Alkaline water no better than tap

Dear Dr. Roach: I was admitted to the hospital and required IV hydration. Since then, I have seen advertisements for water everywhere. I will admit to feeling better when drinking alkaline water with electrolytes. The issues are cost and so many used up bottles in landfills.

I have been a tap water drinker for decades and toted my water in refillable bottles. In addition, bringing home these filled bottles from stores creates additional work for my caregivers. I have been told and read online that adding a pinch of salt, sugar and baking soda to a glass of water will give me the same boost as these commercial waters. Is this true?

J.A.

Answer:

The quality of water in almost all of Canada and the U.S. is excellent, so there is almost never a need to drink bottled water for health. Some people prefer the taste of bottled water to their own local tap water, but it is much more expensive and it also creates waste.

The amount of electrolytes in commercial waters is negligible. For the brand I think you are referring to, in an 8-ounce glass, there is 2.5 mg of potassium (the amount in 1/500th of a banana); 2.5 mg of calcium (the amount in a few drops of milk); and 3.75 mg of magnesium (the same amount in about seven pumpkin seeds). The electrolytes are added for taste, not health — unlike sports drinks that are designed to replete electrolytes lost during exercise. There is no sodium and no sugar in the water you mentioned.

A 16th of a teaspoon of baking soda will alkalinize your glass of water to a pH value of 9, but this also isn’t necessarily for health. Your body instantly neutralizes the water upon swallowing, and your stomach acid vastly overpowers that tiny dose of bicarbonate. This also adds sodium, which may not be what you want.

Unless your doctor has told you that you need extra electrolytes, regular water is perfect for rehydrating. There’s no reason to choose bottled water for any health reason. We get the electrolytes we need from food.