11. Medieval People Actually Praised Water’s Health Benefits
Not only is it untrue that water was disfavored as a drink in the Middle Ages, medical texts from back then praised water as being good for peoples health. So long as it came from good sources, of course. Indeed, medieval authorities went to great lengths to supply people with drinking water. For example, London constructed ‘The Conduit’ in the 1200s, with lead pipes to bring fresh water from outside the city walls to the city’s center, where people had free access to it.
Although people in the Middle Ages did not avoid water per se, they still preferred beer and wine. Assuming of course that they could afford such beverages. People did drink a whole lot of beer and ale and wine in those days. However, it was not because their water was bad. Instead, they consumed those alcoholic beverages simply because they liked both their taste and effect. The authorities knew and catered to those preferences, such as during public celebrations in London.