Beverage Tests: pH and ORP

See the results of the Beverage pH and ORP tests!

What about all the bottled waters and soft drinks which our population devours? What about the effect these drinks have on your acid/alkalinity balance or on the oxidant/antioxidant factors? See the following charts which tested both the pH and the ORP (oxidation reduction potential) of popular waters, soft drinks, etc.

As you review the results, you can make comparisons to the measurements for Kangen Water® which has a pH range for drinking water of 8.5 to 9.5 and an ORP range of – 200 to – 950 depending on the source water from your tap.

The pH scale measures how acidic or basic a substance is. The pH scale takes its name from potential of hydrogen. The pH scale ranges from 0 to 14. The colors indicated relate to the pH scale values as seen when testing the liquid. A pH of 7 is neutral; pH less than 7 is acidic; pH greater than 7 is moving toward alkalinity.

ORP (Oxidation Reduction Potential) By electrolysis we can obtain reduced water with negative potential that is good for the body. Water treated by electrolysis to increase its reduction potential is the best solution to the problem of providing a safe source of free electrons to block the oxidation of normal tissue by free oxygen radicals. It can be shown and measured that Kangen Water® produces a strong negative Oxidative Reduction Potential referred to as ORP. The stronger the negative value of ORP (measured in milliVolts) the better the water is in reducing oxidation.

Importance of pH and ORP

When considering the relationship of drinking water to health, two important issues are: pH and ORP. These factors make it possible for us to gauge the effects of water on living tissue.

pH was an idea developed in 1909 and it stands for “the power or potential of hydrogen”.

It is a way of measuring of the activity of the hydrogen ions concentrated in any solution. The activity of these ions can produce an acidic or an alkaline solution measured on a scale of 0-14 with 7-14 being alkaline while 0-7 being acidic.

In the human body we have many pH levels in distinct areas. As an example our stomach can be 1.0-3.5 while our blood is 7.3-7.45 and our lymphatic fluid is 6.3-7.5. We have built-in buffering systems within our body to help maintain these pH levels, but if these systems are compromised or overloaded, then we are at the mercy of the pH inherent in what we are taking in. The greater part of this damage can occur because of the oxidizing consequence of the foods and beverages that we take in.

ORP stands for Oxidation Reduction Potential, which is the potential of a substance to reduce oxidation. ORP: When Minus Is A Plus! The stronger the negative value of ORP, the better.

Oxidation is similar to rust, it is the breakdown of any material when exposed to oxygen. A certain amount of oxidation is essential to life, but an excessive amount and the living structure being oxidized loses its integrity and its ability to properly function. This is what we imply by saying that free radicals are the ions that cause oxidation.

Consequently, if we are regularly eating and drinking substances which have a high ORP (increased oxidation) we are damaging our living tissues with every bite. The higher the ORP, the more oxidative damage that will take place. Food, particularly can have a very acidic effect as well as increase oxidation.

One way to help strengthen our buffering systems and to prevent oxidation is by increasing our antioxidants and reducing our consumption of acidic substances.

The pH and the ORP of some of the most popular beverages:

•Coke has a pH of 2.8 making it one of the most acidic of beverages, just slightly less acidic than sulphuric acid. Its ORP is also +410 making it very damaging to cells.

•Pepsiis just a little better for pH at 3.2, but its ORP is worse at +450.

•Sprite has a pH of 3.5 with an even worse ORP of +550.

•Propel Fitness Water is a step up from that at 3.6, but is still very acidic, and when it is marketed to athletic individuals it can wreak havoc with tissues, since muscle strengthening and conditioning alone create large amounts of metabolic acids such as lactic and pyruvic acid.

Its ORP is better at +280 which explains why it tends to make people feel more energetic.

•Aquafina water may have a pH of 5.2 making it better than some, but its ORP is an astounding +542.

•Reverse Osmosis watermay have a much more acceptable pH of 6.5 (making it still on the acidic side of the scale), but its ORP is the highest of almost any beverage at +586.

•Red Bullis also very acidic at 3.2 pH, but it’s the ORP that kills at +462.

•Gatoradeis a 3.5 pH and its ORP is +325 which is due to the high level of sodium it contains.

•Wine has quite an acidic pH of 4.05, but its ORP is lower at +232 which is explained in many clinical studies of the antioxidant effect of grapes and red wine.

•Starbucks coffeeactually appears to be one of the best choices at a pH of 5.5 and an ORP of +175, but don’t forget the effects of the caffeine. Decaffeinated coffee will have a much lower pH, making it not the healthy choice you may have thought.

•Tap watercomes in at a pH of 7.2 and has an average ORP of +370, but both of those amounts tend to be chemically produced by additives and purification processes that municipalities utilize.

Well water may have very different results, and vary from area to area, but very often is acidic.

Comparison to Kangen Water®

In summary, look again at the measurements for Kangen Water® which has a pH range for drinking water of 8.5 to 9.5 and an ORP range of – 200 to – 950 depending on the source water from your tap. You can drink water that is alkaline, and highly absorbable at a cellular level.