What Are Antioxidants?

Antioxidants are substances that contain negatively charged ions. The reason we need these is that our bodies are constantly subject to  oxidation. Oxidation is a normal process. We breathe, exercise, and eat, and so are continuously consuming O2 [oxygen] all day long. Oxidation occurs when oxygen, or positively charged O2 ions [free radicals], steal an electron from a cell membrane. We see examples of oxidation when we see cut apples turning brown, oil turning rancid or when we see a piece of metal rusting. Antioxidants have extra negatively charged ions, which help to stabilize free radicals before they do any damage to our cells or help to stabilize cell membranes or even DNA, after the fact of free-radical damage, so as to not cause more internal damage to cells. Antioxidants are necessary to the holistic balancing of our bodies’ various functions.

How do Antioxidants Improve Health?

To the extent that antioxidants counteract and prevent cell damage caused by free radicals, antioxidants have been shown to improve health.  Antioxidants are linked to the prevention of cancer, heart disease, arthritis, and other diseases. Read more: 

• benefits of alkaline ionized water
• healing ability of hydrogen water

Types of Antioxidants

Various nutrients act as antioxidants in the body, such as vitamin C, E, and A. Enzymes are sometimes also able to act as antioxidants. These are definitely suggested, but limited in their benefits to our bodies, because they can be over-dosed and they are usually only practical to consume once a day. It’s impractical, expensive and may be harmful to try to consume the typical, store-bought, antioxidants all day long.

Ionized water is a perfect antioxidant source, because it provides a very simple and rich source of natural antioxidants, [water with an abundance of extra electrons in it]. Each extra electron can go to stabilizing a free radical and keep it from damaging your cells. Depending on the  water ionizer or hydrogen water machine you choose, there are potentially thousands of extra electrons in every sip of ionized water. Sipping ionized water throughout the day, helps you protect your cells on an ongoing rather than sporadic basis.

Choosing the Right Water Ionizer

I devote most of my research and blog articles to helping you find the most efficient water ionizers. I’ve done thousands of tests for this. By efficiency, I mean that for a particular pH-level [usually about 9 to 10 pH] an efficient water ionizer will produce a higher than average ORP (oxidation reduction potential). ORP, or oxidation reduction potential, is another way of saying antioxidants found and measured to be in that water sample.

PH is another subject, entirely, than ORP. You can raise the pH of water with only a slight rise in ORP or with no rise at all by running the water over or through certain minerals. This, however, doesn’t give you many of the benefits of antioxidants. It only focuses on the benefits of pH.  An electric water ionizer will be able to produce anywhere between -200 ORP and -700 ORP.  I don’t recommend water ionizers which are incapable of at least -350 ORP. On my website I rate the most efficient water ionizers, which I’ve seen produce ORP levels close to -700 at a 10 pH, as “Best” in my  Water Ionizer Comparison page.

Why do I feel so strongly that the antioxidants in ionized water are this important? Actually I had some spider veins on my leg which disappeared right before my eyes, when I drank ionized water that was -700 ORP, extremely rich in antioxidants. True story. I was sitting there and saw several spider veins on the inside of one ankle. I happened to have just poured a bottle of ionized water from my new Athena Water Ionizer. After drinking this water,instantly I saw the spider veins fade away! My earlier water ionizer, the Ange water ionizer, didn't produce as many antioxidants. The stronger ORP was about the only difference when I compared the two machines.

Prior to seeing this external proof, antioxidants were just theory to me. But now that I have personal knowledge of the magnitude of what antioxidants can do, I can only imagine what else on the inside of my body is being helped by the abundance of antioxidants in water at this high of an ORP level. The fact that I no longer have allergies, colds, ear infections, or other ailments (that I used to have) is more proof (at least to me) that this water works. See my water ionizer testimonial.

Preserving Antioxidant Levels in Stored Ionized Water

The best container for ionized water is  stainless vaccuum bottles. When I fill to the brim with no air-bubble, I have found this to preserve the antioxidants practically 100%, at least for 8 hours or so. Don't use plastic bottles. Plastics are porous, and the negatively charged electrons can escape through directly through plastic fairly quickly. Glass is good if you can find a way to remove any air bubble from the container.

The Effects of Heating on the Antioxidants in Ionized Water

Ionized water, like anything else that contains antioxidants, will lose its antioxidants when heated. It is preferable to not heat ionized water, but if you do, just quickly heat it and don't do a rolling boil.