Over the past decades, peoples started to understand the importance of getting good hydration and drinking safe water that comes from a reliable source. As information about possible water contamination in different areas become available, the attention focused on getting the drinking water properly filtered and free of arsenic, lead, and other dangerous substances. Moreover, people become fed up with the chlorine smell and taste and started looking for an alternative that could deliver healthy and odor-free water.
Some installed filtering systems under their sinks and got the water drawn through multiple layers before drinking it, but this proved to be a rather risky practice for users suffering from mineral deficiencies, as, according to a study, reverse osmosis systems remove both the contaminants and the minerals in the water. With the latter being essential for healthy bones and a functional nervous system, this solution didn’t seem viable to some users who looked for an even better alternative and found it in a water ionizer.
Alkaline water became the new trend among celebs and athletes who started to include it in their diets and widely promote it. They are all talking about its benefits, and you will often hear it being called Kangen water. The question here is if there’s any difference between the two of them. Is there something special about Kangen that would justify the elevated prices? Let’s find out.
What Is Alkaline Water?
The best way to present it is to put in contrast with plain water, and two factors differentiate them. First and most important, the pH is the one showing how acidic or basic a substance is. Distilled water, for example, which is pure, is neutral, with a pH of 7. Tap water usually has a slightly basic pH, which spins around 7.4. But alkaline water is highly basic with a pH ranging from 8 to 12. Nevertheless, if the pH is higher than 9-10, then the water is no longer recommended for drinking but for cleaning and cooking.
Another element that characterizes high-pH water is the ORP (oxidation-reduction potential), which has a higher negative value. This means that it is more efficient in removing free radicals in the body, having better antioxidant properties. Water that goes through electrolysis has a higher ORP than natural alkaline water.
Alkaline water can be either natural or obtained through electrolysis. In nature, the water gathers minerals in its way from the spring, which increase its pH, making it more basic. However, this effect can be obtained artificially with the help of an ionizer, which filters and applies a small electrical shock to tap water, dividing it into two streams. One of them has a pH under 7, being recommended for household use, while the other, with a pH over 7, is what we call high-pH water.
How is Kangen Water Different from Alkaline Water?
Both Kangen and Ionized Alkaline Water are produced artificially, but the main difference stands in the brand that manufactures the ionizer. Kangen is the name brand of the water produced by the Enagic ionizer, which is one of the oldest in the industry. The company practices a very aggressive marketing tactic, this is the main reason people have started confusing the type of water with the name of the brand.
Nevertheless, the company insists on other aspects as well, arguing that their water is different than others because it goes through a “restructuration” process. In fact, what happens inside the ionizer is the electrolysis process we have already explained, which means that the water becomes Hydrogen-rich and has a higher negative ORP. The only difference may be the ORP’s value, which usually goes higher than in similar brands. This means that the antioxidant rate is higher and more free radicals are neutralized.
Moreover, what makes this brand more expensive is the quality guarantee that stands behind it. The best water ionizers are known to be highly resistant and efficient, while the filtering system has only gotten improved over the years. Plus, the water comes with all the benefits offered by alkalinity, including excellent hydration.
Are Alkaline and Kangen Water Safe to Drink?
First of all, we must establish that not all the water produced by an ionizer is safe to drink. As we have explained, there are two streams, one basic and one acidic. You will want to collect for drinking only the basic stream. This doesn’t mean that the stream with a pH under 7 is doomed to be wasted. It can still be collected and used to clean around the house or to prepare different home-made cosmetic treatments, as it has a powerful sanitizing action.
On the other hand, even when collecting high-pH water, you need to be careful to set the machine between 8 and 9.5. What goes above this value is also dangerous for the body, but can be used to clean vegetables before cooking them.
Now that we have established the optimal pH, does this water present any risks? The studies in this field are still in an incipient stage, so, until now, no high risks have been identified. The water seems to have a lot of benefits. However, some specialists think that if drank while eating or in large quantities, it may lead to a decrease in the stomach’s acidity, allowing harmful bacteria to develop inside it. Another risk that has been associated with drinking it is alkalosis, an illness that appears when a person’s blood becomes too basic. It can manifest through dizziness, respiratory problems, nausea, or muscular tremble.
However, these problems are only hypothetical, and no studies have been yet performed in this direction to prove a connection between high-pH water and them. Most people who have been drinking Kangen water for a few years now have never reported dealing with the symptoms we’ve described.
Should You Pick Kangen over Other Alkaline Water Brands?
Kangen water is more expensive than other brands. Sometimes the price is double. So, why should you choose to buy it? Or get your own Enagic ionizer?
Here are some of the reasons people pick it:
- Trust – This company has been on the market for over 42 years and is in continuous expansion, with its products being sold on every continent. The fact that it lasted through the years shows a constant improvement in quality and technology, which makes people return and constantly attracts new customers.
- Numerous tests and certifications – Its results have been scientifically proven, and the water has undergone several tests that have shown its safety. Not many alkaline water companies can brag with these accomplishments.
- Quality customer service – Kangen stands behind its products, and its DSA certificate is the proof. This means that you can always get answers to your questions regarding their products and even get assistance if your ionizer doesn’t seem to function properly.
- Excellent BBB status – It has an A+ rating on the Better Business Bureau website, which means that the company complies with the trust and integrity standards. Thus, they stand behind their promises, so you can trust them to deliver what they advertise.
What Are The Benefits?
We have established that the brand is trustworthy and that you can expect the water to be safe and comply with the quality standards. But what does the company promises? What are the advantages you can get by drinking this type of water? Well, the promises can go as far as helping to cure cancer. Nonetheless, some haven’t been proven yet, so we will stick to the benefits that have been confirmed:
- It can act against acid reflux – This is often a problem that needs medication, otherwise, it can, in time, affect the stomach’s walls. Nevertheless, if the problem is in an incipient stage, replacing tap water with Kangen water can help you neutralize pepsin, the enzyme that is actually responsible for the high acidity in your stomach.
- It has antioxidant properties – A higher ORP means more action against the oxidation reactions that take place inside your body. Drinking high-pH water regularly can slow the aging process and preserve your organs and skin in good shape for longer.
- It keeps your bones strong – As it contains calcium, it supplements your daily intake, ensuring that your bones receive enough of this mineral to regenerate and stay healthy. This is an essential factor in the fight with osteoporosis, which can be prevented by improving bone mineral density.
- It can reduce blood pressure – Studies have shown that it reduces blood viscosity if ingested after a moderate workout. If the blood is viscous, it puts more pressure on the arteries, and the heart needs to work harder to pump it. Thus, if the viscosity is reduced, the blood pressure is reduced, and blood circulation is improved.
- It offers better hydration – The cells absorb it better, and thus they become hydrated faster. This is an aspect that can benefit athletes and active people, who lose a large quantity of water in a short time and need to get rehydrated fast.
- It is clean – Most importantly, it is filtered of heavy chemicals while preserving all the minerals, so it is probably the safest hydration source. The ionizer can produce water with a neutral pH, which has only been filtered, being perfect for babies.
The Bottom Line
If there was a time when getting alkaline water was a bit of a struggle, now you have it at hand, and can even get the machine and produce it at home. Kangen water was associated with a healthy lifestyle, and many people who switched from a meat-based diet to a plant-based one picked it for hydration. It is perfect for intense training due to its excellent hydration properties and offers the guarantee that you will get your daily water mineral intake. Moreover, it can help you fight high blood pressure and stay healthy and young for longer. We recommend Kangen for the brand’s reliability, but other big brands are coming from behind with excellent products, so you should check them as well. Just make sure they allow you to adjust the pH and offer high ORP rates.
