Alkaline water is one of those topics we hear mentioned all the time, but most of us just give it a passing glance before moving on with our lives. And that’s too bad — there are a lot of health benefits to alkaline water that truly deserve our attention. At the same time, there are some in the water community who don’t put a lot of faith in alkaline water, but a string of recent studies have demonstrated several unique benefits that come from this specially treated water. But before we get into that, the team at EcoWater is ready to educate you on exactly what EcoWater is.
You don’t need a PhD to learn about alkaline water. You just need to know about pH.
Alkaline water isn’t all that different from your average drinking water — the look and chemical composition is essentially the same. The “alkaline” in the name is a reference to the overall pH level in the water you drink. So, what is a pH level, anyway?
A pH level is nothing more than a measurement of how acidic or alkaline (i.e., non-acidic). It is represented by a number between zero and 14. Anything below seven is considered acidic, while anything above seven is considered alkaline, or basic.
Water is actually a great way to explain pH. Your average drinking water has a pH level of seven — right there in the middle. But alkaline water is a greater pH — usually somewhere around eight or nine. With that understood, we should be clear that it takes more than a higher pH for water to be truly alkaline. To be labeled as such, alkaline water must also contain specific alkaline mineral (such as potassium salts), as well as something called negative oxidation potential, or ORP. ORP refers to the water’s ability to act as an antioxidant or a prooxidant. So, in the case of Alkaline water, it has to have antioxidizing properties.
So, what are the benefits of alkaline water?
There are a lot of proponents of alkaline water who tout its health benefits. One of the more interesting claims is that, because it features an increased level of hydrogen, it delivers stronger levels of hydration than average drinking water, which is remarkably beneficial after a grueling workout.
Other claims say it can slow down an individual’s aging process due to its antioxidants that absorb more quickly into our bodies. There’s also a lot of discussion about how it gives us colon-cleansing potential, supports our immune systems, can help us on weight loss journeys and even provide resistance to certain cancers.
While the verdict on all of those claims has yet to come, there are several recent studies that suggest there are some very real, measurable, scientifically proven benefits. For example, a 2012 study published in PubMed showed that people who suffer from persistent acid reflux problems would benefit from drinking naturally carbonated, artesian-well alkaline water. With a pH of 8.8, it was able to help deactivate the enzyme pepsin (the main culprit behind acid reflux).
A more recent and promising study, published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition found that people who drank alkaline water saw a significant difference in blood viscosity (a reduction of 6.3 percent) than those who drank standard, purified drinking water (a reduction of just 3.36 percent). What this means is that the people who drank alkaline water experienced more efficient blood flow, which in turn means they received an increase in oxygen delivery throughout their bodies.
Okay, I’m interested. How do I get alkaline water?
EcoWater makes it easy for its customers to hop on the alkaline water train. When you have one of our dependable reverse osmosis drinking water purification systems, you can choose to use an alkaline filter.
This filter changes your drinking water by producing H2O clusters that are smaller than normal, making them easier for your body to digest and absorb. What’s more, a lot of people find the taste of alkaline water to be superior to your average filtered drinking water.
