There's 'raw' water and then there's 'raw' water
Having yet another debate with my carnivorous friends about the point of a raw fruit and vegetable diet, I was asked what seemed to be a ridiculous question. Is water raw? My answer was immediately a resounding ‘yes’, however, rather annoyingly, my research could be interpreted to suggest otherwise.
Raw water is defined as the water that comes directly from a natural source such as a stream, river or well. This means it will certainly contain many impurities ranging from dissolved minerals and plain old dirt and leaves, to sewerage, bacteria and even dangerous chemicals such as leached insecticides and pesticides. Hence and thankfully so, raw water is treated to make it fit for our consumption. This treatment is extensive and consists of sedimentation, coagulation, filtration, disinfection, conditioning, softening, fluoridation, removal of tastes and odours, corrosion control, algae control, and aeration.
So – is water raw even though it has withstood every possible type of process?
Despite the small issue of the processes above, my answer stubbornly remains ‘yes’. My conclusion is based on the fact that the fundamental molecular structure of the water is not altered even it has been ‘treated’. Whereas the result of processing or cooking, say a tomato or potato, alters the molecular state of the food irreversibly.
Our bodies will still benefit from consuming the hydrogen and oxygen that makes up that water, whether it has been boiled, frozen, softened or aerated. The answer is yes, yes, yes, and yes. For the purposes of enjoying a raw fruit and vegetable diet, in my opinion, water is ‘raw’.
The Raw Food Hypocrite 
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