The quality of water can affect the efficacy of traditional Chinese medicine. Throughout history, famous doctors have had strict requirements for water used in decoction. Li Shizhen, for example, divided water for decoction into five types: rainwater, dew, snow water, etc. These waters are natural distilled water, with lower hardness than ordinary spring water, river water, well water, and are purer, minimizing the impact on the effective components of the medicine.
Although we cannot pursue water quality like the ancients, if conditions permit, distilled water or purified water can be used, and plain boiled water is also acceptable. Tap water can be heated to remove chlorine, but hot water or boiling water should not be used directly for decoction. It should be cooled before use.
Many families use large barrels of mineral water, but it is not a good choice for decoction. This is because mineral water contains minerals and metal ions, such as calcium, which also have a certain impact on the efficacy of Chinese medicine.
