How Alkaline Water is Made – Top 5 Ways

On: June 30, 2019

Nowadays, our food contains more animal proteins and processed food. This contributes significantly to the overall decrease in PH level in the body. To neutralize the effects of low PH levels in the body, it is crucial to use alkaline water. Instead of spending a lot of money buying bottled water, it is better to learn how alkaline water is made.

It is generally believed that alkalized water helps to reduce the amount of acid in the blood, boost the metabolism process and help the body to absorb nutrients efficiently among other benefits that we will discover later. If you don’t pay attention to your diet, low PH can tear down your system from within. Most of the time we generally have acidic food and drinks. Most of the commercial products are acidic in nature. like all fast foods, soft drinks, and packaged food. which leads to making our body acidic and then if our cells become acidic, they do not get regenerated easily which leads to autoimmune disease, blood pressure, etc. So easy way to make the body healthy is to have alkaline water a few times a day.

Take a sip of alkaline water and get healthy body.

Depending on the level of PH in your water, it can either be acidic or alkaline. PH refers to the number of hydrogen ions that are attached to water molecules. The higher the hydrogen ions in the water, the more acidic the water. In most cases, water has a PH level of 7 (neutral). An acidic substance has a PH level of between 1 and 6 while an alkaline substance has a PH level of between 8 and 12.

In most cases, when tapped water leaves the plant has a PH range of 6-8, but as it travels in the pipe to your home, it changes. As water travels through the pipes, it becomes acidic by pulling ionic metals from the pipe. Therefore, tap water is not fit for drinking as it is. You need to treat it before drinking.

The most common way that most people treat tap water before drinking is by filtering. Filtering the water helps to remove some of the metals that are present in the water. This helps remove the contaminants in the water. But in most cases, the water might still be acidic when you drink it. By alkalizing the water, you remove the excess hydrogen ions and make it less acidic.

However, if you alkalize the water alone, it might still be having other contaminants. Therefore, you can combine more than one method of treating your drinking water to make it safer. There are several ways through which you can check the PH of the water. You can use the standard method of using PH strips or you can make your own strips at home using cabbage.

There are different reasons as to why you need to alkalize your drinking water. First and foremost, it helps to neutralize acidity in your stomach and the upper bowels. This helps to prevent the formation of heartburns. Alkaline water has both short term and long term effects. Secondly, alkaline water will make you feel rejuvenated and prevent possible bone loss through decalcification.

There are several methods that are used for alkalizing water. The following are the top 5 ways that you can alkalize your water at home:

1. Baking Soda

This is the easiest and most natural way of alkalizing home in the comfort of your kitchen. You mix your drinking water with baking soda and it will give your water a PH of 9. Baking soda is readily available in your local store and you can afford it.

Using Baking soda we can make water alkalized

To alkalize water using baking soda, for every 1 gallon of water, use a half tablespoon of baking soda. Once you had the baking soda, shake the water well until all the soda dissolves. Your water is ready for drinking as soon as all the baking soda is dissolved.

However, some studies have indicated that baking the baking soda before using it to alkalize the water increases its effectivity to alkalize water. Besides that, if you have heartburn, baking the soda will go a long way to fix your ache.

Most importantly, if you have any of the following conditions: kidney problem, diabetes or any other life-threatening condition, make sure you consult your doctor before using baking soda to alkalize your drinking water. This is because baking soda increases your sodium intake.

2. Lemon

This is the most natural way of turning your drinking water alkaline and this is also smartmommies.in choice to make water alkaline in how alkaline water is made list. Lemon has a PH of between 2 and 3, therefore, it is highly acidic. When the lemon water enters the body system, it gets de-ionized and it becomes alkaline.

Put cut pieces of lemon in Jar for overnight

When using lemon to alkalize water, cut it into eights and add a whole lemon to a pitcher of water. You do not have to squeeze the lemon into the water, just throw the cut pieces into the water. Once you have put the pieces in the pitcher, cover it and allow it to sit for 8 to 12 hours at room temperature. To make work easier, put it in the evening as you are going to bed and by morning it will be ready for use.

Lemon has a double effect on the body, it alkalizes the water and increases the potassium ions which are good for your brain. It also contains calcium which is good for your bones.

3. PH Drops

PH drops contain potent alkaline minerals in very high concentration. The drops are available in most health stores. The sachet containing the drops has directions of use. Once you have put the right amount of the PH drops as directed, stir the water well to mix it.

The only disadvantage with the PH drops is that they are expensive as compared to other methods of alkalizing water.

4. Reverse Osmosis Water Filter

This is also another mechanism through which you can make the drinking water alkaline. It is an ideal way of making water alkaline as well as removing other contaminants from the water. The OR water filter uses osmotic pressure combined with microscopic filter membrane to filter the water. The membrane allows only the oxygen and hydrogen to pass through. The water passes through a series of membranes under pressure which helps to remove all the impurities that might be available in the water.

Besides the membranes, the water also passes through a carbon filter. This filter helps to remove any odor and color that might be present in the water. The only disadvantage of this water filter is that it is expensive.

5. Water Ionizer

This is a great way of alkalizing drinking water in the most convenient way. You can attach it to your kitchen sink and it will help you to get two kinds of water. You can use the ionizer to get alkaline and acidic water.

Depending on the water that you want, it comes out on a different hose. The ionizer works by allowing the tap water to flow through an activated charcoal membrane to filter the water. After that, it flows through an electrolytic chamber where the positive ions attach to the negative electrode while the positive anions attach to the negative electrode. It uses an electric current to run.

Also read:

Here is the very informative video which will guide you ho alkaline water is made using ionization process.

Through the electrolysis process, the water is divided according to the charge that it contains. It is s convenient way of getting alkaline drinking water. However, it requires space for installation hence getting professional help to install it is necessary.

Methods of Measuring PH

PH is the power of hydrogen ions in water. It is measured using a negative logarithmic scale of 0 to 14. All acidic solutions have a value of 0 to 6 with 0 being the most acidic. 7 is neutral while a solution with values between 8 and 14 and basic with 14 as the most basic.

There are three primary ways of measuring the PH of a solution. These are:

1. PH Indicators

An indicator changes color depending on the PH of a solution. It has a range at which it changes from acidic to the basic form. The only drawback of using the indicator is that it cannot change color beyond its PH values/range.

Some of the most common PH indicators that are used to measure PH include:

• Phenolphthalein indicator – it is used to measure PH ranges between 8 and 10. It changes it’s color from colorless to pink.

• Bromthymol blue – it is used to measure PH ranges between 6 and 7.6. Its color changes from yellow to blue.

• Litmus paper – it measures PH between 4.5 and 8.3. It changes its color from red to blue.

Using the PH indicators is very easy, quick and does not cost a lot of money.

2. PH Meter

This is an equipment that is used to measure the precise PH of a given solution. It measures the PH using the potential differential PH between the PH electrode and the reference electrode. The PH meter then changes the potential difference into a PH reading.

The advantage of using the PH meter is that it can measure any solids that are dissolved in the solution, temperature and electrical conductivity. This is the most precise way of measuring PH.

3. PH Test Papers

The most common PH paper is the litmus paper. It is used to measure a given solution is either acidic or basic. There are three types of litmus papers I.e. red, blue and neutral. The red litmus paper turns blue if the solution is basic. The blue litmus paper turns blue if the water is acidic and the neutral litmus paper turns blue if the solution is basic and red is it is acidic.

To know the actual PH of a given solution, you need the PH test paper to measure the precise number of the solution.

Side Effects of RO Water

Reverse osmosis is the most common alkalizing technique that is used in most parts of India. This is due to the fact that RO removes most of the water contaminants making it safe for drinking for you and your family.

However, there are some side effects that are associated with RO to purify drinking water. These effects are as follows:

• Removal of essential minerals from the water – RO purification removes all the harmful water contaminants such as heavy metals and microbes. However, it also removes most of the essential minerals from the water. This is because the molecules of the minerals are larger than the water molecules hence they do not pass through the RO membrane. Some of the essential minerals that are removed from the water are magnesium and calcium.

• It reduces the PH of water – when water is passed through the semi-permeable membrane, most of the inorganic and organic components do not pass through. However, the membrane allows gases such as CO2 to pass through the membrane. When CO2 passes, it readily combines with free hydroxide ions in water to form acidic bicarbonate ions. This denies the hydrogen ions a place to attach and therefore it is removed through the membrane. This leads to a high concentration of positive hydrogen ions hence lowering the PH of the water leaving it acidic.

Is Alkaline Water Safe for Pregnant Women?

Generally speaking, water is crucial for life. It is even more crucial to a pregnant woman for the healthy growth and development of the fetus. A pregnant woman needs 5 liters of water per day. Mineralized alkaline water is safe for drinking for pregnant women. Alkaline water contains a high level of PH, this helps in the fight against the buildup of acidic level in the body.

As a matter of fact, a pregnant woman gets the following benefits from drinking alkaline water regularly:

• Neutralize the acidity hence reducing chances of acid reflux

• It contains a high level of antioxidants which are ideal for fighting free radicals

• Alkaline water helps in flushing of toxins from the body

• Alkaline water helps to boost immunity and that of the developing fetus

• Alkaline water is easily absorbed in the body because it contains small molecules

Benefits of Alkaline Water

Knowing the PH level of the water you drink can go a long way to improve your general health. It is believed that alkaline water can help improve the skin condition, reduce the risk of contracting cancer and slow down the process of aging. Alkaline water is generally considered part of healthy eating.

Alkaline water gives overall good health

The following are some of the benefits of drinking alkaline water:

• It helps to balance the PH of the blood

• It helps to hydrate the body

• It slows down the ageing process

• It helps in digestion and softening of the stool

• It helps in detoxification hence helps to flush out acidic wastes from the body

• It improves the health of the skin

• It has the ability to neutralize free radicals hence preventing the possibility of cancer development

• It aids to lose weight. It boosts the metabolism process by increasing satiety

Side Effects of Drinking Alkaline Water

Alkaline water is the new health principle for many. Besides the benefits discussed above, high levels of artificial alkaline water have serious side effects. The following are some of the harmful effects of drinking alkaline water in very few cases:

• Tiredness and sleepiness

• Exerts pressure on the kidneys

• Possible cause of the nutrient deficiency

• Metabolic abnormalities

RO Vs Alkaline Water

There has been debate over which water is healthier between the alkaline and RO water. After research, alkaline water has been found to be healthier as compared to RO water. This is because alkaline water has what RO water lacks – minerals.

It is internationally recommended that for optimum health, you need 10 to 20 % of magnesium and calcium per day. RO water lacks both of these minerals but alkaline water has both.

However, if you are using RO system in your home, you don’t have to throw it away. You can add these minerals to the RO water to make it good for drinking.

Conclusion

As humans advance in age, their ability to utilize acids decline. This acid-buffering ability is a major concern in many health problems. Apart from that, aging brings about the building of free radicals in the body. The accumulation of free radicals in the body speeds up the aging process and increases the chances of many degenerative diseases.

By alkalizing drinking water, it becomes healthy in the following ways:

• It increases the level of antioxidants in the body. According to studies, antioxidants help to fight to age hence increasing the lifespan of a person.

• It increases the level of alkaline in the water while removing harmful acidic elements from the water. Alkaline water contains more levels of magnesium and calcium minerals which are beneficial to bone health.