Alkaline water: Healthy Drink Or All Hype? (PH balance ALFA)
Here are the reasons why is alkaline water better than regular water..
Getting enough water every day is important for your health. Drinking water can prevent dehydration, a condition that can cause unclear thinking, result in mood change, cause your body to overheat, and lead to constipation and kidney stones. Most of your fluid needs are met through the water and beverages you drink. You can get some fluids through the foods that you eat – especially foods with high water content, such as many fruits and vegetables. The question that we often get is – is it better to drink alkaline water than just regular water? Let’s get to know the difference between these two.
You may have heard various health claims about alkaline water. Some say it can help slow the aging process, regulate your body’s pH level, and prevent chronic diseases like cancer. But what exactly is alkaline water, and why all the hype? The “alkaline” in alkaline water refers to its pH level. A pH level is a number that measures how acidic or alkaline a substance is on a scale of 0 to 14. For example, something with a pH of 1 would be very acidic and something with a pH of 13 would be very alkaline.
Alkaline water has a higher pH level than regular drinking water. Because of this, some advocates of alkaline water believe it can neutralize the acid in your body. Normal drinking water generally has a neutral pH of 7. Alkaline water typically has a pH of 8 or 9. However, pH alone isn’t enough to impart substantial alkalinity to water.
Alkaline water must also contain alkaline minerals and negative oxidation-reduction potential (ORP). ORP is the ability of water to act as a pro- or antioxidant. The more negative the ORP value, the more anti-oxidizing it is. People like alkaline water because it neutralizes the acidity in the body by increasing the pH level of tap water. Many people who enjoy drinking alkaline water experience health benefits, such as support to the immune system and aid in detoxification. While greater scientific research is needed to verify these claims, staying hydrated does benefit a person’s health. Plus, neutralizing acidity in the body, often caused by environmental impurities and an unbalanced diet, helps to relieve stress from the internal organs that work hard to eliminate a buildup of acid.
Typically speaking, regular drinking water has a pH level of seven; alkaline water normally registers an 8 or 9 on the pH scale of 0-14. It’s sold by the bottle in health food and specialty stores and commercial water ionizers are available to accommodate businesses.
Though tap water is tested before it enters the water system, it can sometimes become contaminated by lead, copper, or other contaminants from pipes and plumbing fixtures. These contaminants may make water unhealthy to drink, particularly for young children and these contaminants may be a serious threat to our bodies.
Alkaline water vs Distilled water
Distilled water is the result of the process of boiling tap water and then subsequently condensing the vapor back into the water. Whereas alkaline water is water that has been filtered to increase the pH level of the water making it less acidic and adding minerals rather than removing them.
The process of distillation removes all minerals from the water and aims to reduce the number of total dissolved solids (TDS) to 0. This can be a concern, though, because mineralization in water is an important component of human health.
Lots of people ask 'is distilled water alkaline?', but there are two completely different concepts of water purification and this is primarily based on minerals.
Mineral content in water such as calcium, magnesium, and other components protect against deficiencies by providing adequate intake which can often be missing from many contemporary diets.
First off, our bodies are in a more acidic environment from all of the processed foods, sugary drinks, and caffeine we consume. The body creates fat cells to neutralize acidity. Drinking alkaline water will help neutralize those acids and reduce fat storage. People with a healthy level of alkalinity will not produce the fat cells needed to neutralize the acid that enters the body.
Can alkaline water help you lose weight?
Another secret to weight loss is proper hydration. Alkaline water provides better hydration than regular water because it is readily absorbed into the body. Most athletes will turn to alkaline water because of its hydration benefits. - Start your day by drinking a glass of cold alkaline water to help boost your metabolism! Drinking a glass of alkaline water a half hour before each meal will also help you feel fuller longer. The hydration will help your body produce the necessary digestive fluids. Alkaline water also provides increased energy and improved muscle function by preventing lactic acid build-up in muscles. Despite the lack of proven scientific research, proponents of alkaline water still believe in its proposed health benefits. These include:
- Anti-aging properties (via liquid antioxidants that absorb more quickly into the human body)
- Colon-cleansing properties
- Immune system support
- Hydration, skin health, and other detoxifying properties
- Weight loss
- Cancer resistance