I was so thirsty when I got into a concert this weekend (and security took my 500ml bottle of sealed water that the website said was allowed) that I literally ran to the food trucks on site. One truck didn’t have a lineup which is usually a bad sign, but on this near 30 degree day it was the perfect sign. The rest of the food trucks were 30-40 people deep so I headed to the front of the queue for some water.
Of course they only had 4-dollar-per-bottle-BS-water.
I drank my first and likely last bottle of alkaline water on Saturday.
There weren’t any ingredients listed on the bottle so I can only assume it was just water, which is exactly what it tasted like. It was cold, refreshing, and bland. Just like water should be. I didn’t have any superpowers after drinking it and I didn’t feel alkalized.
Probably because I wasn’t alkalized and my pH stayed the same.
That’s equilibrium for you.
Ripoff water is coming soon to a store near you so be prepared to save your money, drinking water generally has a pH of 6.5-8.5.
Bottled alkaline water is kind of like a ‘BS’ racket, it’s marketed to folks to make money off of them, usually to people who may not understand alkalinity and pH. Lately it seems that alkaline has turned into another health ‘buzzword‘. A marketing gimmick.
I think it’s tap water for the win, folks!
So, what about water actually matters?I’d be more concerned whether or not your water is fluoridated and whether or not your drinking water is clean. I’d also like to point out that minerals in the water can also change pH, so increased calcium in water = increased alkalinity.
So pure water, in the literal sense, without any minerals in it should have a pH of 7, if there are minerals in the water the pH may rise above 7 which is then more alkaline. Reverse osmosis water (often your lowest price bottled water that doesn’t say Spring Water) has a pH often sitting below 7, more acidic.
For perspective:
Orange juice pH- 3
Black coffee pH- 5
Milk pH- 6 
Milk pH- 6
Once you drink alkaline water and it goes into your stomach it won’t be alkaline anymore. Also, the acid in your stomach is going to stay acid (so that you can digest food). Gastric acid has a pH between 1.5-3.5 to help you break down proteins and digest food, even if you drink alkalized water…
Bottom Line
Don’t waste your money, your body is insanely good at managing a constant and optimal pH, alkaline water isn’t going to change that.
To think it would is so basic. (nerd joke… get it?)
Read more here:
- http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/ewh-semt/consult/_2015/ph/draft-ebauche-eng.php#a4-2
- http://extension.usu.edu/waterquality/whats-in-your-water/ph
- http://water.usgs.gov/edu/ph.html
- https://authoritynutrition.com/the-alkaline-diet-myth/
- https://health.clevelandclinic.org/2013/10/alkaline-water-dont-believe-the-marketing-hype/
- http://www.precisionnutrition.com/alkaline-water-legit-or-hoax
Emma Train RD 
I hope I not the only one enjoying the alkaline/basic pun.
ALSO?! Bottled water is such a massive waste of money.
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I hope not!! I hate bottled water! So bad for the environment!
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