You are probably seeing “alkaline water” everywhere these days. Why not just buy bottled “alkaline water” from the store or online? What’s the difference between “ionized alkaline water” achieved through electrolysis and “alkaline water” achieved through other methods?
As you probably know, there are huge health benefits to consuming ionized alkaline water due to the high antioxidant content that the ionization provides. This water is full of oxidation-fighting molecular hydrogen that neutralizes harmful free radicals in our bodies. Those free radicals are what cause aging and disease. The more antioxidants you can consume, the less signs of aging and disease you will have. See blog #3 titled, “Why Should I Care About Molecular Hydrogen,” for an in-depth explanation.
So with all of the options out there, just how do you go about choosing what’s best for you and your family? First, it’s important to know the difference between “alkaline water” and “ionized alkaline water”. The term “alkaline” simply means that the pH of the water is higher than 7. (pH ranges from 0-14 on a logarithmic scale representing very strongly acidic to very strongly alkaline). An alkaline pH is not a terribly beneficial quality in and of itself because consuming the water puts it into direct contact with one’s stomach acid, thus neutralizing the pH very quickly. It can, of course, be beneficial for those battling excess acid and acid reflux. Also, companies often add chemicals like sodium bicarbonate to ordinary tap water in order to achieve an elevated pH and label it “alkaline”. This water is not only full of harmful chemicals, but also loses its alkalinity as it sits in warehouses and on store shelves. By the time it gets to you it generally no longer has the advertised alkaline pH level. It also never had any disease and aging fighting antioxidants, which provide much more robust health benefits than alkalinity alone.
In contrast, “ionized alkaline water” not only has a naturally-achieved high pH, but also contains the above-mentioned aging and disease fighting antioxidants. Only the electrolysis process mimics what happens in natural springs that create ionized alkaline water. Every other route to creating alkaline water involves the use of chemicals and does not lead to lasting ionization. The electrolysis process utilized in home water ionizing machines naturally separates the hydrogen from the oxygen in filtered tap water, giving us antioxidant-rich ionized alkaline water with a pH of our choosing. This water cannot be purchased and must be made on the spot with an ionization machine. Ions, and thus antioxidants, will slowly dissipate from the water if it sits for too long. This is why we cannot purchase this water in a bottled-state and store it for weeks at a time.
It used to be that you could only acquire ionized alkaline water from a few natural springs throughout the world. If you did not live close to one of them you were out of luck. You’ve probably heard of the great glacial springs in Iceland. There is a reason that this is now one of the most popular vacation destinations in the world. Not only is it stunningly beautiful, but there are notable health benefits from being near the water sources. Now we can make this exact same water from the convenience of our homes with compact water ionization machines. That doesn’t mean don’t go to Iceland, but it does mean that you don’t have to!
