According to Just Jared, Gwyneth's Goop has partnered with the brand, though exactly what that entails beyond serving Flow water in Goop offices is TBD.
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So, what exactly is alkaline water—and will it give you Gwyneth's glowing skin and nowhere-near-middle-age energy? Sadly, probably not.
Alkaline water is water that falls around 8 or 9 on the pH scale, about 1 to 2 levels above regular water's neutral pH (7). (Quick chemistry refresher: The pH scale measures how acidic or basic a substance is, with 1 being the most acidic and 14 being the most basic.) The idea behind alkaline water is that it prevents your body's pH (typically about a 7.4) from becoming too acidic, by counterbalancing anything that would bring down your pH (like acidic foods).
A few studies have shown mildly positive effects from drinking alkaline water, from better hydration and blood flow to a reduction of the stomach acid pepsin, but those have been super small (or in petri dishes). There's really no conclusive evidence that alkaline water is any better than plain old H20. Sorry, Gwyneth.
And here's the thing: Your body does a solid job of managing its pH level on its own. “It’s the job of the lungs, liver, and kidneys to maintain a normal pH in our bodies,” Keri Gans, a registered dietitian nutritionist in NYC, previously told WH. In other words, save your money—there's no need to drop extra dollars on a fancy bottle.
“It’s the job of the lungs, liver, and kidneys to maintain a normal pH in our bodies."
The one thing we'll give Gwyneth props on: Flow Alkaline Spring Water uses sustainable packaging, including a paper-based box instead of a plastic bottle and a lid derived from plant-based materials. One catch: it's not currently available in Aus, although there are similar products on the market here, like Alkalife, Alka Power and PH8.
Of course, if you want to be like Gwyneth and stay hydrated while saving the world, you could also skip packaged water altogether and refill a reusable bottle...for free. Just sayin'.
This article originally appeared on Women's Health US.
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