In this post, we will take an in-depth look at Reverse osmosis water, the pH of RO water, and how to remineralize RO water (everything to do with RO water remineralization).
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RO Water | pH Of RO Water | RO Water Remineralizing | The Benefits
Reverse osmosis provides an effective and reliable way of purifying water and while it eliminates all contaminants and unhealthy substances, it as well strips out all the mineral content present in water.
The only way to circumvent this is remineralizing the RO drinking water to get the essential minerals that the body needs and still enjoy contaminant-free water.
If you are wondering how to go about it, then we got you covered.
Once you are done going through this article, you will have a great insight on how to remineralize your RO water and what type of mineral filter to get.
Reverse Osmosis Water (RO Water)
Reverse osmosis water (RO Water) is basically purified water that has undergone filtration through a reverse osmosis system to remove impurities, contaminants, and other substances like minerals. Its completely clean water removed all impurities and is ideal for drinking and cleaning.
The pH Of Reverse Osmosis water (RO Water pH)
The pH of RO water is basically a measure of its acidity, the RO water pH often drops below 7.0 ranging from 5.0 to 6.0 which is acidic.
In general, the reverse osmosis filtration process removes almost all the minerals present in the water alongside other contaminants.
Liquids that have a pH level of 7.0 are considered neutral while anything above that is alkaline and anything below is considered acidic.
Therefore, the ideal pH levels of both drinking water and RO water should be around 6.5 to 8.0, preferably 7.4. Water with a pH value that’s within this range is safe to drink as it’s neither too acidic nor too alkaline hence not likely to pose any danger to the human body.
The resultant RO water is much pure and as such, it tends to naturally grab a lot more CO2 from the air which ends up making it acidic when they bond together. This results in the lowering of the alkaline of RO water or rather the pH of the RO water.
Even it often drops below 7.0 ranging from 5.0 to 6.0 which is acidic but much less compared to the acids in our stomachs which are naturally low, around 2.0.
Therefore, drinking RO water will certainly not have any effects on your body as your stomach is much more acidic than the RO water you are drinking, so it’s not likely to be affected by the consumption.
The only thing is that the resultant water may taste unpleasant to some people. It may have a crisp taste, while some would say it tastes metallic. It will also not have the essential minerals found in mineralized water.
Reverse Osmosis Water Remineralizing
RO water remineralizing is the process of adding back some of the minerals that were stripped off from the water after going through the RO filtration process so as to balance the pH level of the RO water and enhance its mineral content.
There are several various ways of remineralizing RO water and it can be done at the source without having to replace your whole RO system by adding an extra filter or afterward when you draw the water from the faucet.
However, how much minerals will be added back to the water will depend on various factors such as the existing pH level of your RO water, the flow rate, water temperature, and the method you choose to use to remineralize your RO water.
There are a few different ways you can remineralize your RO water and isn’t difficult at all as long as you have the right supplies.
Below are 5 easy ways for remineralizing RO water.
Adding An Alkaline Filter To An RO System
One of the best and very effective ways of increasing the pH value of your RO water to ideal levels is by adding an alkaline filter to your RO system.
This alkaline filter is added after the RO filtration process or rather post purification, after the post-carbon filter or the UV filter, just before the RO water enters the storage tank.
It’s basically a filter-like attachment containing food-grade minerals. Once the water is purified and passes over the alkaline filter, some of the minerals that were stripped dissolve back into the water which helps to bring its pH to a more balanced level.
It’s worth noting that the water temperature, the flow rate, and the existing pH of the feed water will affect how much minerals get to be added back into the water.
Most RO systems nowadays actually include an alkalization stage which consists of a remineralization filter.
However, if your system doesn’t feature this stage, then you can easily add one without much hassle or having to replace the whole system.
These filters typically can last from 6 to about 12 months before requiring replacement but this depend on the pH of your feed water as well as your water demand.
Adding Electrolyte Blends or Trace Mineral Drops to RO Water
Adding electrolyte blends otherwise known as trace mineral drops is yet another easier solution to remineralizing RO water.
The electrolyte blends are compositions of several types of minerals which include calcium, copper, magnesium, iron, manganese, and selenium.
You simply need to add a few drops of the blends into your RO water after drawing it from your RO faucet and they will instantly raise the alkalinity of your water.
They typically provide a quick and easy way to remineralize the RO water and you can add them to any quantity of water.
Furthermore, most of these mineral drops and blends aren’t too expensive plus you can easily get them from most well-sorted supermarkets or medical stores.
One thing you should note though is that the blends tend to differ in composition. Some brands may have a higher, more balanced, or different mineral composition than others.
Therefore, you will need to do some research to ensure you get the right kind of electrolyte blends or mineral drops. You will also have to make sure you read and follow the instructions regarding the dosage and amount of drops to add to water to get the right results.
Adding Mineral Rich Salt to RO Water
Mineral-rich salt is as well a very cost-effective and easy method of remineralizing RO water. This basically involves using a special type of sea salt that’s very dense in minerals, not just any random salt.
One of the best and well-known options is Himalayan sea salt. It’s the most widely used mineral-rich salt and this is because it’s not only inexpensive but also works effectively as other methods.
This salt is packed with over 60 different trace elements which are sufficient to remineralize RO water. You simply need to add a tiny pinch of salt to every glass of your RO water to remineralize it.
For an entire gallon of RO water, you will need to add about a quarter of a teaspoon. There won’t be any significant change in the taste of the water. It will pretty much taste like any drinking water. It won’t taste salty.
Again, you should note that you cannot use processed salt including table salt because they consist of almost only sodium and chloride which won’t do the job of adding minerals to your RO water. Only mineral-rich salt like the Himalayan sea salt will work effectively.
Using an Alkaline Water Filter Pitcher
Using an alkaline water filter pitcher is equally an effective way of remineralizing RO water. An alkaline water filter pitcher is basically a container made up of filters. It stores your RO water while automatically adding beneficial minerals into it and raising its pH level.
The best part about these pitchers is that most of them are designed to re-filter the water first before adding the minerals back into it. These minerals include magnesium, calcium, and other kinds of mineral elements that ultimately help balance the PH levels.
You can easily find several different kinds of alkaline pitchers on the market or even at specialty stores and a good example is the Kent alkaline water filter pitcher. However, pitchers are a bit more expensive compared to using electrolyte blends or mineral-rich salts.
The advantage though is that they tend to last longer than the other two methods. Therefore, with a budget or some little more money to spare, an alkaline water pitcher is a good buy.
Using Green Blends
Last but definitely not least, you can remineralize your RO water by using green blends which are basically extracted minerals derived from vegetables, herbs, grasses, and other plants.
These blends are packed with minerals as well as fiber and essential vitamins and nutrients. In short, they contain quite a wide range of balanced minerals that offer an all-around solution with regards to remineralizing RO water.
The downside though is that like alkaline water filter pitchers, green blends are fairly expensive compared to the other methods. This is because they have to be extracted from the vegetables and made in powder form which tends to be costly.
As such, they may not be an ideal option, especially if you working with a tight budget and you are seeking a long-term solution. They also tend to make the water taste somewhat different than normal drinking water which not everybody may actually like.
On the upside, however, green blends offer another great alternative to restoring back the lost minerals into your RO water.
They are a quick, all-encompassing method that will certainly give additional health benefits due to the extra fiber, vitamins, and nutrients they contain.
Overall, all these methods are effective when it comes to remineralizing RO water but if we are to pick a much conducive, sustainable, and long-lasting solution, then it would be adding an alkaline filter to your RO system. It provides a hassle-free and all-encompassing answer.
The Benefits of Remineralizing RO Water
As we’ve mentioned earlier, by remineralizing your RO water, you get to enhance its mineral content which can give you several health benefits. Below are just some of these benefits you can get from remineralizing your RO water.
Helps to Balance the pH level of Your Body
Your body generally tries to naturally maintain a balanced pH level regularly but when it’s too acidic, your system will have to work a little extra hard in order to keep the pH levels balanced.
Moreover, when the body is too acidic, it as well tends to interfere with the normal functioning of your body cells which makes you more vulnerable to diseases.
Therefore, drinking remineralized RO water will help will certainly help you maintain a balanced pH level in your body as well as avoid diseases.
Furthermore, your body is more capable of absorbing the minerals quicker from the water than from food consumption which makes remineralizing your RO water a nice way of keeping the mineral and electrolyte balance.
Helps in Detoxification and Improving the Immune System
Another key benefit of drinking remineralized RO water is detoxification. The alkaline RO water helps to naturally neutralize the free radicals and flushing out toxins from your body that may cause a number of health problems.
It basically detoxifies your body by cleansing the toxins which significantly boosts your immune system making your body more efficient. In addition, the water also helps to raise the pH of your urine and as such it improves your kidney function in terms of detoxifying the body.
Helps to Lower Blood Pressure
Aside from helping in detoxification and boosting the immune system, remineralized RO water can as well help lower blood pressure.
Low levels of magnesium in the body can contribute to high blood pressure. It may also lead to congestive heart failure as well as conditions that are likely to cause irregular heartbeats.
Remineralized RO water can be a good source of magnesium which is the nutrient that plays an important role in regulating blood pressure, nerve function, and blood glucose levels. It helps reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.
On top of that, having enough magnesium in the RO water can also assist in preventing constipation and as well in improving the health of your digestive system.
Magnesium generally helps draw water into the intestines which in turn improves stool consistency. Furthermore, it relaxes the intestinal muscles hence supporting regular bowel movements.
Promotes Blood Circulation and Strengthens Bones
Remineralized RO water may have a good amount of calcium, potassium, and magnesium, all of which are nutrients that promote blood circulation.
Calcium in particular which is one of the minerals that’s often added back into RO water is essential for building and as well maintain strong bones.
It helps increase the strength of your bones and muscles. This nutrient can also assist in regulating the rate plus rhythm of your heartbeat aside from promoting bone strength.
Helps Lose Weight
One of the other benefits of drinking remineralized RO water regularly is that it can help you lose weight. Unhealthy junk food often causes a significant increase in acidity in the body.
Therefore, to neutralize this acidity, the body tends to produce more fat cells which result in weight gain. As such, drinking remineralized RO water on a daily basis can neutralize the acidity in your body thereby help you avoid weight gain.
Offers Better Hydration
Studies have shown that enhancing the mineral content of your RO water or rather drinking alkaline water can provide better hydration than when drinking plain water. RO water typically allows for much better hydration capacity than plan water. In other words, if you suffer from chronic dehydration, then drinking remineralized RO water can certainly be of great help in addressing this problem and staying healthy.
Conclusion
Reverse osmosis water on its own is not bad for consumption provided it’s not too acidic. However, remineralizing it offers much more benefits as it enhances the pH level of the RO water making it taste better than ordinary water.
More importantly, remineralizing RO water helps restore back the minerals stripped away by the RO filtration process and these minerals are quite beneficial to the health of our body.
As you’ve seen from our post above, there are various ways to remineralize your RO water. Alkaline filters by far offer the most effective and convenient way not only of raising the pH of RO water but also of adding back the lost essential minerals.
Finding a quality alkaline filter that’s reliable and works efficiently is, however, the main stumbling. It may be quite time-consuming with all the dozens of brands offering a variety of different models to choose from.
Our top 8 recommendations above are quality filters that are more than capable of getting the job done pretty well. They are a good investment worth considering if you are looking to narrow down your search and find the ideal filter without much hustle.