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1. Why should I care what kind of water I drink? 

 
Our bodies are made up of around 70% water. Our brains are made up of about 80% water. The very essence of our being is comprised of water. Then why don’t we give more thought into the quality of water that we are drinking? Not all water is created equal! We spend lots of money on organic produce, we read ingredient lists to ensure we consume the highest quality food we can, we exercise to stay healthy, but we don’t give a second thought to the water we consume on a daily basis. 
 
Tap water is not as safe to drink as you think. Tap water is filled with contaminants and chemicals that lead to dangerous and costly diseases. According to a recent peer-reviewed study of nearly 50,000 community water systems in the United States, the Environmental Working Group (EWG) found that 22 carcinogens commonly found in tap water increase people’s risk of developing cancer. These contaminants include things like arsenic, byproducts of water disinfectants, and radionuclides such as uranium and radium. 
 
Although most tap water meets legal standards set by the federal government, researchers found that contaminants present in tap water create a measurable risk for cancer. In other words, tap water that has high levels of cancer-causing contaminants will pass the US government’s test and continue to flow to homes all over the United States. This water is not clean and pure like we are made to think it is. 
 
Let’s talk about the water pipes real quick. They are old, corroding, and leaking heavy metals into the water supply. It’s important to know what the condition of the pipes are like in your area. In a lot of cases, these pipes have not been replaced for decades and the water treatment chemicals only quicken corrosion. Some more interesting information on this here. 
 
 

 

2. I drink bottled water instead of tap, isn't that better? 

 
Bottled water companies would like us to think that bottled water is filtered and cleaner than tap water. However, this is simply not the case. Bottled water regulations are even looser than those in place for tap water. For all the points mentioned in the previous answer, we know that loose regulations regarding water quality is a no-go. 
 
Let’s talk about the plastic bottle itself. Let’s say just for argument’s sake that the water poured into these bottles is pure and clean. By the time it gets to you, it’s not pure anymore. Multiple studies have found that a plastic bottle leaks chemicals into the water it contains, and the longer the water sits in the plastic bottle the more contaminated it gets. If the environment it is shipped in is hot, then it leaks even more contaminants. One study found that 93% of bottled water tested showed micro-plastic contamination. 
 
Overall, bottled water is not the healthy answer we are looking for. Not to mention the horrific impact it has on our environment. I won’t go into that here though because you already know that. But seriously, why are people still buying plastic bottles of water? 
 

“Oxidative stress is recognized widely as being associated with various disorders including diabetes, hypertension, and atherosclerosis. It is well established that hydrogen has a reducing action. We therefore investigated the effects of hydrogen-rich water intake on lipid and glucose metabolism in patients with either type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) or impaired glucose tolerance (IGT)” 
 

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3. What is the difference between Alkaline Water and Ionized Water (Alkalized)?

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You need to know a few terms used in chemistry to understand the difference between plain alkaline water and ionized alkaline water. Most of all, you need to understand that alkalinity and pH are not the same thing.

Alkalinity measures the ability of water to neutralize acids. Alkaline water can have high alkalinity while having only a moderately alkaline pH because alkalinity and pH are not the same thing. You want water with high alkalinity to neutralize as much acidity as possible if your health challenges come from acidity. Consequently, alkaline ionized water can also have low alkalinity and a high pH. Water ionizers can make water with high pH and moderate alkalinity.

 

The difference is that alkaline water made by a water ionizer has antioxidant potential. Bottled alkaline water doesn’t

The Potential Hydrogen (pH) of water refers to its potential to attract positively-charged Hydrogen ions (H+). Your levels are maintained in a narrow range by your body. Because of this, pH isn’t as important as alkalinity when it comes to your health. What you’re drinking alkaline water for is it’s acid-neutralizing alkalinity and it’s antioxidant potential.

Ionization occurs when an atom or molecule either gains or loses electrons, when that happens, the atom becomes an ion – a charged particle.  When an atom becomes an ion, its  electrical charge can be either positive or negative. It depends on whether the atom gained or lost electrons. The minerals in alkaline ionized water – mostly calcium, magnesium, and potassium – gain electrons from the ionization process. The extra electrons give the water a negative electrical charge. That charge gives it antioxidant potential.

The difference between alkaline ionized water and ionized water

Ionized water can be either alkaline or acidic.  Alkaline ionized water has alkaline minerals in it. Conversely, acidic ionized water from a water ionizer has carbonate in it, which makes it a dilute solution of carbonic acid.

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4. What is Oxidation Reduction Potential?

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A water ionizer puts a negative electrical charge into the water it makes. As a result, that negative electrical charge gives the water antioxidant potential which can be measured, just like the charge of a battery. The negative charge   is called its Oxidation Reduction Potential (ORP).

Alkaline ionized water when mixed with vitamin C enhances it’s antioxidant benefit. You can do this by mixing alkaline ionized water with the juice of any citrus fruit.

The only problem with the antioxidant potential of alkaline water is that you can’t store it for very long. Due to that fact, the antioxidant ORP of alkaline water begins to decline after about 24 hours. So it’s best drank fresh from the ionizer.

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5. Why Bottled Alkaline Water has no Antioxidant Potential, but can have toxic antimony in it?

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Bottled alkaline water has no antioxidant potential because the antioxidant potential doesn’t keep.  Because of this, the best water comes fresh from a water ionizer. Another problem with bottled alkaline water is due to chemical contamination: BPA, phthalates, and antimony have all been detected in bottled water. BPA and phthalates are potent hormone disruptors and potential carcinogens. Antimony is a heavy metal and a known carcinogen. Alkaline water  draws antimony out of plastic. So antimony contamination will be worse with bottled alkaline water than it is for plain bottled water.

Most noteworthy, You can finance a water ionizer for less than you’d pay for bottled alkaline water. Bottled alkaline water is expensive, you will pay between $2 – $5 per bottle for it. If you drank 2 liters per day of bottled water, you’d easily spend more than $100 per month! Furthermore, you can finance a water ionizer for about half that, and have it paid off within two years.

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Ionized alkaline water can help put you back in charge of your health!

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Reference

Coassin, Mariagraza, Fulvio Ursini, and Alberto Bindoli. “Antioxidant effect of manganese.” Science Direct. Archives of Biochemistry and Biophysics.” Science Direct. Science Direct. Web. 9 Jul 2013. <https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/0003986192902822>.

 

Lee, MY, and YK Kim, et al. “Electrolyzed-reduced water protects against oxidative damage to DNA, RNA, and protein..” Springer Link. Humana Press, 1 Nov 2006. Web. 8 Jul 2013. <http://link.springer.com/article/10.1385/ABAB:135:2:133>.

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