When people start researching alkaline water, one assumption comes up again and again:
Alkaline water is alkaline water.
If only it was that simple.
Alkalinity can be achieved in very different ways. And when you’re choosing water for long term daily use, especially for a family, those differences matter far more than a single pH number.
This article looks at what Kangen water actually is, how it differs from naturally alkaline mineral water like alkalife, and what those differences mean over years, not weeks.
Kangen water is produced using a water ioniser made by Enagic, a Japanese company. These machines take tap water and apply a process called electrolysis, separating it into an alkaline stream and an acidic stream.
The alkaline portion is the Kangen water you consume.
In simple terms:
The source water is usually tap water
The pH is raised mechanically
The alkalinity comes from ionisation, not minerals
Kangen water is popular because it:
Avoids bottled water
Allows adjustable pH levels
Has a lower long term cost once the machine is paid off
These are real advantages and part of why people compare it closely with bottled alkaline water.
Most comparisons stop at pH.
But pH alone doesn’t tell you why the water is alkaline or what else comes with it. Two waters can share a similar pH and behave very differently in the body.
This distinction becomes more important when the water is consumed daily over many years.
Kangen water becomes alkaline through a process called electrolysis, performed by a water ioniser.
In simple terms, the machine:
Takes incoming tap water
Uses an electrical current to separate the water into two streams - one alkaline stream and one acidic
The alkalinity comes from this electrical separation, which raises pH. The process itself does not create minerals or add nutritional components.
Any minerals present depend on:
The original source water
The effectiveness of the machine’s filtration
Ongoing maintenance and correct operation
This is why people often ask, does Kangen water have minerals?
The short answer is that the ionisation process changes pH, not mineral content.
Because Kangen machines start with tap water, filtration plays a critical role in the final water quality.
Most Kangen systems use very basic carbon based filtration, primarily designed to improve taste and reduce chlorine. While helpful, this is not the same as comprehensive contaminant removal.
These filters:
Are not designed to reliably remove all heavy metals
Do not remove fluoride
Are not intended to address emerging contaminants such as PFAS or pharmaceutical residues
Depend on regular replacement to remain effective
Ionisation itself does not remove contaminants. It alters pH and electrical charge, but whatever passes through the filter remains in the water.
This means the quality of Kangen water ultimately depends on:
The starting tap water
The condition of the filters
How closely maintenance schedules are followed
For people in areas with aging pipes, agricultural runoff, or known water quality issues, this becomes an important consideration when relying on a machine for daily drinking water over many years. You can learn more about the difference between Filtered Water vs Alkaline Water here.
Natural alkaline mineral water becomes alkaline slowly and naturally.
As water moves through limestone and quartz rich geology, it absorbs minerals such as:
Calcium
Magnesium
Bicarbonate
Silica
These minerals are what create alkalinity and they also play functional roles in the body.
No electricity.
No mechanical forcing.
No reliance on settings or upkeep.
At a glance, Kangen water and natural alkaline water can look similar. Both may register a high pH. Both are described as alkaline.
The difference lies beneath the pH number.
Kangen water is alkaline because its electrical charge has been altered.
Natural alkaline water is alkaline because it contains naturally occurring minerals absorbed from geology over time.
This matters because:
pH is a measurement
Minerals are functional inputs your body uses
Natural alkaline mineral water delivers calcium, magnesium, bicarbonate and silica as part of its structure. These contribute to hydration, buffering, digestion and metabolic function.
Kangen water, by contrast, relies on an external process to create alkalinity. Its output is only as reliable as the machine, filters and maintenance supporting it.
This is why many people comparing options for long term use move beyond pH and start asking what alkaline water actually does in the body.
pH tells you how acidic or alkaline something is.
It does not tell you what nutrients are present.
Minerals play roles in:
Cellular hydration
Muscle and nerve function
Bone health
Acid buffering
Digestive processes
These minerals don’t just influence pH. They function much like electrolytes, supporting how water is absorbed and used by the body.
The body tightly regulates its internal pH. Drinking alkaline water doesn’t override that system.
What matters more is whether the water supports natural buffering and digestion through mineral content.
The stomach’s role in regulating acidity is often misunderstood when people first explore alkaline water.
When choosing water for long term family use, people often weigh reliability as much as benefits.
With machines:
Filters degrade
Plates wear
Performance can drift
Repairs can be costly
Effectiveness depends on maintenance
Kangen machines often cost over $4,000, so it’s reasonable to question how confidently they perform over many years.
With natural alkaline water:
No moving parts
No maintenance
No performance assumptions
No mechanical points of failure
For something consumed every day, fewer points of failure matter.
Avoiding plastic is a valid concern, and Kangen water has an advantage here.
But many families also consider:
Mineral intake
Consistency of composition
How water is treated before it’s consumed
Plastic is one part of a broader decision, not the only one.
A more useful question than “is this water alkaline?” is:
What does this water consistently provide my body over years?
Natural alkaline mineral water offers:
Bioavailable minerals the body recognises
Alkalinity created by nature, not machinery
No maintenance or mechanical uncertainty
A composition that exists independently of user behaviour
This long term view is also why hydration quality is increasingly discussed alongside gut health and digestion.
No. Kangen water becomes alkaline through electrolysis, while natural alkaline water becomes alkaline through mineral absorption from geology.
Kangen water does not create minerals. Any minerals present depend on the source water and filtration quality. Natural alkaline mineral water contains naturally occurring minerals absorbed over time.
The key difference is how alkalinity is achieved. Kangen water relies on mechanical ionisation, while natural alkaline water derives its alkalinity from mineral composition.
Kangen water may suit some people who value on demand alkaline water without bottled products. Others prioritise mineral support and long term simplicity.
The body tightly regulates internal pH. Mineral support plays a larger role than pH alone.
If all alkaline water were the same, the decision would be simple.
But alkalinity created by geology and time is not the same as alkalinity created by electrolysis and filtration.
Natural alkaline mineral water delivers minerals your body uses, without relying on machines, maintenance schedules, or performance assumptions. For families thinking long term, that difference matters.
It’s water with a bit more purpose.
And a softer, smoother way to hydrate every day.
Bottom Line
Drinking alkaline water isn’t about chasing a trend. It’s about choosing water that gives more than it takes. When it comes from nature (like alkalife does), it brings a mineral-rich, refreshing experience your body recognises.
It’s water with a bit more purpose. And a smoother sip.
Go on. Give your hydration an upgrade.
Click here to view our products and try our naturally alkaline water. Use Code DETOX10 for $10 off your first order. Your cells (and your carbon footprint) will thank you.
