Do Alkaline Water Pitchers Really Work?
Written by: Gene Fitzgerald // Last Updated: Jan 4, 2023
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People are exposed to countless water contaminants whether they’re on well water or city water.
Fortunately for us, water filtration solutions offer a way to get rid of those contaminants and access clean, safe drinking water.
Conventional whole house filters typically take lots of space and are high-maintenance; pitchers, on the other hand, are compact and need little servicing only.
Alkaline water pitchers are yet another in the category of filter pitchers. Though they work similar to a standard water filter pitcher, they are advertised to go beyond and enrich your water with additional minerals and increase pH levels.
That raises a question: Do alkaline water pitchers really work? We will find out below.
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Key Takeaways
- Alkaline water pitchers work.
- Many not only add beneficial minerals into your water and alkalize it, they also solve aesthetic water issues and remove harmful contaminants.
- All you need to do is to fill one with water, wait for several minutes, and you will have filtered, mineral-rich alkaline water.
What Is an Alkaline Water Filter Pitcher?
On hearing the name, you might assume alkaline pitchers to be some specialized filter pitchers.
In reality, they are quite similar to standard water filter pitchers.
The only difference is that, aside from filter media, they also hold healthy minerals and ceramic balls in their filter cartridges. As such, they enrich your water with those minerals and increase pH levels in addition to purifying it – unlike standard pitchers that only do the purification thing.
As the name implies, alkaline filter pitchers attempt to make water more alkaline on the pH scale, typically up to 8.0-10.0.
However, this range can vary depending on your water pH levels previous to the process.
Do Alkaline Pitchers Work? How?
As mentioned, alkaline water filter pitchers not only solve aesthetic water issues and remove harmful contaminants, they also add beneficial minerals into your water and alkalize it.
Here’s how the process works in detail:
- First, you fill the pitcher with plain tap or well water.
- Due to gravity force, the water enters the filter cartridge.
- Different types of contaminants are removed or reduced based on the filter media used. For example, activated carbon is great for eliminating chlorine and other chemicals from water. Ion exchange resin is ideal if you are dealing with heavy metals.
- Simultaneously, minerals contained in the filter media leach into the water.
- Also, certain chemical reactions take place increasing the amount of hydroxide.
- As water collects in the bottom reservoir, you can pour it for drinking and cooking.
Which minerals a pitcher adds to your water is another question. Generally, this depends entirely on the filter model. Common are zinc, calcium, potassium, magnesium, and selenium.
The extra dose of minerals add to your required daily intake. Water pH will usually increase by around 1.5 to 2.0 points.
Potential & Limitations
There are limitations to almost any water treatment solution, and the same goes for alkaline water filter pitchers.
Note that the limitation we’re referring to here isn’t a terrible one, though. Here’s why.
Consider your water already contains lots of minerals like calcium and magnesium, making it alkaline. In that case, an alkaline pitcher won’t do much to further increase the pH level and adding to the mineral content. Why? Because your water is saturated already.
I believe this is a plus point – excess of everything is bad, and minerals/alkalinity are no exception.
On the other hand, if your water has low pH levels, a quality alkaline filter pitcher will work excellent to add minerals and increase pH to a safe level.
How to Use an Alkaline Water Pitcher?
There’s no secret sauce to using an alkaline water filter pitcher.
Just because it is “alkaline” doesn’t indicate it requires some complex procedure to be used.
Instead, it works just like a regular water filter pitcher: All you need to do is fill it with water, wait for 15 minutes, and there you go – filtered mineral-rich alkaline water is ready for you!
Further Reading:
Alkaline Water Pitcher (Health) Benefits
For one, high-quality alkaline water pitchers offer the same benefits as regular filter pitchers:
- Healthy drinking water free from bad taste and odor
- Ease of use
- Portability
- Cost-effectiveness
- A great alternative to bottled water
In addition to that, they release minerals and increase water pH. What good is that?
Added minerals help to improve water taste, whereas mineral-deficient water is often described as tasting flat. So that’s a plus.
In addition, it gets easier for you to reach your required daily intake in minerals. For instance, around 20 percent of the calcium we ingest should come from our drinking water. The remaining 80 percent comes from food.
That said, not much research backs the claim that alkaline drinking water – so drinking water with an increased pH – has a positive health impact per se. It might very well be more of a marketing tactic.
As far as we can tell, no authentic sources highlight the health benefits of alkaline water.
Still, alkaline water filter manufacturers heavily advertise on the possible health benefits of their products:
Immunity Boost
Several alkaline pitcher brands claim that their filters boost immunity.
According to them, alkaline water has a high “Oxidization Reduction Potential” (ORP), which means it’s high in antioxidants.
Drinking such water is supposed to reduce free radicals, which, in turn, increases immunity and boosts energy levels.
Slowed Aging
Further, alkaline filtered water is said to help your body detox and improve your metabolism.
Anyone drinking the water will likely live longer than someone drinking “regular” water that reduces metabolic activity.
Better Hydration
Another claim is that alkaline water pitchers structure your water into micro-clusters. Such water penetrates your cells easier, improving overall hydration.
As such, you gain mental clarity and feel more energized.
Possible Drawbacks
Though alkaline water is safe for the most part, it may have a few negative side effects.
For instance, drinking alkaline water for prolonged periods can lower stomach acidity levels which otherwise target bacteria and unwanted pathogens and keep them from entering your bloodstream.
Even worse, excessive alkaline water intake can irritate your skin and cause gastrointestinal problems.
Besides, consuming overly alkaline water might upset your body’s normal pH levels, causing metabolic alkalosis.
Here are a few symptoms you can possibly experience as a result:
- Headache
- Muscle twitching
- Confusion
- Nausea
- Vomiting
Even more, alkalosis can reduce free calcium levels in your body, adversely impacting bone health.
If you have any thoughts about the question, do alkaline pitchers work, please don’t hesitate to leave a comment below!
About the Author Gene Fitzgerald
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