Ultimately, the best choice is bottles when it comes to storing liquids.  There’s a reason why wines, beers and other spirits are stored in bottles.  Bottles do not pollute the taste.  It allows liquids to retain and maintain its taste.  Plastic and metals can change the taste of its contents.  Of course, this is just one reason why people choose to use glass bottles instead of their alternative, plastic and metal bottles.

The Benefits of Using Glass Bottles

Glass bottles have been around for a long time.  They’ve been used for decades, but more and more people are now switching to glass from plastic and metal.  People are becoming more aware of the health benefits of using glass bottles.

First of all, glass is made from natural materials.  They won’t degrade over time.  They can last you and your family for years.  Glass doesn’t leach chemicals.  Glass bottles don’t affect taste or odor of their content. They’re safe to use, and they’re easy to clean.  You can immediately know if the bottles are clean or if they need more cleaning.  It’s not this simple with plastic or metal containers.

Glass is safer than metal or plastic.  It is made from all-natural raw materials.  Glass bottles do not contain materials that can have negative effect on your health and the environment.  Not surprisingly, glass is labeled by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration as GRAS or “Generally Recognized as Safe”.

A few years ago, the Food and Drug Administration started warning people about bisphenol A or what is commonly referred to as BPA.  It’s a chemical used in plastic and metal bottles or packaging.  The FDA warned people against cups and bottles containing BPA.  This is why you can now find many BPA-free bottles in the market these days.  People were looking for alternatives.

Glass bottles are sustainable.  They can be recycled over and over again.  They’re made of sustainable mono-material that can be recycled without losing their purity or quality.  They can be created into new bottles or converted into raw materials.  There are so many things you can do with recycled glass.  They can be used for landscaping, flooring, countertops and pavements – just to mention a few.

Aesthetically, glass bottles look so much better than plastic or metal bottles.  They are better in terms of clarity, shape and texture.  They’re transparent, so they easily show the content.

Of course, there are downsides to using glass.  For one thing, it is highly breakable.  So, it is not the best material for sports beverage bottles.  This is why there are companies that manufactured glass bottles that are wrapped in protective silicone sleeves.  Another drawback is that they are heavier than plastic or metal bottles.  Heavy bottles are not the best option for yoga or Zumba or outdoor activities.

Storing Juice in Glass Bottles or Jars

When it comes to juicing, it is a good idea to store juice in glass bottles or jars.  This will keep your juice fresh for a longer period.   Freshly-squeezed juice tastes so much better when you drink it straight from a glass. Plastic tends to absorb odors and flavors.  So, after repeatedly using plastic to drink juice, your plastic bottle will likely absorb foreign odors and flavors.  This will affect the taste of your drinks in the long run.  Glass does not absorb odors or flavors, so you get the best taste.

Although it is considerably easy to wash glass bottles by hand, it is also incredibly easy to clean them in your dishwasher.  Your dishwasher tends to force steaming hot water up and down into the corners and nooks of a glass jar.  This is why all the dried remnants of old juice are thoroughly cleaned and removed.  This is not something that you can do easily with metal or plastic containers.  It is hard to clean them thoroughly.

Plastic bottles tend to leach chemicals into your drinks or food.  So, while you think you are creating fresh, healthy and nutrient-rich drinks, you may be ruining them by using plastic bottles.  These bottles also cause rapid oxidation of the juice.  This causes your juice to lose nutrients fast.

Glass bottles do not leach juice or cause oxidation.  Of course, you need to handle them more carefully.  They can break easily.  Of course, this is the only drawback to using glass bottles for juicing.

Kinds of Glass Jars or Bottles

There are different kinds of glasses with different chemicals and physical properties.  The main types include:

1. Borosilicate Glass

You’re probably familiar with this glass.  They’re known as Pyrex.  They’re heat-resistant, so they’re usually used to create ovenware.  This glass is made of silica and boric oxide.  You will also find a small percent of alkalis and aluminium oxide.  It has a low amount of alkali, and this makes it thermal shock resistant.  It doesn’t break easily when it changes temperature.

2. Commercial Glass or Soda Lime Glass

This is the glass we see daily in the form of jars, bottles or windows.  It’s primarily made of sand which is fused to create glass. Commercial glass also contains other minerals and chemicals like sodium carbonate, sodium oxide, calcium oxide and magnesium oxide.  It is colorless, so it transmits light freely.  This is why it is commonly used for windows.

3. Glass Fiber

This type of glass has many uses – from roof insulation to medical equipment.  Its composition also varies depending on its use.  For instance, the type of glass fiber used for building insulation is soda lime.

4. Lead Glass

 

Lead glass is used to make a variety of glass objects.  This is created using lead oxide and potassium oxide.  This glass has high refractive index, so they tend to sparkle brightly.  They also have a soft surface that is easy to grind, cut and engrave.  This is why they are used to make glasses and decanters as well as decorative objects.

 

 Glass Bottles vs. Stainless or Aluminum Bottles

Glass bottles and containers are without a doubt the best way to store food and drinks.  As we’ve previously mentioned, it doesn’t affect the flavors of food or liquid. You get the purest of taste.  They do not contain BPA and is chemically free.  So, you know you’re safe from harmful chemicals when you store food and liquids in glass containers.

On the other hand, stainless steel containers or glasses are made from culinary-grade stainless steel.  They come in a variety of sizes and colors.  They are the second best option to glass if you have no other option.  There are some safety issues associated with stainless steel.  Lead, for instance, can be an issue.  They can taste metallic, and they tend to heat up easily.

Aluminum bottles look like stainless steel, but they are significantly different.  For once, aluminum reacts to acidic content.  This is why they need to be lined with enamel or epoxy.  Unfortunately, BPA is really toxic to your body.  So, it is a great idea to avoid aluminum bottles altogether.

If you need to buy glass bottles, get your own leak-proof glass bottles here.

Image Credit:
Borosilicate Glass via stashtea.com
Glass Fiber Bottle via freundcontainer.com
Lead Glass Bottle via french-wine-web.com