Should I be drinking water out of a copper cup?

Drinking water out of a copper vessel has recently become the latest fad. And as a qualified Ayurvedic consultant, I am here to tell you what Ayurveda really says. Yes, all the benefits that all the retailers of copper drinking containers and most major credible websites state are true. However, here is what some of them fail to tell you and/or write it at the end of articles so that you may even miss the disclaimer.

1. For its health benefits, you should only have a maximum of 2 cups a day of water from a copper vessel.
2. The water should be left in the container for about 8 hours to reap the benefits. The best time of the days to drink copper water is in the morning and in the evening before bed.
3. If you drink copper water all day long as part of your 2 litres of water a day, you are risking too high levels of copper, which can be toxic for your body and comes with a variety of uncomfortable symptoms from anywhere from constipation, infertility, mood swings, depression, memory problems, and even hypothyroid to name just a few. 
4. As with every Ayurvedic recommendation, everything should be done in moderation.
5. Do not add anything else to your water when drinking out of a copper mug as it can cause adverse reactions
6. Make sure the quality of copper you get is of the highest and pure quality.
7. Lastly and one of the most important points is that you should only have two glasses of copper water a day for a maximum of 3 months and then take a break for 1 month before resuming again.

Lastly, when taking Ayurvedic recommendations, its very important to speak to a qualified Ayurvedic specialist first. Just like how most personal trainers are not qualified nutritionists, most yoga teachers are not qualified in Ayurveda. Drinking too much copper water can be toxic for your body, so please proceed with caution. 

When in doubt, just drink your water from a glass or stainless steel cup or water bottle. Keep things simple as healthy living should be simple.

If you would like to learn more about the specific benefits of drinking copper water, here is a great read on Wholesome Ayurveda, which also recommends moderation when drinking from a copper vessel.

Health and happiness,

Varsha