What is all the hype about alkaline water, and should we buy into it?

To best answer this question, there are a few things the reader needs to know. When the acronym pH is used, it is referring to the potential hydrogen ion concentration in the water. A low pH has a high hydrogen concentration and vice versa. Surface water is on a scale from about 6.5 to 8.5, and the full pH range measures from 0 to 14. If the water is below seven, it is considered acidic, and if it is above seven, then it is basic. Keep in mind; this is potential hydrogen and not actual hydrogen.

Now, how do we achieve a pH higher than seven to make alkaline water? There are several ways to produce alkaline water, but one you might like better than others. First, we will look at electrolysis. By electrifying the water, the process creates ruptured ions. Those ions are impacted positively or negatively to create a high or low pH. Rupturing ions doesn’t remove ions, nor does it remove contaminants from the water. Instead, the pollutants are masked. The electrocuted ions will eventually reset themselves back to the way they were, usually in less than 48-hours. So, if you are purchasing ionized water, chances are you just overpaid for water with a pH of about seven.

The other way to produce alkaline water is through a process called ion exchange. In this process, positively and negatively charged ions are removed and exchanged for hydrogen and oxygen atoms. Now everything is nicely bonded together, and there is less potential hydrogen looking for bonding time. By removing the remaining ions, the process is removing the residual contaminants. 

Now, is ion-exchanged alkaline water good for you? We believe yes; studies show that it can significantly improve blood viscosity. Meaning, how effectively your blood moves through the vessels. If your blood can run all the white and red blood cells where they need to go, then every system in the body benefits. Blood is to the body as water is to the planet, the cleaner it is, the happier we are living.