Does Drinking Boiled Water Have Any Health Benefits?

December 28, 2025 •

4 min read

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), bringing water to a rolling boil for at least one minute is sufficient to inactivate pathogenic bacteria, viruses, and protozoa. While this is a foundational method for water safety, many wonder if there are additional health advantages to making it a regular practice.

Quick Summary

This article explores the health benefits and drawbacks of drinking boiled water. It details its efficacy in eliminating microorganisms while clarifying its limitations in removing chemical contaminants, and contrasts it with modern filtration methods for daily consumption.

Key Points

Boiling kills pathogens: Heating water to a rolling boil is an effective and reliable method for destroying harmful bacteria, viruses, and parasites, making it safe from microbial contamination.
Chemicals are not removed: Boiling does not eliminate non-volatile chemical pollutants such as lead, arsenic, or PFAS, and can even increase their concentration.
Other health benefits exist: Drinking boiled (warm) water may aid digestion, soothe cold symptoms, and improve blood circulation.
Filtered water offers broader purification: For daily use, modern filtration systems are often superior as they can remove a wider range of contaminants, including those left behind by boiling.
Energy and taste are considerations: Boiling is energy-intensive and can result in water with a 'flat' taste due to the removal of dissolved oxygen.
Safe storage is important: To prevent re-contamination, boiled water should be stored properly in a clean container and consumed relatively quickly.

The Primary Purpose of Boiling Water

Boiling water is one of the oldest and most reliable methods of disinfecting drinking water, especially in emergency situations or when the source is compromised. The primary benefit is the destruction of harmful microorganisms through heat inactivation. Pathogens like E. coli, Salmonella, viruses, and parasites such as Giardia are killed by the sustained high temperature. For vulnerable populations, including infants, the elderly, or those with weakened immune systems, this simple step can provide a crucial safeguard against waterborne diseases.

How Boiling Affects Different Contaminants

While highly effective against living organisms, the process of boiling water has limitations when it comes to other types of contaminants. Understanding these differences is key to proper water purification.

Microorganisms: High heat kills most bacteria, viruses, and protozoa by damaging their cellular structures and rendering them inactive.
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs): Some chemicals like chlorine or chloroform can evaporate during boiling, especially in an open container. However, this is not a comprehensive or reliable method for their removal, as many other chemicals remain.
Heavy Metals: Substances such as lead, arsenic, and nitrates are not removed by boiling. In fact, as water evaporates, the concentration of these heavy metals can increase, making the remaining water potentially more hazardous.
Minerals: Boiling does not remove beneficial minerals like calcium, magnesium, and potassium. Some minerals may precipitate out and form scale or sediment, particularly in hard water areas, but the dissolved minerals remain.
Emerging Contaminants: Newer pollutants like microplastics and PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) are largely resistant to boiling and are not effectively removed.

Potential Health Benefits Beyond Disinfection

Beyond its function as an emergency disinfectant, some anecdotal and limited scientific evidence suggests other health benefits associated with drinking boiled (and therefore warm) water.

Aids Digestion: Drinking warm water can help soothe the digestive tract and stimulate the digestive system, which may aid in breaking down food more effectively. For some, it can also alleviate symptoms of constipation.
Soothes Cold and Congestion: A warm beverage can help relieve cold symptoms like a sore throat and nasal congestion by soothing mucus membranes and promoting the loosening of phlegm.
Promotes Hydration: Simply being warm can encourage some people to drink more water, helping to meet daily hydration needs. Proper hydration is essential for overall health, supporting kidney function, brain activity, and metabolic processes.
Improves Circulation: Warm water is a vasodilator, meaning it can expand blood vessels. This can lead to improved blood flow, which helps transport oxygen and nutrients more efficiently throughout the body.

Boiling Water vs. Filtered Water

For daily use in areas with reliable tap water, the decision often comes down to boiling versus using a modern filtration system. Here is a comparison to highlight the key differences.


Feature	Boiled Water	Filtered Water
Effectiveness	Kills most bacteria, viruses, and parasites.	Removes a wider range of contaminants, including chemicals, heavy metals, and microplastics.
Removes Chemicals?	No. Can increase concentration of non-volatile chemicals.	Yes, depending on filter type (e.g., carbon, reverse osmosis).
Improves Taste?	Can produce a 'flat' taste due to reduced oxygen.	Enhances taste and removes chlorine odors.
Cost	Low initial cost; ongoing energy costs.	Higher initial cost; recurring cost for filter replacements.
Convenience	Time-consuming: must wait for boiling and cooling.	Instant access to clean, safe drinking water.
Environmental Impact	Uses energy repeatedly.	Reduces reliance on single-use plastic bottles.

Drawbacks and Considerations

While boiling offers clear benefits in emergency situations, there are several disadvantages to relying on it for daily water consumption. It is an energy-intensive and time-consuming process. The potential for concentrating non-volatile contaminants like heavy metals is a serious concern, especially if the source water quality is unknown. Furthermore, the lack of dissolved oxygen can create a flat or unappealing taste for some people.

Conclusion: The Final Verdict

Boiling water is a time-tested and invaluable method for rendering water safe from microbial contamination, a critical function in emergencies or for treating questionable water sources. The additional benefits of drinking warm water, such as aiding digestion and soothing cold symptoms, are also worth noting. However, for everyday consumption in areas with treated tap water, boiling has significant limitations. It does not remove chemical pollutants, and can even concentrate them as water evaporates. For comprehensive purification and superior taste, especially for daily drinking, a modern filtration system is often the more reliable and convenient choice. The best method ultimately depends on your specific circumstances and concerns, but a combination of both—filtering for chemicals and boiling for absolute microbial safety—provides the highest level of assurance.

World Health Organization information on boiling water

Frequently Asked Questions

No, boiled water is not the same as filtered water. Boiling kills pathogens but does not remove chemical contaminants, heavy metals, or microplastics. Filtered water, depending on the system, is designed to remove a much wider range of impurities.

No, boiling water cannot remove heavy metals. In fact, as water evaporates during boiling, the concentration of heavy metals and other non-volatile chemicals actually increases in the remaining water.

Drinking boiled water is not inherently bad for your health. However, if your tap water contains high levels of heavy metals or other chemical contaminants, boiling will not remove them and may even increase their concentration, which could be harmful.

Yes, boiled water often has a 'flat' or 'dull' taste. This is because the boiling process drives out dissolved gases, like oxygen and carbon dioxide, that contribute to the water's crisp and fresh taste.

The World Health Organization recommends bringing water to a rolling boil for at least one minute. At elevations above 5,000 feet, boiling for three minutes is recommended due to the lower boiling point.

Boiling water does not remove minerals. The minerals remain in the water and can even become more concentrated as some of the water evaporates. In hard water areas, some minerals may precipitate out and form scale.

You should drink boiled water in emergency situations, such as a 'boil water' advisory, or when the water source is questionable and potentially contaminated with microorganisms. For daily consumption of municipal tap water, a modern filter is often the better choice.

For comprehensive, everyday purification, filtered water is generally better. It removes a wider range of contaminants, including chemicals and heavy metals, that boiling cannot address.