…bite by bite, drop by drop: the essential we take for granted.
Euphoria Snax
When the wonderful people at GDM told me about this issue’s theme, I couldn’t wait to dip my toes in the subject and discover exactly what the relationship between food and water was all about.
To many of us, water and food go with boiling and egg or a potato or doing the washing up when you’ve finished eating.
What we rarely consider is that the average Jo needs 50 to 100 litres (13 to 27 gallons) of water per day to meet basic drinking, cooking and hygiene requirements and that water is essential for controlling how recipes turn out, from constancy and texture to its chemical role in nutrition.
So, when did we discover this special connection between food and water? It’s as old as agriculture itself—deeply intertwined and essential to human survival. From the earliest days of farming, access to water determined where crops could grow and how societies developed.
To many of us, water and food go with boiling and egg or a potato or doing the washing up when you’ve finished eating.
What we rarely consider is that the average Jo needs 50 to 100 litres (13 to 27 gallons) of water per day to meet basic drinking, cooking and hygiene requirements and that water is essential for controlling how recipes turn out, from constancy and texture to its chemical role in nutrition.
So, when did we discover this special connection between food and water? It’s as old as agriculture itself—deeply intertwined and essential to human survival. From the earliest days of farming, access to water determined where crops could grow and how societies developed.
The timeline is something like this:
¨ The Neolithic Revolution (c. 10,000 BCE): This was humanity’s shift from hunting and gathering to agriculture. It marked the beginning of irrigation, as early farmers diverted rivers and built canals to water crops.
¨ Ancient Irrigation Civilizations: Societies like Mesopotamia, Egypt, and the Indus Valley thrived because they mastered water control. The Nile’s predictable flooding, for example, made Egypt a breadbasket of the ancient world.
¨ The Industrial Revolution (18th–19th centuries): Mechanized farming and population growth increased food demand, which in turn escalated water use. This era also saw the rise of chemical fertilizers and large-scale irrigation systems.
¨ The Green Revolution (1940s–1960s): High-yield crops, synthetic fertilizers, and expanded irrigation transformed global agriculture—especially in Asia and Latin America. But it also led to over-extraction of groundwater and water pollution.
¨ Modern Water Scarcity Awareness (21st century): As climate change intensifies droughts and floods, the food-water nexus has become central to global sustainability goals. Events like the 2023 World Food Day even focused on the theme “Water is life, water is food”.
¨ The Neolithic Revolution (c. 10,000 BCE): This was humanity’s shift from hunting and gathering to agriculture. It marked the beginning of irrigation, as early farmers diverted rivers and built canals to water crops.
¨ Ancient Irrigation Civilizations: Societies like Mesopotamia, Egypt, and the Indus Valley thrived because they mastered water control. The Nile’s predictable flooding, for example, made Egypt a breadbasket of the ancient world.
¨ The Industrial Revolution (18th–19th centuries): Mechanized farming and population growth increased food demand, which in turn escalated water use. This era also saw the rise of chemical fertilizers and large-scale irrigation systems.
¨ The Green Revolution (1940s–1960s): High-yield crops, synthetic fertilizers, and expanded irrigation transformed global agriculture—especially in Asia and Latin America. But it also led to over-extraction of groundwater and water pollution.
¨ Modern Water Scarcity Awareness (21st century): As climate change intensifies droughts and floods, the food-water nexus has become central to global sustainability goals. Events like the 2023 World Food Day even focused on the theme “Water is life, water is food”.
Fast forward to today, and that bond has only intensified. Agriculture now consumes nearly 70% of the world’s freshwater. Water is needed not just for growing crops, but also for raising livestock, processing food, and transporting it. In fact, the average person “eats” about 3,500 litres (924.6 gallons) of water per day through the food they consume.
But here’s the twist: while food needs water, agriculture is also a major driver of water scarcity. As demand for food rises—especially with a growing global population—so does the pressure on water resources. This has led to innovations like drip irrigation and recycled wastewater use in countries like Israel and Spain.
So, the history of food and water is really a story of balance—between abundance and scarcity, tradition and innovation.
But here’s the twist: while food needs water, agriculture is also a major driver of water scarcity. As demand for food rises—especially with a growing global population—so does the pressure on water resources. This has led to innovations like drip irrigation and recycled wastewater use in countries like Israel and Spain.
So, the history of food and water is really a story of balance—between abundance and scarcity, tradition and innovation.
In terms of what you and I can do in our kitchens, we need to begin by reminding ourselves that water is a key ingredient versus when it’s simply a part of the cooking process and treat it as such.
So, I asked some experts to answer a few questions:
💧 Why Is Water Used in Recipes? Water plays a crucial role in shaping texture, blending ingredients, and adjusting consistency. Getting the amount right is more important than it seems!
💧 Should We Be Precise When Measuring Water? Absolutely. Incorrect measurements can affect how long something cooks and alter its texture or overall success. A little accuracy goes a long way.
💧 Does Water Temperature Make a Difference? It sure does. The right temp influences how quickly ingredients dissolve or cook—and it's essential for things like dough development. Stick to what the recipe says one of my super favourites, Mary Berry!
💧 Can We Substitute Water with Other Liquids? Sometimes you can but be cautious: alternative liquids can change a dish’s flavour, texture, or even trigger different chemical reactions. Each liquid brings its own quirks.
💧 Does the Type of Water Matter in Cooking? It really can. The mineral content in water—e.g. whether it’s hard or soft—affects taste and ingredient interaction, especially in baked goods.
So, I asked some experts to answer a few questions:
💧 Why Is Water Used in Recipes? Water plays a crucial role in shaping texture, blending ingredients, and adjusting consistency. Getting the amount right is more important than it seems!
💧 Should We Be Precise When Measuring Water? Absolutely. Incorrect measurements can affect how long something cooks and alter its texture or overall success. A little accuracy goes a long way.
💧 Does Water Temperature Make a Difference? It sure does. The right temp influences how quickly ingredients dissolve or cook—and it's essential for things like dough development. Stick to what the recipe says one of my super favourites, Mary Berry!
💧 Can We Substitute Water with Other Liquids? Sometimes you can but be cautious: alternative liquids can change a dish’s flavour, texture, or even trigger different chemical reactions. Each liquid brings its own quirks.
💧 Does the Type of Water Matter in Cooking? It really can. The mineral content in water—e.g. whether it’s hard or soft—affects taste and ingredient interaction, especially in baked goods.
Did you know water can also help tenderise meat? When meat is exposed to moisture as it cooks, such as basting in its own juices or adding extra water, the meat retains more moisture and therefore stays softer. Blanching vegetables in water can help them retain maximum flavour, it plays a crucial role in yeast fermentation and one you probably didn’t know – you can extend the shelf life of fresh berries by using a hot water bath.
Simply submerge the fresh berries in boiling water to kill the mould and bacteria that quickly leads to spoilage.
And here’s a tip for all of you who have joined the millions of home cooks who are totally in love with their Air Fryers… adding some water to the unit helps create steam that keeps food moist during cooking without impacting the crisping effect. It’s a simple trick that can lead to significantly improve results, especially for longer cooking items.
This isn’t the article to discuss the issues of water scarcity and food security, not climate change impact on world water and food resources. We must all, however, encourage and support changes in policy, technology and consumer behaviours to help improve water and food safekeeping.
As usual, there’s not enough space in this publication to share all my culinary experiences, but I hope I’ve whetted your appetite just enough to encourage your own exploration of eating well and staying hydrated – the foundations of Vital Living!
To get you started, we’ve published some very special recipes to try for yourself. You can find them HERE.
Simply submerge the fresh berries in boiling water to kill the mould and bacteria that quickly leads to spoilage.
And here’s a tip for all of you who have joined the millions of home cooks who are totally in love with their Air Fryers… adding some water to the unit helps create steam that keeps food moist during cooking without impacting the crisping effect. It’s a simple trick that can lead to significantly improve results, especially for longer cooking items.
This isn’t the article to discuss the issues of water scarcity and food security, not climate change impact on world water and food resources. We must all, however, encourage and support changes in policy, technology and consumer behaviours to help improve water and food safekeeping.
As usual, there’s not enough space in this publication to share all my culinary experiences, but I hope I’ve whetted your appetite just enough to encourage your own exploration of eating well and staying hydrated – the foundations of Vital Living!
To get you started, we’ve published some very special recipes to try for yourself. You can find them HERE.
