If you’re wondering, “can alkaline water be boiled,” the answer is yes, you can boil alkaline water for cooking and making drinks.
However, there’s no NEED to boil alkaline water to purify it. Alkaline water is safe to drink right away because it usually comes pre-purified or bottled.
As a self-proclaimed ‘water enthusiast,’ I know more types of water than an Italian would know kinds of pasta. I’ve experimented with using raw alkaline water, boiling it, cooking it, and making drinks.
For those who don’t know, alkaline water neutralizes acids. It usually has a higher pH than regular bottled water and tap water. It’s especially beneficial for those who suffer from acidity or GERD (Gastrointestinal reflux). People add it to meals, such as soups, rice, and stews, to neutralize the acidity. Alkaline water also makes acidic beverages such as tea and coffee taste better!
What Happens If You Boil Alkaline Water?
The effect of boiling alkaline water depends on how long you boil it. It also depends on the starting pH of the water.
What Happens When You Boil Alkaline Water for Short Periods?
You can safely boil alkaline water for a short while without losing its alkalinity. The water will retain its alkalinity of 8 or 9 pH, and the molecules will remain micro-clustered. There may be a slight change in the water’s alkalinity, but not enough to reduce health benefits significantly.
Remember that alkaline water boils faster than regular water, so you won’t have to boil it as long to reach the boiling point.
What Happens When You Boil Alkaline Water for Long Periods?
Boiling alkaline water for more extended periods, such as for making soups and stews (where the water simmers for over 10 minutes), will reduce the pH of alkaline water.
But the pH will still be higher than if you were using tap water which is already acidic. Tap water in the U.S. tends to fall below the 4.3 to 5.3 range, depending on where you live.
Does Boiling Alkaline Water Change the pH?
As discussed above, alkaline water retains all or some of its alkalinity after being boiled. Either way, boiled alkaline water is still way better than regular tap water un-boiled.
So if you need to boil your alkaline water for whatever reason, I suggest you do so because it won’t detract from the benefits.
What Happens to Alkaline Ionized Water After Boiling?
To understand this, first, you must understand what ‘alkaline ionized water’ is.
A common type of alkaline water is ionized alkaline water. There are two types of alkaline water;
- Alkaline minerals such as calcium, magnesium, and potassium are added to water.
- Alkaline minerals are added (such as the ones above), but they’re given a negative charge. This negative charge attracts oxidants in your body and eliminates them via urine.
If you’re drinking ionized alkaline water, the positive ions in the water will be reduced by boiling because they get oxidized. That’s why it’s best to drink ionized alkaline water immediately after opening the bottle and unheated.
However, the alkalinity (the minerals) in the ionized alkaline water will remain, as discussed above, and will still help reduce the acidity in your body and food.
How Can I Measure the Alkalinity of My Water After Boiling It?
You can measure the alkalinity or acidity of your water at home with a simple litmus paper test. Litmus paper comes in two colors; red and blue. Red paper turns blue when in contact with alkaline and shows no change with acids. While blue litmus turns red with acids and shows no change with alkalines. You can use both strips to test your water.
Here are the steps to do so:
- Pour the water to be boiled into a glass and let it rest till it’s still.
- Dip the strip into the water without splashing.
- Hold the strip for a few seconds.
- Remove the strip and wait for the color to change.
- Compare the color change with the color chart on the package. Usually, if the paper turns red, the solution is acidic, while a color change to blue signals alkalinity. The degree of acidity or alkalinity can be deciphered by comparing the change with the chart.
If you regularly boil your alkaline water, you can do this test once just to see if the water remains alkaline afterward. You can also use it to get the concentration of your homemade alkaline water just right. You can buy litmus paper from Amazon for as low as $5.99.
Does Alkaline Water Have Higher TDS (Total Dissolved Solids)?
Yes, alkaline water may have higher TDS than simply purified water. This is because ingredients added to the water neutralize the acidity.
Some brands of alkaline water add calcium, magnesium, potassium and bicarbonate to raise the alkalinity and improve the taste.
However, if the water has been processed with ‘ionization’ to make it alkaline, the TDS won’t be any higher.
Brands such as Smartwater and Essentia ionize the water to separate the acidic molecules and lower the pH. If you want more control over the TDS in the water, you can use an at-home ionizer, specific water filters, and pH drops to create alkaline water.
You can use a TDS-tester to measure the concentration of dissolved solids in store-bought or homemade water. A TDS meter is a small hand-held device that measures all dissolved solids, such as salts and minerals. It does this by passing a current through the solution and measuring conductivity.
Since dissolved minerals increase conductivity, a higher TDS score means more minerals. A good TDS score is between 50-150. A higher score may mean the safety of the water is compromised. You may notice a taste or smell in the water. You can see this video on how to use a TDS meter correctly.
Conclusion
To summarize, if you need to boil alkaline water for a drink (tea, coffee) or a snack such as noodles, cook it for less time than you usually would.
Alkaline water boils more quicker than tap water because it’s free from solutes. Tap water (unpurified water) has dissolved minerals that elevate the boiling point. Since alkaline water is free from those solutes and thus boils more quicker, heating it for a shorter time will retain the positive ions and health benefits of alkaline water.
Even if you need to use alkaline water for food that stays over heat for a long time, such as soups or stews, I suggest you go ahead. A meal cooked with alkaline water will be less acidic than if you were cooking with tap water.
Lastly, keep in mind that alkaline water is best for those who regularly suffer from acidity. For regular people, no evidence drinking excessive amounts of alkaline water will have significant health benefits.
So if you don’t suffer from acidity or GERD, you don’t need to use alkaline water for cooking your meals. Simply drinking a bottle or two directly will suffice.
