RO water has become synonymous with “safe drinking water”, be it at home or even at restaurants. But is it necessarily healthy? While water is considered an elixir of life, health experts often focus on promoting the quantity of water one must consume. Seven to eight glasses a day, remember? But awareness about the quality of water one consumes is equally important. As it happens, water quality isn’t always just about its level of contaminants, but also the minerals in it. And so, people have been turning attention towards the growing popularity of alkaline water.

Hollywood and Bollywood celebrities have given a fillip to alkaline water in the recent past, highlighting its benefits in boosting immunity and metabolism, detoxification and in reducing acidity. Now if you’re thinking that the RO water (purified by the Reverse Osmosis process) that most of you may be drinking at home, also gives you the same benefits, it may be time to rethink.

Difference between RO water and alkaline water

One of the primary differentiating factors between RO water and alkaline water is pH level. According to the US Geological Survey, the pH or Potential/Power of Hydrogen denotes the acidic level of water. On a scale that ranges from 0-14, 7 is considered neutral. Anything below 7 indicates acidic levels, and beyond that is considered alkaline. RO systems generate nearly pure water, with a neutral pH level.

For the unversed, the Reverse Osmosis (RO) system is a popular method of water filtration, which removes contaminants by pressure forcing water via a semipermeable membrane. In a country which is constantly fighting the menace of pollution, it’s safe to say that access to clean drinking water can be a luxury. RO systems offer one of the most affordable safety nets against contaminants in the domestic drinking water ecosystem. But did you know that this purification process also tends to demineralise water by filtering out essential minerals such as magnesium, calcium and potassium? This makes water more acidic, which can lead to depleted immunity and increased exposure to diseases.

According to ResearchGate, scientist Frantisek Kozisek from the National Institute of Public Health, Czech Republic, wrote about the health risks of consuming demineralised water, in a report for the World Health Organization. The side effects of drinking water with low mineral content may include:

* Impact on metabolism, intestinal mucous membrane and other body functions
* Lower intake of calcium and magnesium
* Likely increased dietary intake of toxic metals

Are you more curious about alkaline water now? Well, read on!

Benefits of Alkaline Water

Tesla Power USA, which combines its expertise in the water business with new-age technology to take alkaline water into homes, claims it does much more than deliver clean water to customers. Some of these functions include being rich in hydrogen, antioxidant and mineral content.

A 2012 study on the ‘Clinical Effect and Mechanism of Alkaline Reduced Water’, published in the Journal of Food and Drug Analysis, mentions that alkaline iodized water can help to improve constipation, suppress accumulation of body fats, reduce UV radiation-led skin damage, modulate immune response and manage diabetes.

Over the years, various animal-based studies have been conducted to understand the benefits of alkaline water. Largely, proponents say it can lead to the following benefits:

Improves hydration:

A 2017 research cited in the Biology of Sport studied the effect of mineral-based alkaline water on hydration status and the metabolic response to short-term anaerobic exercise. It concludes that “habitual consumption of alkaline water may be a valuable nutritional vector influencing both acid-base balance and hydration status in active healthy adults”.

Increases immunity

In the post-Covid world, immunity has gained greater significance in people’s lives through diet, exercise and healthy living in general. Consuming healthy water is also an important part of it. While its antioxidant properties are said to be great for overall health, it may even help you raise the guard against diseases such as diabetes and hypertension among others.

Eases digestion and speeds up metabolism

Our digestive health has a lot to do with the amount of fluids and the type of fluids we consume. Given that alkaline water has a higher pH level compared to plain tap water, it is considered to be good for neutralizing acid in the bloodstream. This also boosts metabolism and gives energy. A 2012 in-vitro study found alkaline water to be therapeutic for patients with acid reflux.

Healthy skin

There are claims that by balancing the pH levels in the body, alkaline water can increase your skin’s absorption of necessary nutrients. This may lead to healthier skin.

Strengthens bones

Healthy and strong bones impact the quality of life in a big way. While physical activity has its bearing on one’s bone health, what we eat and drink is equally important. In the past, scientists have looked into the benefits of alkaline water in improving bone density. One study specifically looked into the impact of consuming alkaline water in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis, and it was found to be partially beneficial.

How to get alkaline water at home?

The Tesla Power USA range includes different products to cater to those looking for healthy drinking water at home.

There’s Evo, which lends a 3-ply protection to cut the risk of radioactive substances, bacteria, heavy metals and dissolved contaminants. Duo, a slightly higher variant, puts water through a 12-stage purification process.

The brand’s YOGjal series has two variants – Prithvi and Surya. While Prithvi comes with a 12-stage filtration system with Alkalino Cartridge, Surya has the additional benefit of an anti-scalant filter that enhances the life of the RO membrane.

The brand’s main innovation is Alkalino, which employs a 13-stage process of ionization of water, capable of purifying water up to 2500 TDS. This product, with an 8-liter water tank, raises tap water pH by ionizing and splitting the water molecules. Besides that, it comes equipped with a normal, hot and cold water dispenser, a fruit and vegetable detoxifier, digital display with live TDS, and more.

The Infinizer is a multipurpose product, powered by an in-built water purifier which delivers alkaline water using the electrolysis process. It offers seven types of water – from low alkaline to high acidic. Besides that, this touch-operational and smartphone-operational product, can also give you hot water for consumption and even allows you to control the level of Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) of drinking water.

As the brand’s mantra says, ‘Don’t just drink pure water, drink healthy water‘! At the same time, remember not to go for extremes, and steer clear from indulging in water that may be either too acidic or too alkaline.

(This article is sponsored by Tesla Power USA)