Alkaline water is purified water’s cooler, more ambitious cousin. It starts as purified water—then gets a pH boost to a higher level, typically between 8 and 9.5.
This is achieved by adding minerals like calcium, potassium, and magnesium, or by passing the water over a special ionization plate. The idea? Neutralize the acid in your body.
Pop culture check: Remember when Gwyneth Paltrow’s Goop sold a $4,000 alkaline water machine? Or when Tom Brady famously drank only alkaline water during his Super Bowl runs? That’s the celebrity halo effect at work.
Proponents claim it improves hydration, balances pH levels, and even slows aging. Skeptics—including most mainstream doctors—say the body regulates its own pH just fine. Your stomach acid is a pH of 1.5 to 3.5. A little alkaline water doesn’t stand a chance.
