are interested in special water—from “smart” water to ltered water to alkaline water to coconut water to even lemon water. “Do any of these waters have realistic effects or are they full of smoke and mirrors?” asks Dr. David Pollack, of Pollack Wellness Institute, in Commack.
“Smart, or electrolyte-added waters, are generally purified (reverse osmosis or steam distilled) municipal tap waters with a variety of salts added back to the water,” explains Pollack. “Often, terms such as ‘balanced’ or ‘hydration’ will be on the label evoking thoughts of a superior water. Most of the ingredients would be present in tap water to begin with. Yes, the filtration would remove many of the toxins present in tap water, which is a good thing, but that is where it ends. If you look really closely at these electrolyte waters, you will often notice a sentence required by the FDA suggesting the salts are just added for taste (not health benefits). In other words, no harm but no real benefit.”
Pollack says alkaline water may be the most mysterious of all the waters. Some suggest that water with a higher alkaline content will help to alkalize the body, he explains. “Believers in alkalizing the body say that disease only exists in an acidic body. While most disease is consistent with an acidic body, is the acidity creating the disease or the disease creating the acid? The biggest issue is not even the chicken or egg scenario described but the extreme alkalinity offered for most alkaline waters for sale. Neutral water has a pH of 7.0. An acid has a lower pH. Normal stomach acid can be below 2.0. Many alkaline waters are dispensed at levels higher than pH 9.0. Most manufacturers of these waters recommend 8.5 or lower for consumption and levels higher than 9.0 for sterilizing surfaces. Alkaline water acts like an antacid, neutralizing the stomach acid (pH 2.0) inactivating it. This means digestion will be compromised, particularly protein digestion. This is not a good thing. In fact, pepsin, the active form of pepsinogen, the primary protein-digesting enzyme of the stomach, only activates at levels below pH 2.5. And it actually becomes irreversibly destroyed at a pH of 8.0 or higher. To those that feel the desire to use alkaline water, I suggest never to drink it too close to eating or use water with a pH less than pH 8.0 (it will dilute).” Pollack adds that if the body becomes too alkaline it is actually far more dangerous than acidity, potentially affecting heart and nerve function.
The healthiest waters, according to Pollack, are lemon water, coconut water and filtered water. Lemon water is simply water with lemon juice or slices added. As compared to alkaline water, lemon water is moderately acidic. “The funny thing about that is that lemon water is probably the most alkalizing thing you can do,” he says. “Acidic lemon water makes the body alkaline. There are many reasons why, but I feel the most poignant is that lemon juice emulsifies fat, which can both assist in the function of the gallbladder and cleanse it—both aiding digestion. This leads to better function of the body overall, being that digestion is so fundamental a function of every process of the body.”
Coconut water is the direct liquid poured from the contents of a young coconut. It is generally minimally processed. “Coconut water is water that contains a variety of minerals, including potassium and vitamins, that provide great nutrition for the body,” explains Pollack.
Filtered water is water purified by a variety of filters. “Carbon, fiber, KDF, reverse osmosis and other media filters are used to remove a variety of compounds from water,” says Pollack. “multi-stage filtration systems are the most efficient and effective—generally using a less expensive filter (greater than 10 microns) as the first stage to remove the larger particles. This can be followed by a variety of filters from carbon to KDF and other media combinations to remove the more complex compounds present.”
There are many other kinds of “healthy” waters, including aloe water, asparagus water and herbal infusions of all kinds; however, the only waters Pollack truly recommends are “high-quality filtered water with or without organic lemon added and a moderate use of coconut water.”
Source: Dr. David Pollack, of Pollack Wellness Institute (66 Commack Rd., Commack). For more information, call 631-462-0801 or visit PollackWellness.com.
