pH stands for potential of hydrogen, and it’s simply a scale from 0 to 14 that tells you how acidic or alkaline a liquid is. Pure water sits right at 7.0, but your tap, spring, or filtered water can drift depending on where it’s been. Newsflash: Your coffee is around 5.0, your stomach acid is a raging 2.0, and your favorite bottled “alkaline” water might be pushing 8.5.
Why care? Because water that’s too acidic (below 6.5) can corrode pipes or taste metallic, while very alkaline water (above 8.5) might feel slippery or bitter. For most of us, the goal isn’t perfection—it’s awareness.
