6 Easy Ways to Make Water Alkaline

• Stir ½-1 tsp (3-6 g) of baking soda into 8 oz (237 mL) of water to raise its pH. Or, infuse your water with slices of lemon or cucumber.
• Use an alkaline water filter pitcher to raise your water’s pH and remove impurities. Or, install a water ionizer machine on your kitchen faucet.
• There is little scientific evidence supporting the benefits of alkaline water. While alkaline water is safe to drink, it can sometimes cause an upset stomach.

Easy Ways to Make Alkaline Water at Home

Add ½ to 1 tsp (3-6 g) of baking soda into 8 oz (237 mL) of water. Baking soda is a natural cooking ingredient that’s also highly alkaline. With its pH of 9, it easily raises your water’s pH. Simply pour ½ to 1 tsp (3-6 g) of baking soda into an 8 oz (237 mL) glass of water and stir or shake the glass well to fully combine the baking soda and water. Drink no more than 1 glass of baking soda each day. Ingesting large quantities of baking soda can be toxic and cause vomiting, diarrhea, and muscle weakness. Do not drink water alkalized with baking soda if you are on a low-sodium diet for health reasons. Baking soda is high in sodium.

Squeeze lemon juice into an 8 oz (237 mL) glass of water. While lemons are very acidic and have a low pH between 2 and 3, your body metabolizes them as an alkaline food. So, making lemon water might alkalize water when you drink it. Simply slice or squeeze half a lemon into an 8 oz (237 mL) glass of water for a tasty, refreshing drink. Or, make a large batch of lemon water by thinly slicing 2 lemons into 2 quarts (1.9 L) of water. Chill the water in the fridge for 2 to 4 hours to give the lemons time to infuse into the water. While lemons do cause your urine to be more alkaline, there is no clear evidence that suggests lemons alter your body’s pH. To make your lemon water more mineral-rich, add 1 tbsp (17 g) of salt.

Add cucumber slices into 2 quarts (1.9 L) of water. Like lemons, cucumbers are processed as an alkaline food when you eat them. Making cucumber water might be a way to alkalize your water. Just chop 1 cucumber into thin slices and add them to a pitcher. Pour 2 quarts (1.9 L) of water on top and place the pitcher in the fridge for 2 to 4 hours before drinking.

Pour pH drops into an 8 oz (237 mL) glass of water. Alkaline or pH drops are a concentrated liquid made of minerals that raise the pH levels of your water to alkalize it. Just follow the directions on your bottle of pH drops to determine how many drops to pour into a regular, 8 oz (237 mL) glass of water. While pH drops increase the alkalinity of your water, they do not filter out chemicals in your water, like chlorine or fluoride. If you want to get rid of the impurities and chemicals in your water, use a water filter pitcher. Or, distill your own water.

Filter your water through an alkaline, or ionizing, water filter. An alkaline or ionizing water filter pitcher uses a mineralized filter to raise the pH levels in your water. These filters work similarly to traditional water filter pitchers, where you simply pour in the water and wait for it to pass through the filter. The series of filters in the pitcher saturate your water with alkaline minerals while also removing impurities.

Install a water ionizer machine. A water ionizer is a small machine that you typically attach to a faucet in your home. The machine separates your tap water into alkaline and acidic water through a process called electrolysis, where an electrical charge changes the composition of the water. While that might sound complicated, using a water ionizer is as easy as selecting how alkaline you want your water to come out of your tap. Water ionizer machines are typically expensive and cost upwards of $500. If you plan to drink alkaline water often, buying an ionizer can be a more cost-effective option in the long run. Don’t discard the acidic water the ionizer produces. Use it to make homemade cleaning solutions or to wash your body, as acidic water can kill bacteria.

Determining Your Water’s pH

Check your water’s pH before you alkalize it. Water is typically around 7 on the pH scale, meaning it’s neutral. It's neither acidic (lower than a pH of 7) nor alkaline (higher than a pH of 7). However, the pH of drinking water can be slightly acidic or alkaline depending on the minerals and chemicals found in your area’s water. So, testing your water’s pH tells you if you have acidic, neutral, or alkaline water and how much you need to adjust it. In the United States, public drinking water is regulated to stay between 6.5 to 8.5 pH.

Dip a pH strip into your water and compare it to the kit’s pH chart. Fill a glass with water and then insert a pH strip from a pH testing kit into the water. Hold the strip in the water according to the kit’s instructions, which is typically between 1 to 20 seconds. Then, compare the color of the pH strip to the colors on the pH chart that came with your kit. Alkaline water is between 8 and 9 pH. If your tap water is below 8 or 9 pH, use any of the methods below to alkalize your water.

Are there any health benefits to drinking alkaline water?

There is little scientific evidence backing alkaline water’s benefits. Many people tout alkaline water’s ability to raise your blood’s pH levels to help prevent illnesses like cancer, reduce inflammation, increase energy levels, and slow down aging. Because your body naturally maintains a tightly regulated pH between 7.35 to 7.45, drinking alkaline water is unlikely to affect your body’s pH levels or drastically improve your health. However, some studies suggest that: Drinking alkaline water can improve bone density and strength. Alkaline water can reduce acid reflux symptoms. Drinking alkaline water can reduce blood pressure and improve sleep quality. Your body’s rigid pH range is important because it keeps your cells healthy and ensures processes like respiration run smoothly. So, trying to significantly increase or decrease your body’s pH can actually be unhealthy.

Simply drinking more water can improve your health. Alkaline water gives you all of the same benefits as drinking plain water straight from the tap. Drinking enough water each day improves blood flow, aids digestion, lubricates your joints, cleanses your mouth, and keeps your skin plump, clear, and wrinkle-free. Plus, it keeps all of your organs working in tip-top shape. In general, men need to consume 125 oz (3.7 L) of water each day while women need to consume 91 oz (2.7 L).

Are there any risks to drinking alkaline water?

Drinking alkaline water can upset your stomach. Drinking alkaline water is considered safe and not very different from drinking regular water. In some rare cases, ingesting too much alkaline water or water that is very alkaline can lead to an upset stomach, nausea, or even vomiting.

Alkaline water might affect the absorption of certain medications. If you take any prescription medications, talk to your doctor before adding alkaline water to your diet. Drinking alkaline water can potentially alter the pH of your digestive system. This might increase or decrease the speed at which you absorb your medication, which can change your medication’s effects.