If you’ve ever wondered what the near-mythical creature known as Gwyneth Paltrow drinks, here’s the latest answer: Flow Alkaline Spring Water. The actress and founder of wellness brand Goop posted an Instagram today with Flow while strolling through Expo West, a massive natural-products expo (a.k.a. Goop’s bread and butter) in Anaheim.
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.
So, what exactly is alkaline water—and will it give you Gwyneth’s glowing skin and nowhere-near-middle-age energy? Sadly, probably not.
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Was totally amazed walking around #expowest natural foods show this morning. It’s heartening to see consumers shaping the market towards natural food, drink, beauty and a plethora of other categories. My fave had to be CEO @nicholasreichenbach showing me the @flow water superhero photo booth. #inflowencer
A post shared by Gwyneth Paltrow (@gwynethpaltrow) on
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.
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’.
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