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The Common Confusion in Hydration
It is a commonly known fact that clean and safe drinking water is something that is absolutely necessary in every household in India. We rely heavily on modern technology to keep us safe from contaminants, bad taste, and pollutants. For most of us, a filtered water system is the last stop, a safety certificate. But, just recently, the term “alkaline water” has been dominating health debates and this has resulted in people being confused if these two are the same or if one is better than the other.
The point of comparison between alkaline water and filtered water is actually to different things. One is about purity and safety while the other is about chemistry and pH level. To make the right hydration decision for your home and family, you need to understand the difference between alkaline and filtered water. I think it is better to take each term separately and then see which one has more health benefits.
What is Filtered Water?
Filtered water is essentially water that has been physically cleaned to remove harmful substances, made to have a better taste, and made more safe. The sanitation process is the only thing that the process is focusing on.
How Filtered Water Works
Usually, a top-notch filtered water system has several stages to accomplish water purification:
- Sediment Pre-filtration: Takes off the rust particles, sand, and dirt, which are of a relatively larger size.
- Activated Carbon Filtration: This is very important. One of its major roles is to attract and then liberate chlorine, pesticides, herbicides, and a number of other chemical contaminants into a very small portion of the structure where their concentration decreases very much. Therefore, the main reason for this method is not just to improve taste but also odor.
- Reverse Osmosis (RO) or Ultrafiltration (UF): Among Ultrapure is one technique which is Reverse Osmosis that uses a semi-permeable membrane to remove very fine particles, viruses, bacteria, and heavy metals. The water thus obtained is extremely pure.
Fact: Normal filtration, either by carbon or RO, removes harmful contaminants but in most cases leads to the production of water that is either neutral or slightly acidic (pH 7.0 or below) since the minerals that naturally buffer water are most of the time removed as well.
What is Alkaline Water?
The main question, what is alkaline water, is answered best by knowing pH. The pH scale ranges from 0 (most acidic) to 14 (most alkaline), with 7 being neutral. Alkaline water is simply water that has a higher pH value, usually lying between 8 and 9.
How Alkalinity is Achieved
Water may be made alkaline in two main ways:
- Mineral Addition: The natural or artificial processes add alkaline minerals – for example calcium, magnesium, or potassium – to the water. These minerals raise the water’s pH.
- Ionization: The process of ionization gives water energy to split the water molecules apart from each other to produce acidic and alkaline streams of water. Most likely you are using an alkaline water filtration system. In this system the water is first purified (filtration) and then the pH is adjusted (ionization).
If a water purification system has used an RO system to purify the water, is the water then alkaline? In most cases, it is not! An alkaline water filtration system must have a final re-mineralization or ionization stage to be compatible with pure RO water which is often slightly acidic.
Alkaline vs Filtered Water: The Core Difference
The primary difference between alkaline and filtered water lies in their purpose and the way they work. They are two completely different needs when it comes to hydration:
| Filtered Water Focus | Alkaline Water Focus |
| 1. Primary Goal: Purity and Safety. Features removal of undesirable contaminants, pathogens, and chemicals. | 1. Primary Goal: Chemistry and pH Balance. Adjust the pH level of the water (make it 7.0 or above). |
| 2. Mechanism: Primarily physical (RO/UF membranes and Carbon blocks) in stripping substances away. | 2. Mechanism: Primarily chemical (Minerals would be added so that the water can be alkaline) or electrical (ionization) to change the water’s nature. |
| 3. Resulting pH: Generally neutral or even slightly acidic (quite often <pH 7.0), especially after RO filtration. | 3. Resulting pH: Has to be alkaline (if the water is alkaline, the pH would be anywhere between pH 8.0 and pH 9.5) as a result of mineralization of alkaline compounds. |
| 4. Essential Need: Non-negotiable condition for safety in areas with bad source water quality (like most of India). | 4. Essential Need: A Dietary Choice based on wellness theories, not required for basic safety or hydration. |
Filtered water ensures safety. Alkaline water ensures a high pH level. In an ideal alkaline drinking water for home setup, you must have both: the filtration stage to purify the water, and the alkalinity stage to mineralize it.
Alkaline Water Benefits: Are They Real?
Alkaline water became popular mainly because it is believed that it helps neutralize acid in the body (origin of the “acid-alkaline diet” theory). Some of the best companies that produce alkaline water systems for home use, by and large, employ the product to improve hydration, energy, and detoxification, and also to reduce acid reflux.
However, it is still necessary to verify the situation:
- Scientific Consensus: In agreement with most of the reputable medical and nutritional institutions, the body is equipped with a phenomenal mechanism to keep its own pH very stable (blood pH is maintained very close to the range of 7.35 to 7.45) irrespective of the water intake.
- Realization of Filtered Water: What are almost always hyped as alkaline water benefits turn out to be mostly related to the filtration process. The real health benefits of alkaline vs filtered water consumption are in the removal of lead, pathogens, and chemicals – which is something that filtration makes sure of.
Would you prioritize the doubtful advantages of high pH to the definitely safe good filtration if you were choosing a device? Generally, safety should be at the head of the list of any home.
Choosing the Right System for Your Home
The story unfolds in a different way for an Indian consumer with a water source of fluctuating quality. It is no longer if alkaline water is better than filtered water, but how can one obtain both in an efficient manner.
- First of all, filtration: No matter what system you have, be it a simple carbon filtration or a multi-stage RO, always be certain that it is effectively removing contaminants. Not only does this solve the major safety issue, but it also makes what can be called a “clean slate” or a new beginning.
- The Integrated Approach: A home alkaline water system with the greatest features essentially merges the two concepts. After RO water purification, they put a post-filter or an ionizer to softly bring back alkaline minerals like calcium and magnesium, thus achieving both purity and the desired pH level. In this way, the potential benefits of alkaline water are realized on the clean water basis.
If you realize that filtration is the procedure that actually protects your health, and alkalinity is merely a choice that influences your water’s chemistry, then you are capable of making a wise decision and purchasing a system that not only ensures your safety but also promotes your wellness.