We constantly throw away our cooking water, although most of it is full of many benefits! There are indeed several clever ways to reuse them. Zoom in on five of them that you will not throw away after reading us.
Rice water for hair and intestinal disorders
Loaded with starch but also rich in vitamins, proteins and minerals, rice water tames the hair fiber, shines and strengthens the scalp. You can use it in rinsing water for this. Leave on for 5 to 10 minutes, like a mask, then rinse again with clean water to avoid the weighting effect of the starch in the rice. Frizz and dull hair are over! The water used to cook rice is also known to treat intestinal disorders.
Water in potatoes as a weedkiller
The cooking water of potatoes is water loaded with vitamins and minerals. Very rich in starch, it acts as a very effective natural weedkiller. Once your potatoes are cooked, take them out and pour the still hot water over the weeds in the garden. However, be careful to only pour the cooking water over the weeds and not to overload it with salt. Too high a dose, salt can attack microorganisms living in the soil.
Water in white beans as a stain remover
Unsalted, the cooking water of white beans effectively removes stains from cotton clothing, and even from the most delicate textiles such as silk or wool. To benefit from its stain removal properties, you should ideally soak your beans for about 10 hours, before cooking them for at least an hour. Good to know: the water from the kidney beans can replace your egg whites. Like that of chickpeas, this one has the particularity of foaming very quickly when beaten. You can therefore incorporate it into many recipes to obtain a frothy and airy texture.
Water eggs and vegetables as fertilizer
Eggshells are over 95% mineral, which they lose when immersed in boiling water. So don't throw the water out of your eggs anymore! All the nutrients in the cooking water are ideal for fertilizing the soil. They enrich the soil and at the same time nourish the plants. Finally, it's good to know that this trick also works with vegetable water!
Bone broth for its immune defenses
When buying a whole chicken, don't throw out the bones and carcass. Make it into a broth, it is very good for your health! Cook everything in a pot of water with a few herbs for a few hours. Calcium, phosphorus, magnesium … In addition to being flavored, bone broth is very rich in nutrients. This is ideal for hydrating, remineralizing and stimulating your immune system.