Buying guide for best alkaline water pitchers
Drinking plenty of water is a no-brainer when it comes to maintaining health. But what about drinking alkaline water? You may have seen bottles of alkaline water lining the shelves of your grocery store and wondered about this health craze. Alkaline water simply has a higher pH than normal tap water, which has a pH of seven.
Drinking more alkaline water potentially creates a more alkaline environment in your body, for which there are various positive health claims — though many are not scientifically backed.
How alkaline water pitchers work
Alkaline water pitchers work similarly to your basic water filter pitcher. You fill the top reservoir of the pitcher and allow the water to move through a filtration system, which reduces chlorine and other harmful substances found in tap water. Alkaline water pitchers also add alkaline minerals to the water — typically sodium, magnesium, potassium, and calcium. These trace minerals are beneficial to the body and buffer acidity. A quality alkaline water pitcher will also add antioxidants.
Health benefits of drinking alkaline water
While the claimed health benefits of drinking alkaline water can be alluring — anti-cancer properties, help with fertility, anti-aging benefits, weight loss — there isn’t a lot of evidence to back those claims.
However, some studies suggest it may help with the following:
Improved hydration (vs. regular water)
Increased circulation
Bone health
Lower blood sugar and cholesterol
Reduced acid reflux symptoms
Did you know?
The filters you can get for an alkaline water pitcher vary in what they filter. For example, some filters reduce fluoride levels while others do not.
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Key considerations
Capacity
Alkaline water pitchers are designed to be stored in the refrigerator or on a countertop. They generally don’t exceed a 3.5-liter capacity. Pitchers that hold as little as two liters (eight cups) are generally available.
Filter
Alkaline water pitcher filters are more complicated than your average Brita filter. They tend to filter more substances and have more stages (or layers) of filtration. Keep in mind that with a more complex filter, the filtration process will be slower (it may take up to 30 minutes), and the filters are more costly to replace.
Alkaline minerals
You may have seen “mineral water” bottled in stores. This is spring water that passes over rocks and contains naturally occurring salts and sulfur compounds. The filter of an alkaline water pitcher should add trace amounts of similar minerals to tap water, such as potassium, magnesium, silica, selenium, and calcium.
Lid design
No matter how good your alkaline water pitcher filtration system is, if the lid falls off when you’re pouring water, it can become too much of a nuisance to use. You also risk contaminating the water you just so patiently waited to filter. Conveniently, some pitchers have an easy-fill lid that doesn’t require removal of the cover.
Alkaline water pitcher features
Memory lid: An LED or LCD indicator on the lid of the pitcher reminds you when it’s time to change your filter.
BPA-free: If you are looking for an alkaline water pitcher, chances are you’re a health-conscious person. Opt for a plastic pitcher made without the potentially harmful chemical bisphenol A (BPA).
Slim fit: For small or full refrigerators, a narrow water pitcher can help save precious space.
Anti-slip base: A nice feature to keep your pitcher from slipping and sliding (and spilling) is a rubber bottom. It can also help protect your countertops from scratches.
Alkaline water pitcher prices
The price you can expect to pay for an alkaline water pitcher depends on the size of the pitcher and the quality of filter. Generally speaking, prices range between $17 and $90.
A budget-friendly alkaline water pitcher can be found between $17 and $30. These tend not to filter out fluoride.
A mid-priced alkaline water pitcher runs between $31 and $41. These pitchers may filter more contaminants and have features like LED lids. Smaller pitchers with high-quality filters also fall into this price bucket.
A top-of-the-line alkaline water pitcher ranges in price from $42 to $90. For this price, expect a large-capacity (3.5 L) pitcher with filters of the highest quality.
Tips
To balance out the acidity in coffee, try making it with alkaline water that you’ve filtered in your pitcher. Not only will it make it less acidic, but some users suggest it makes for tastier coffee.
Do you suffer from acid reflux, also known as GERD? Drinking alkaline water neutralizes pepsin, an enzyme that triggers reflux symptoms, and it may help relieve symptoms.
If your new alkaline water pitcher doesn’t seem to be filtering water or is super slow, be sure all the safety stickers have been removed from the filter so the water flows freely through.
If you’ve been using your pitcher for a while and it’s starting to slow down, this may be a sign that it’s time to change the filter.
FAQ
Q. Are there any health risks involved in drinking too much alkaline water?
A. Your body has a delicate pH balance of 60/40 alkaline-to-acid ratio (blood has a pH approximately of 7.4). It isn’t meant to be in a constant alkaline state (or an acidic state, for that matter). Over-consuming alkaline water could throw off this balance and lead to alkalosis, a serious health problem that causes vomiting, nausea, tremors, and confusion. It could also interfere with your stomach’s natural acidity, which you need to digest food. Also, if you suffer from kidney problems, don’t drink alkaline water without consulting your doctor first.
Q. How often should I clean my alkaline water pitcher?
A. A good rule of thumb is to clean your pitcher every time you change the filter. Hand wash it with warm water and mild dish soap. Placing pitchers or pitcher parts in the dishwasher is not recommended unless otherwise instructed by the manufacturer.
Q. How are alkaline water pitchers different from regular water pitcher filters?
A. The typical non-alkaline water filter pitcher uses an activated carbon filter to chemically bond unwanted contaminants (like chlorine) to the carbon. It may also have an ion exchange filter to remove heavy metals. Alkaline water pitchers take advantage of these two types of filters as well, but they have additional filtration layers, some of which may help remineralize the water.
