What is “alkaline water” — and how alkaline should it be?
Water is measured as alkaline if it has a pH reading above 7 (7 is neutral on the pH scale). The pH of some of the most successful alkaline water brands arrays from a scale of 8 to 10.But pH is not the most important thing to look out for and you shouldn’t look out for the highest pH you can get. The reason being is that very high pH is not healthy. When the pH of water ranges to around 8.8, there are terrible effects on digestion. This is mainly because the higher pH deactivates the digestive enzyme pepsin, which would lead to a decline in HCL production thus contributing to a much weaker digestion. That’s why the pH of public drinking water should be between 6.5 to 8.5, according to the EPA. Alkaline water has a raised pH beyond the neutral 7.0 level. This helps in neutralising the acid in our body. A study found that drinking naturally carbonated alkaline water with a pH of 8.8 may help deactivate pepsin, the main enzyme that causes acid reflux. Another study says that drinking alkaline ionised water may have benefits for people with diabetes, high cholesterol and high blood pressure. A more recent experiment included 100 people found a noteworthy difference in whole blood viscosity after consuming high-pH water compared to regular water after a strenuous workout. Viscosity is the direct measurement of how efficiently blood flows through the vessels. People who consumed high-pH water reduced viscosity by 6.3 percent compared to 3.36 percent with standard purified drinking water.
Does having a high pH level in water alkalize your body?
Whether a food or liquid alkalizes, the body does not hinge on the pH reading of that specific substance. For example, lemon juice is very acidic (i.e. it has a very low pH), yet it is very alkalizing in nature.
What’s significant is not the original pH of a substance but instead, the main effect after it has been metabolized in the body. When acids like those from citrus are metabolized, they harvest bicarbonate, a strong agent that helps the body alkalize. But other acids, like the hippuric acid discovered in cranberries, both enter and leave the body as acid, and so they are acid-forming within the body.
So what is “natural” alkaline water?
Real curing, alkalizing waters are natural mineral waters from under the ground. Studies show that natural mineral water is effective at encouraging bone and overall health. The best known of these are the European mineral waters originating high up in the mountains. These waters pick up mineral salts from rocks and earth as they furnace their subterranean path down the mountains. The World Health Organization reports that the concentration of total dissolved solids from natural water sources varies from less than 30mg/L to as much as 6000mg/L, depending on the solubility of minerals from diverse geological areas.
According to European regulations, only water with at least 250mg/litre of minerals may be called “mineral water.” Water with 500mg/litre or more may also be chosen as “high mineral content.” Natural mineral water must be bottled at the source so its chemical properties can’t be changed. Last but not least, studies show that natural mineral water is effective at aiding good health and well-being.
Is synthetic alkaline water just as good?
Synthetic alkaline water can be separated into two sets. One is purified water with additional trace minerals. The second is shaped by electrolysis and it’s even more unnatural. A machine splits the hydrogen (acid-forming) and hydroxyl (alkalizing) components of water and renders two waters, one highly acidic and the other highly alkalizing.
The label on this kind of “alkalizing water” might say it was made by electrolysis. Such waters can have a pH of 9 or above high enough to inactivate pepsin and decrease stomach acid production. Proponents of alkaline water made through electrolysis make wide-ranging entitlements about its health effects but to date, the only official medical use is for excess stomach acid.
What to look for when assessing the alkalizing capacity of “alkaline” water
You simply cannot judge the effects of alkaline water based on its pH level. Instead, it is important to look for the amount of minerals listed on the water purifier or bottled waters label. Some of the components to look out for are:
- Bicarbonate content
- Calcium content
- Magnesium content
- Sodium content (in small amounts)
- Total dissolved solids
How can you judge the alkalizing effect of your water?
To see if your “alkalizing water” is really healthy for you, put it under examination. You can do this by eating a fairly consistent diet and measure the pH of your first morning urine for one week daily. Then, without changing your diet, add your “alkaline water” for the next week, and then take another measurement of your first morning urine pH. If your urine pH was lower than 6.5 in the first week, and the subsequent consumption of the alkaline water in the next week helped raise your first morning urine pH into the optimum 6.5 to 7.5 range, then it is alkalizing.
Is Alkaline water available in India?But now the question is how can we examine Alkaline water in our day to day life. There are various purifying systems in the market that remove all hazardous substances like Arsenic, Cadmium, Lead, Radium and many more, but most of the water purifiers in the market in the process of purifying also removes all the minerals and healthy essentials that are present in the drinking water. The main question is how do we get a quality and safe purified alkaline water with minerals and essentials of the regular drinking water. The answer to this belongs to a water purifying company who provides the best Alkaline water available in India. FIN water purifier is the key solution currently for having fresh alkaline water. FIN not only purifies water but also retains vital minerals from water. Their product uses nanotechnology developed in India by Permionics. Their purifiers are manufactured to make minimal wastage, the least amount of water helps conserve more than traditional water purifiers in the market. Their purifier preserves naturally occurring essential minerals while maintaining optimum alkalinity, giving you quality water. Your water consumption is the most essential part of your daily routine and so it is necessary to make every sip count. FIN can be a great product as a purifier at your home. Reaching your health goals should never be an option. Stay safe,Stay healthy.