsea Market, even if you hate raw food and hate mallomars (which means you’re crazy), but just want some water, we’re happy to fill up your bottle. One less plastic bottle purchased is one less plastic bottle sitting in a landfill or bobbing around in the earth’s waters. Plants love Tensui too! My own oxygen maker-plant at home is very happy when we spray her with Tensui water.