Nothing Is More Vegan Than Water

By Published On: 9 September 2011Last Updated: 17 January 2017

Alkamate is an alkaline ionizer for water. You might ask, "What the hell?" It's a pH thing.

What's in this post

I was asked to review the Alkamate because, “nothing is more vegan than water.”  Indeed.  So, without further ado, Alkamate is an alkaline ionizer for water.  You might ask, “What the hell?”  It’s a pH thing.

Basically, the claim of the Alkamate is this:  Our bodies are too acidic (low pH).  This is due to the standard Western diet, processed drinking water, and environmental pollutants.  This acidic environment our bodies are existing in causes disease and a general unwell-being.  Using 13 minerals in a filtration device/bullet tube, the Alkamate alkalizes the water (raising the pH).  Drinking alkaline water along with eating a mostly alkaline diet can prevent disease and make the body healthier.  Sounds plausible, right?

There are those who swear by an alkaline diet, but finding actual medical/scientific studies on the subject isn’t easy.  The internets show me a lot of advertising selling a lot of products to alkalize your life.  There are conflicting data regarding whether a given food is alkaline or acidic- though most agree on certain, general categories- animal products are overwhelmingly acidic, as are processed grains, oils, and sweets.  So, are we doing ourselves a favor by putting higher pH foods and water into our bodies?

More than likely, yes.  The fact is, most acidic foods are generally unhealthy, and most alkaline foods are healthy.  As for the water…

The tap water (well or city system) reaching most people in the US is already alkaline.  That’s hard water with a high pH for many of us.  What sucks about this tap water are residues from pollutants.  Alkamate claims to filter out pollutants, so does my department-store-bought-name-brand-filter-pitcher.  The Alkamate is $60 and holds about 12 ounces of water, with a filter that lasts 6 months.  Obviously, this is meant for personal drinking use.  The filter for my brand-name-pitcher runs about $10.  It doesn’t last 6 months.  I will go out on a limb here and state that I doubt the Alkamate filter would last 6 months.  I drink the recommended amount of water for a healthy adult, then some- 2 to 3 liters per day, and I’m fairly certain what’s in my local water (hardness).  I actually read the annual report (propaganda/scary shit) sent in my utility bill.  So, six months seems a bit unbelievable.

Alkamate uses minerals in their filters such as tourmaline and nano silver powder that have antioxidant, antibacterial, and electrolytic properties.  My brand-name-filter makes no such claims.  Conversely, my brand-name-filter uses activated carbon to reduce chlorine, which is a huge problem in civic water systems.  I am unaware of Alkamate making the same claim.  They both claim to eliminate heavy metals.  Here’s the big difference between Alkamate and your standard store bought water filtration device:  Whereas Alkamate raises the pH to make alkaline water, the store bought filter lowers the pH to make the water slightly acidic (this is done for a “crisp taste” by reducing the calcium carbonate that makes water “hard”).  Does Alkamate taste bad?  As long as you flush it out once or twice before first time use, I’d say no.

Compared to bottled water?  It’s certainly better in terms of the plastic bottle issue, isn’t it?  Bottled water is usually slightly alkaline just like tap because it normally comes from the same place tap does.  So, do you go Alkamate alkaline, Name Brand acidic, or straight tap?  I think if you eat a healthy vegan diet and steer clear of none but the occasional use of bottled water, you’d be fine going with either filter.  I don’t believe any human or animal should be drinking straight tap if they can help it (short anecdote below*).  I drink plenty of water as it is, so I’m hesitant to state I feel detoxified from the Alkamate, rather than the amount of water alone.  The taste is different from straight tap and my standard brand-name-filtered water, but not bad at all.  I’ve pH tested the Alkamate water and found it to be around 9, which is pretty alkalized.  As for the claims made concerning the exotic minerals contained in the Alkamate and some of their purported health properties, I don’t seem to find any independent verification of this.  Some of it sounds “info-mercial-ish.”

In the end it boils down to being a good vegan- a good human being- and doing what’s necessary to protect the most vital fluid on this planet.  There’s barely much of this precious resource left untainted.

Alkamate Water Ionizer/Alkalizer gets 2 Goatz* because most water needs filtered (unfortunately) anyway and it’s not plastic; it doesn’t hold much water to execute our necessary 2-3 liters per day libation; and this statement from their brochure is not further explained anywhere: “Never drink the Alkamate alkalized water 30 minutes before or after each meal.”  ???

Also, the Alkamate bottle is metal with a gorgeous looking top and comes in a handled carrying case.  If this review were solely based on that, the Alkamate would get 5 Goatz because everyone wants to feel a little rockstar carrying around a blinged out water bottle.

More info on alkaline diets to see if it’s right for you:

healthmedplus.com

livestrong.com

healthierliving4you.com (please note: this site is operated by the folks who sent the Alkamate to us for a review)

*As mentioned before, I read the water quality assessment provided by my local utility.  Upon reading the most recent two-page report, I discovered that levels of a certain heavy metal (copper) were beyond the designated safe threshold on several occasions, and at levels just under the safe threshold the remainder of the time for which the data was recorded.  The kicker is that these unsafe levels were recorded four months prior to my utility giving me this report.  Copper, in large (“unsafe”) amounts causes kidney and liver damage.  Thus, drinking water straight from my tap isn’t advisable and a filtering system necessary.

Gratitude and thanks to HLY4You for graciously sending me some of their products to review

Disclaimer:  Views and opinions expressed here are those of YDV and derived from personal experience.  These opinions are not influenced in any way by the receipt of goods or services.  We will always notify you when a product has been given to us to review, test, use, or talk about.

3 Comments

  1. Deanna September 14, 2011 at 1:38 pm - Reply

    I have been drinking alkaline water for the last few months and have found that it has given me more energy. I feel really good. I always eat well-this has been a perfect addition for my lifestyle. I love, like how you said it–these are portable–so no matter where i go I know I can drink quality water!!

  2. Felicia September 9, 2011 at 9:13 am - Reply

    I do prefer the higher alkalining water and that’s because I have chronic gastritis (severe heartburn) and before I gave up meat, I could really feel the difference in a water like le blue which I couldn’t drink because it was too acidic, and my alkaline water. I don’t drink alkaline water since becoming vegan but I can feel I need to. As for the comment about not drinking alkaline water 30 min. before and after eating is a digestive thing, Your stomach releases acid and gastric juices to help you digest, you don’t want to drink such a alkalizing water such as 9 ph before or during your meal so you won’t have any issues digesting your food! It’s just because its a 9 ph though my GI doctor told me not to drink water before, during or after eating and I find it does help me digest my food better. There are other alkaline water systems, not just this one,

    • KD September 9, 2011 at 9:18 am - Reply

      Thank you so much Felicia for the explanation on the eating thing, we looked everywhere for an answer and came up short. I’m also glad to hear from someone who has benefited from alkalining their water to gain another perspective. :)

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HELLO! I'm KD Angle-Traegner.

Writer, activist, and founder of Four Urban Paws Sanctuary. I’m on a mission to help people live a vegan life. Read more about KD…

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