There’s no doubt that the healthiest beverage is water. No amount of sugar-free soda can be on par with the benefits of water. But in case you forgot the popular trend, there is something that is claiming to be even healthier than the healthiest beverage: alkaline water.
You may have probably seen it in the grocery shop or heard it from online influencers who promote a healthy lifestyle. Regardless of where you have heard and seen it, we will deep dive into the real deal behind alkaline water in this article.
What is Alkaline Water?
Alkaline water is a type of water with a pH level higher than 7.0, making it less acidic than regular tap water. According to Pamela Hinton, Ph.D, an associate professor of nutrition and exercise physiology in SELF Magazine, “pH is the measure of the hydrogen ion concentration in a solution. The pH scale ranges from 0 to 14. The more hydrogen ions, the more acidic the solution, and the lower the pH.”
This means that elements pH below 7 are referred to as acidic, anything above pH 7 is considered as neutral pH, and alkaline levels are at pH 8 or 9.
It’s important to keep in mind that the alkalinity is not solely based on pH levels, as it should also contain alkaline minerals and antioxidant properties.
The Advantages of Drinking Alkaline Water
Alkaline water drinkers believe that this type of water can neutralise the acid in the body, as well as help decrease the number of free radicals that can cause cellular damage.
The use of alkaline water also helps prevent ageing effects, cleanse the colon, improve skin health, and support the immune system. Some studies also suggest that alkaline water can help normalise high blood pressure and cholesterol levels, and it helps increase oxygen delivery throughout the body. It is also touted as being able to defend the body from toxins and help relieve symptoms of acid reflux.
However, drinking alkaline water is a reasonably controversial trend. According to sports nutritionist Adam Rosante in SELF Magazine, “Most of the claims are weak and speculative from a research-based perspective. However, while it hasn’t been scientifically proven, it also hasn’t been disproven.”
The Disadvantages of Alkaline Water
Alkaline water is good, but just like other things, too much of alkalinity may not be beneficial. Too much alkaline water can cause increased alkalinity, which may lead to skin irritations and gastrointestinal issues. Moreover, it may decrease stomach acidity that helps in killing bacteria and pathogens in the bloodstream. Increased alkalinity can also lead to metabolic alkalosis, a chronic condition that may yield symptoms such as nausea, muscle twitching, hand tremors, and confusion.
What’s the Best Drinking Water, Then?
Invented by Dr Kokichi Hanaoka, HiFloAM Water® may be the best alternative to alkaline water or any water out there. This water invention shares the same properties of the natural spring waters found in Germany, France, and Mexico, and Dr Hanaoka is among the esteemed scientists who studied these waters.
To demonstrate the effectiveness of his invention, Dr Hanaoka compared the dissociation activity of different types of water. HiFloAM Water® is proven to be seven times more dissociated than tap water, ten times more dissociated than pure water, and four times more dissociated than alkaline water. He concluded that the HiFloAM Water®'s properties have a weak alkaline pH of 8, but it possesses high dissociation activity of water molecules to remove free radicals. Dissociation activity is measured in pKw—the lower the value, the higher the dissociation, absorption, hydration, and detox.
HiFloAM Water® dispenses mild alkaline water with the pH levels of regular drinking water instead of pH levels of 8 to 9.
HiFloAM Water® is manufactured in Japan, in a facility with Medical Standards ISO 13485 Certificate, which is known to be much stricter and higher than ISO90001 quality standards.