Xiaoling's mother, who is busy taking care of the family every day, always relies on the electric kettle to boil water to meet the family's drinking water needs. However, she had recently heard some news about the possible health hazards of boiling water in an electric kettle, which made her doubt her choice.
Below, we will uncover the truth about boiling water in an electric kettle, understand the safety issues, and provide some suggestions for using it to help you make an informed choice.
1. The release of metal elements in the electric kettle: the truth about manganese
In our daily life, electric kettles are widely used, but few people pay attention to the release of metal elements in them. One of the key elements is manganese.
Manganese has an important physiological role in the human body, participating in many functions such as fat metabolism and calcium absorption. However, excessive intake of manganese may cause health hazards, affecting nervous system function, etc. In this regard, some people are worried that long-term use of electric kettles will lead to excessive release of manganese, which will cause harm to the body.
However, this is not the case. Studies have shown that the manganese in the materials used to make electric kettles usually exists in the form of dense tissues, and it is difficult to dissociate them from daily boiling water.
Even after more than 1,000 hours of long-term boiling, the manganese components that can be isolated are still limited, and its impact on human health is almost negligible.
In addition, the state has strict control standards for the materials used to make food containers, as long as they are qualified, they will not cause harm to the human body. Therefore, concerns about the release of manganese in electric kettles are unwarranted.
2. Repeated boiling of water in an electric kettle: carcinogenic risk assessment
Whether repeatedly boiling water in an electric kettle increases the risk of cancer has always been a concern. Some myths claim that the amount of nitrite in repeatedly boiled water increases with the number of times the water is boiled, and long-term consumption may increase the risk of cancer. However, the experimental data showed some unexpected results.
According to the experimental data, the nitrite concentration in the boiled water does increase slightly with the increase of the number of boils, but the overall content does not increase significantly.
What's more, nitrite poisoning in humans is quite high and requires a large amount of intake to cause significant health effects. Therefore, in general, the amount of nitrite ingested by drinking repeatedly boiled water is not sufficient to adversely affect health.
This means that concerns about whether repeatedly boiling water increases the risk of cancer may be overblown. Of course, as a precautionary measure, we still recommend paying attention to keeping the water clean when using the electric kettle and cleaning the kettle regularly to ensure that the water quality is fresh and healthy.
3. The scale problem of electric kettle: harm and misunderstanding
In the process of long-term use, the electric kettle often has the problem of scale. Scale refers to the white crystals formed by the dissolved minerals such as calcium and magnesium in the water, which precipitate and adhere to the wall of the container after heating. Although limescale may seem harmless, it is actually harmful to health.
First of all, limescale can affect the taste and purity of water. As limescale is deposited, the water becomes harder and tastes worse. In addition, limescale may also contain trace amounts of harmful substances such as heavy metals, and long-term consumption of these limescale water may cause potential health hazards.
Secondly, limescale can also affect the heating efficiency of an electric kettle. The presence of limescale reduces the contact area of the heating element with water, resulting in a decrease in heating efficiency, increasing energy consumption while extending the heating time. This not only increases the cost of use, but also is not conducive to energy conservation and emission reduction.
In addition, limescale can also cause damage to the electric kettle. Long-term accumulation of limescale will clog the pores of the heating element, affect the heat dissipation effect of the heating element, cause the temperature of the heating element to be too high, and then accelerate the aging and damage. Therefore, regular cleaning of limescale is an important measure to keep the electric kettle working properly.
4. Safety guidelines for choosing and using electric kettles
Choosing and using an electric kettle is a common thing in our daily lives, however, the right choice and use can have a significant impact on our health and safety.
First of all, we should pay attention to the selection of qualified products. In the market, there are many kinds of electric kettles, but we should choose products that meet the relevant national standards to ensure product quality and safety.
Secondly, the material and processing technology are also crucial. High-quality electric kettles should be made of food-grade safe materials, such as stainless steel, glass, etc., to avoid the use of harmful substances to cause harm to the human body.
At the same time, it is also essential to clean the electric kettle regularly. By cleaning, we can avoid the accumulation of limescale, keep the water clean and extend the life of the product.
Finally, when using the electric kettle correctly, we should strictly follow the usage method on the product manual, avoid boiling water or empty boiling for a long time, so as to reduce the loss of heating elements and ensure the safe and stable operation of the product.
By following the above safety guidelines, we can choose and use electric kettles correctly to protect ourselves and our families.
5. Common misunderstandings in the use of electric kettles
In the process of daily use of electric kettles, there are some common misunderstandings that need to be paid attention to and corrected.
First of all, some people believe that boiling water in an electric kettle will destroy the nutrients of the water, resulting in a decrease in the nutritional value of the water. However, in fact, the nutrients of water mainly refer to the minerals dissolved in it, such as calcium, magnesium, etc., and boiling water will not destroy these minerals, but can kill bacteria and viruses in the water, improving the hygiene and safety of water.
Secondly, there are concerns that the use of electric kettles will generate electromagnetic radiation and have health effects. However, a number of scientific studies have shown that the electromagnetic radiation produced by electric kettles is non-ionizing radiation, which has a minimal impact on the human body and is far below the limit set by national safety standards, so there is no need to worry too much.
Also, some people believe that it is safer to use a glass electric kettle, while a stainless steel electric kettle may release harmful substances. However, the qualified stainless steel electric kettle is made of food-grade safe materials, which will not pollute the water quality, and is also safe and reliable to use.
By correcting these misunderstandings, it can help users use electric kettles more scientifically, eliminate unnecessary concerns, and ensure health and safety.
summary
In daily life, the electric kettle, as a convenient hot water utensil, provides us with convenience. However, in order to ensure health and safety, we need to use the electric kettle correctly and pay attention to some details of use and safety issues.
Through the above measures, we can use the electric kettle with confidence and enjoy a convenient life while ensuring health and safety.