Ion-free water for human consumption?

[Uncle Bob]

DI water makes superb coffee since there is nothing in it to screw up the
good coffee beans. I used it for years.

Uncle Bob

:-Peter <obrien at pharm.med.upenn.edu> wrote in article
<obrien-0510961709220001 at brass6.med.upenn.edu>...
> In article <536295$o0g at news1.dra.com>, Milverneus Millerion
> <miller at diamond.jcn1.com> wrote:
> 
> @--> 
> @--> DeIonized water contains no Sodium, Calcium, Magnesium, or any other
ions
> @--> good, or bad, in it.  When you drink the water it is devoid of salt.
> @--> Electrolyte balance, however, is maintained by the kidneys.  I have 
> @--> consumed DI water from some faucets in some chemistry labs and
prefer 
> @--> its taste (or lack of it) to other waters.  I am not sure if it
would be 
> @--> better for someone on a low sodium diet than hard water. 
Flouridation,
> @--> which occurs in some places, might reduce cavities, however, I don't

> @--> know what other effects it might have.  As to studies I don't
know... .
> 
> 
> IMNSHO, deionized water tastes terrible.  I wonder if the lack of ions
> creates a "taste" of it's own?  New Orleans water often wins the "best
> tasting municipal water" award.  All they do to treat it is to draw it
> from the old Black Muddy River, allow the sediments to settle, and to
toss
> in a bit of chlorine.  Mmmmm tasty!
> 
> To bring this back to science...
> 
> Are gustatory receptors ion channels? What part of taste is determined by
> the ionic strength of a solution?   I know that olfactory receptors are
> often GPCRs, but are any receptors for taste in the GPCR family?  
> 
> Perhaps this thread should wander off to another group?
> 
> :-Peter
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>