this post was submitted on 06 Nov 2025
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Science Memes

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[–] zout@fedia.io 184 points 1 week ago (34 children)

Alkaline water won't be alkaline for long after it enters the stomach, so it doesn't really matter

[–] realitista@lemmus.org 182 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (5 children)

Alkaline water does have a place for LPR sufferers like me because it deactivates the pepsin that has vaporized and deposited itself in my esophagus and throat which when activated by acidic foods will begin to digest my soft tissues. The rest of ways to sell it I agree are completely bunk.

[–] Infamousblt@hexbear.net 47 points 1 week ago (2 children)

This is true for most fad health things. They come from a place of "this is good for one hyper specific medical outcome" and then extrapolate to "this is good for literally all medical outcomes"

[–] nondescripthandle@lemmy.dbzer0.com 24 points 1 week ago (3 children)

Remember the gluten free phase where people with no gluten alergy whatsoever decided they wanted to eat breads stripped of most of their protien(gluten) because they thought it was healthier.

[–] Wren@lemmy.today 19 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (5 children)

The whole gluten thing is pretty interesting.

Low carb diets led to commercial production on non-wheat breads in the western world, creating more options for people with celiacs and increasing public awareness of gluten allergies. With more bread options some people noticed they felt better after chowing non-wheat bread.

Without a lot of health info and bullshit american healthcare, they figured they had gluten allergies or celiacs and adjusted their diet accordingly.

A widely publicized study on non-celiacs gluten allergies found no gluten allergy, media took it out of context and implied those people were full of shit. This polarized the public against anyone claiming a gluten allergy.

But! More and more people self-diagnosed gluten allergies, and more study led to discoveries on how fermentation helps digestion (like with sourdough), that parts of grains contain enzymes that aid digestion, found industry-wide problems with undercooked grains, and allergies to different classes of grains.

So it was healthier for a lot of people, they just didn't know why.

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[–] graymess@hexbear.net 16 points 1 week ago (4 children)

That's still unbelievably common where I live. Some restaurants will have zero vegan options, but you can be sure they'll offer half a dozen clearly marked gluten free items. Come on, you can't spare the overhead for a block of tofu, but you can keep gluten free breads and pastas?

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[–] ivanafterall@lemmy.world 32 points 1 week ago
[–] SoleInvictus@lemmy.blahaj.zone 23 points 1 week ago (2 children)

Hey fellow LPR person! Ever looked into baclofen? It's an oddball, but it helped me and a friend with our LPR.

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[–] Klear@quokk.au 84 points 1 week ago (2 children)

So I said, blue M&M, red M&M, they all wind up the same colour in the end.

- Homer Simpson

[–] Viking_Hippie@lemmy.dbzer0.com 24 points 1 week ago (5 children)

Which is reason number two (pun intended) why brown M&Ms are the superior ones.

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[–] IrateAnteater@sh.itjust.works 17 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Slightly better for the teeth maybe? And maybe a slight benefit if heartburn is an issue.

[–] zout@fedia.io 20 points 1 week ago

Better for the teeth than pH neutral? Nope. For heartburn it might help, but only for a real short time. Non-fat milk would probably be the better choice.

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[–] Feyd@programming.dev 81 points 1 week ago (8 children)

Not defending pseudoscientific health regimens, but the acid in "a spritz of lemon" doesn't neutralize an arbitrary amount of alkalinity

[–] kryptonianCodeMonkey@lemmy.world 122 points 1 week ago (3 children)

No, but it does reveal a distinct lack of understanding on her her part as to what these pseudoscientific health products even are that are supposedly doing things for her. Like saying "I always drink decaf coffee and pop a shot of 5 hour energy in the morning." "I drink skim milk with a splash of double cream." "I love honey on my keto toast." Like, even if it's not enough acidity to completely negate the alkalinity, it's literally antithetical to the supposed goal.

[–] ameancow@lemmy.world 20 points 1 week ago

I am reminded of the detail in The Office where Michael Scott is stirring sugar into his diet coke.

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[–] Carrolade@lemmy.world 71 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (3 children)

I think it was Angela Collier that did a pretty basic test with a common store bought alkaline water, a lemon and some test strips. The water doesn't start very alkaline at all.

edit: Yep, here we go. https://youtu.be/rBQhdO2UxaQ

It's an amusing video.

[–] Ephera@lemmy.ml 83 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (2 children)

She did the math (with some assumptions), but basically 0.25 mL of lemon juice will turn 500 mL of alkaline water into neutral water:

This is in the video at 13:16.

The reason is that pH is a logarithmic scale. Alkaline water has a pH of about 8, which means it has a tenth of the hydrogen ions compared to neutral water at pH 7.
Lemon juice has a pH value of 2, which is 1,000,000 times more hydrogen ions than there are in pH 8. So, you just need a little bit of lemon juice to increase the hydrogen ions in alkaline water tenfold, which makes it neutral.

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[–] ShinkanTrain@lemmy.ml 78 points 1 week ago (2 children)

So should I put AA batteries in my water bottle or not?

[–] ivanafterall@lemmy.world 38 points 1 week ago (3 children)

I believe the AAs go in your vagina. She does a lot of vagina stuff, like my ex.

[–] acme401@lemmy.world 31 points 1 week ago (7 children)

I can confirm the vagina stuff with his ex

She was a freak!

[–] ivanafterall@lemmy.world 23 points 1 week ago (1 children)

That sounds like her alright. You should definitely go get tested, fyi.

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[–] MissJinx@lemmy.world 49 points 1 week ago (10 children)

The best way to remain beautiful your whole life is being born in a family of (white) millionaires, remain a millionaire through inheritance and by working on your family's cushy business without ever having to worry about nothing for not even a second of your life and also having access and being able to aford the most modern and technological advancements in beauty. If that is not enough and you still feel time is getting close you can create your own fake science and get even more money (maybe that helps?)

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[–] sakodak@lemmy.world 47 points 1 week ago (3 children)

Mixing an acid and a base makes a salt. She's drinking saltwater.

[–] jmbreuer@lemmy.ml 36 points 1 week ago (1 children)
[–] bfg9k@lemmy.world 27 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Yeah, it's got what plants crave

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[–] Sanctus@anarchist.nexus 35 points 1 week ago (3 children)

I dont think most people that specifically purchase it know what alkaline water is.

[–] WhiskyTangoFoxtrot@lemmy.world 17 points 1 week ago (2 children)

Apparently it works better than rechargable water.

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[–] MedicPigBabySaver@lemmy.world 34 points 1 week ago (15 children)

Such a stupid cunt snake oil salesperson.

[–] muhyb@programming.dev 16 points 1 week ago (3 children)

What's the pH of snake oil?

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[–] LefterShark@lemmy.blahaj.zone 24 points 1 week ago (3 children)
[–] QuadG@lemmy.world 22 points 1 week ago (2 children)
[–] LefterShark@lemmy.blahaj.zone 1 points 5 days ago

Just like mom used to make!

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[–] 58008@lemmy.world 24 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Is there a consensus view on whether or not Gwyneth is a genuine numbnut or is just cynically exploiting people who are?

[–] horn_e4_beaver@discuss.tchncs.de 33 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (5 children)
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[–] FartsWithAnAccent@fedia.io 23 points 1 week ago (3 children)

Paltrow is full of shit broadly speaking of course, but she may be accidentally (technically) onto something here: A more ph neutral drink would be a little better for your teeth compared to one that's more acidic or basic, wouldn't it?

[–] DarrinBrunner@lemmy.world 64 points 1 week ago (10 children)

So, like plain water, then?

[–] lividweasel@lemmy.world 50 points 1 week ago (4 children)

“Influencers discover this surprising health hack: drinking ‘raw’ water”

[–] mushroommunk@lemmy.today 18 points 1 week ago

Oh good lord no. Who knows what bacteria they'll start ingesting because the water is "raw"

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[–] Enkrod@feddit.org 20 points 1 week ago (1 children)

The level of pH difference we're talking about here is negligible. You're constantly bathing your teeth in your (slightly acidic) spit and swallowing your spit all the time, the very few moments your teeth come into contact with slightly more alkaline water have no lasting influence. Plain tap-water (also slightly alkaline with a pH of ~7.5 in most of the US) would have the very same effect.

Brushing your teeth after a meal and abstaining from sugary drinks is where the difference is at, Everything else is talking about if Mount Everest is higher when you place a grain of sand on top... technically yes, but no.

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[–] huf@hexbear.net 17 points 1 week ago (6 children)
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[–] Plurrbear@lemmy.world 17 points 1 week ago

GOOP = What your brain is made of if you support or buy these “products”.

She’s just another GRIFTER!

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