Alkaline Water Facts: Alkaline water, you must be hearing this name a lot these days. There will be many people around you who are using this water, there will be some who will also be proud of it. Their arrogance would force you to think that what is this water like. Alkaline water is less acidic than regular drinking water and has a higher pH level. Those who advocate this water believe that it strengthens the immune system. However, this is a subject of thorough research.

What is alkaline water?
Various claims have been made regarding alkaline water. Some say it can help slow down the ageing process, regulate your body's pH level, and prevent dangerous diseases like cancer. But what exactly is alkaline water and why is there so much hype about it? Alkaline water has a higher pH level than normal water. A pH level is a number that measures how acidic or alkaline a substance is on a scale of 0 to 14. For example, a liquid with a pH of 1 would be considered acidic and a substance with a pH of 13 alkalines.

Which is more beneficial alkaline water or normal water?
Alkaline water has a higher pH level than regular drinking water. Because of this, some people believe that it can neutralize the acid in your body. Normal drinking water usually has a neutral pH of 7. Alkaline water usually has a pH of 8 or 9. However, pH alone is not sufficient for water. Alkaline water must also have alkaline minerals and a 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.

Does alkaline water work?
Some degree of controversy exists regarding alkaline water. Many health experts say that the health claims made by proponents and sellers of using alkaline water are still a matter of research and cannot be fully accepted. Some studies suggest alkaline water may be helpful for certain conditions. But there is still a lot of research to be done on this.

Despite the lack of full scientific quality, people using alkaline water believe in its proposed health benefits. Some of these are given here-
Stomach cleansing properties
boost immune system
hydration
healthy skin
detox
weight loss
cancer resistance
pro ageing

Does alkaline water have side effects?
At present, alkaline water is considered safe. So far no such evidence has come to the fore which shows negative side effects.

Is alkaline water natural or artificial?
Naturally alkaline water occurs when it passes over rocks - such as those that pass through springs, and natural minerals collect in it, making it alkaline. But this is not possible for everyone. In such a situation, most people who drink alkaline water have to buy it, which passes through a chemical process called electrolysis.

This technique uses a product called an ionizer to raise the pH of regular water. Ionizer manufacturers say that electricity is used to separate water molecules that are more acidic or alkaline. The acidic water is then pumped out. Still, some doctors and researchers say that these claims are not supported by quality research.