Why Plain Water Isn't Enough This Indian Heatwave
India is home to 19 of the world's 20 hottest cities this summer. Plain water won't replace the electrolytes you sweat out in this heat. Here is how naturally alkaline Aava water fits into a healthy summer routine.
What to Know Before You Buy Bottled Water in India
Not all bottled water in India is the same. With BIS certification rules updated in 2026 and the category now classified by FSSAI as high-risk food, here is a clear guide to understanding what you are really drinking.
Aava Water in Forbes India
Some brands chase trends. Others outlast them. Forbes India in conversation with Aava Water, India's pioneering naturally alkaline mineral water, on twenty years of building a category quietly, one bottle at a time.
Naturally Alkaline vs Ionised: The Truth About Alkaline Water in India
Alkaline water is having a moment in India. It is being talked about in gyms, poured at brunches, and pitched everywhere from wellness reels to nutrition podcasts. But here is what almost no one tells you: most of what is sold as alkaline water in India today is made by a machine. And once you understand that, the entire conversation changes. As one of the few certified water sommeliers in India, my answer to anyone asking about alkaline water is the same: alkaline is only worth drinking when it is natural. Here is what that actually means. Alkaline water, explained without the marketing Water has a neutral pH of 7. Anything below that is acidic. Anything close to 8 and above is alkaline. So technically, any water with a pH near or above 8 qualifies as alkaline. But pH on its own is just a number. What matters is how the water became alkaline in the first place, and whether there is real mineral content behind that number. That distinction is the entire conversation. Is alkaline water its own category in India? Not really. This is the first thing to clear up. Drinking water in India falls into two regulated categories: Packaged Drinking Water (IS 14543): Typically RO-processed water, demineralised and then often treated further before bottling Natural Mineral Water (BIS IS 13428): Drawn from a protected underground aquifer, bottled at the place of origin, with all its essential natural minerals naturally present Alkaline water is not a third category. It is simply water with a higher pH. Depending on how that pH was created, alkaline water belongs to one of the two regulated categories above. If the alkaline pH was created by a machine, it is ionised alkaline water and falls under Packaged Drinking Water. If the alkaline pH came from essential natural minerals the water absorbed over time underground, it is natural mineral water like Aava. Same word on the label. Two completely different products in the bottle. Naturally alkaline vs ionised: the difference no brand wants to explain This is the difference that matters most for anyone choosing alkaline water in India. Naturally alkaline mineral water is shaped by geology, not by a machine. Aava originates in the Aravalli Hills, where rainwater filters slowly through ancient layers of rock, clay, sand and alluvium over many years. Along the way, the water absorbs essential natural minerals, including calcium, magnesium, potassium, bicarbonate and silica. These minerals are alkaline by nature, and their presence raises the natural pH of the water. Aava is born alkaline. Its natural pH of 8 is the result of this mineral content, not the cause of it. The minerals are the substance. The pH is just the by-product. Ionised alkaline water is created by a machine called an ioniser. The process uses electrolysis to split water molecules and artificially push the pH upward. The starting water is usually RO-processed and demineralised, which means most of the natural mineral content has already been stripped out. The ioniser can raise the pH to whatever level is desired, but there is no real mineral substance behind that number, and the alkalinity itself is temporary. Same pH reading on a meter. Same word on the label. Two completely different waters in your glass. Why pH alone tells you almost nothing about your water Here is a part that gets glossed over in most alkaline water marketing: the human body has its own carefully regulated pH, and it works to keep that pH stable regardless of what you eat or drink. So the idea that drinking water with a high pH will dramatically change your body's pH is not how human physiology works. What pH actually does to water, in a way you can experience, is shape its taste. Acidic water tastes sharper and slightly bitter. Alkaline water has a smoother, rounder mouthfeel. Aava's natural alkalinity, combined with its naturally occurring silica, gives it a signature smooth finish and a slightly sweet aftertaste that mineral water connoisseurs will recognise. But the meaningful qualities of naturally alkaline water do not come from the pH at all. They come from the essential natural minerals that created the alkalinity in the first place. The real story isn't the pH. It's the minerals. Calcium, magnesium, potassium, sodium and bicarbonate are all naturally alkaline minerals. When they are present in water at meaningful levels, they raise its pH naturally. They are also essential natural minerals that contribute to a healthy lifestyle alongside a balanced diet. The premise is simple. The human body cannot manufacture minerals. We absorb them from what we eat and drink. We drink water far more often than we eat through the day, which makes drinking water a meaningful daily contributor of essential natural minerals. A litre of Aava naturally contains around 23 mg of calcium, 11.5 mg of magnesium, and a balanced range of bicarbonate, silica, potassium and trace electrolytes. Over the course of a day's hydration, this adds up to a steady contribution toward your daily mineral intake as part of an overall healthy lifestyle. The minerals in natural mineral water are also highly bioavailable, which means the body absorbs them efficiently. Research has shown that the bioavailability of minerals from natural mineral water compares favourably with mineral sources like milk. This is something a machine-alkalised water simply cannot replicate. Even when minerals are added back to ionised alkaline water after RO processing, studies have indicated that no commonly used remineralisation method matches the bioavailability of minerals naturally present from the origin. The World Health Organisation has also cautioned against the long-term consumption of demineralised water with low mineral content, noting that drinking water is meant to contribute meaningfully to daily mineral intake. The hidden cost of ionised alkaline water: water waste This is the part most consumers do not realise. Conventional RO processing rejects roughly two to three litres of water for every litre purified. That is a significant cost to the planet, especially in a country where water scarcity is a growing concern. Naturally alkaline mineral water like Aava is bottled at source with zero water rejection. Nothing is filtered out, nothing is wasted, because the water is already in its naturally alkaline, mineral-rich state when it is bottled. Choosing naturally alkaline water is not just a choice for your daily wellness routine. It is a choice for a more sustainable future. How to spot real naturally alkaline water in 30 seconds at the store This is the practical part. The next time you reach for alkaline water in India, here is what to check before you buy. 1. Look for the certification mark. If the bottle carries BIS IS 13428, it is certified natural mineral water like Aava. If it carries IS 14543, it is packaged drinking water, which means it is RO-processed and very possibly ionised if it is being sold as alkaline. 2. Look for the origin. Natural mineral water comes from a specific, protected geology. Aava originates in the Aravalli Hills, where the geology gives the water its unique mineral signature. If a brand cannot tell you where its water comes from geologically, it almost certainly comes from a tap and a treatment line. 3. Look for the mineral profile. A genuinely mineral-rich water will tell you what is inside it. Natural calcium, natural magnesium, naturally occurring bicarbonate and silica. If the only number being advertised is the pH, ask why. 4. Be cautious with the word "ionised." Ionised alkaline water is something you can produce at home with a countertop machine. It is not the same as naturally alkaline mineral water that has been formed underground over thousands of years. 5. Choose zero water rejection. Naturally alkaline mineral water bottled at origin involves no rejection of water during the bottling process, unlike RO-based alkaline water. It is the more conscious choice for the environment as well as for your daily wellness routine. The bottom line: naturally alkaline is the only alkaline water worth drinking The most enduring trend in water is back to nature. Naturally alkaline mineral water that is ethically drawn from a protected geology will always offer more, both as a drink and as part of a healthy lifestyle, than water that has been demineralised and then artificially alkalised by a machine. When you choose Aava, you are choosing water shaped by the Aravallis over thousands of years, BIS IS 13428-certified, born alkaline at a natural pH of 8, with all its essential natural minerals naturally present and bottled with zero water rejection. The next time you reach for alkaline water, the question to ask is simple. How, and where, did this water become alkaline? If the answer is "nature," it is worth drinking. Frequently Asked Questions Is alkaline water good for you? Alkaline water is most worthwhile when it is naturally alkaline, meaning its higher pH comes from essential natural minerals like calcium, magnesium, potassium and bicarbonate absorbed from the earth. These naturally occurring minerals are what make naturally alkaline mineral water like Aava part of a healthy lifestyle alongside a balanced diet. Ionised alkaline water, made by a machine from RO-processed water, lacks this natural mineral content. Which alkaline water is best in India? Look for naturally alkaline mineral water carrying BIS IS 13428 certification, originating from a protected geology with a transparent mineral profile. Aava is naturally alkaline mineral water with a natural pH of 8, originating in the Aravalli Hills, and bottled at origin with zero water rejection. What is the pH of alkaline water? Alkaline water has a pH close to 8 or above. Neutral water has a pH of 7. Aava is born alkaline at a natural pH of 8 thanks to its essential natural mineral content, shaped over thousands of years by the Aravallis, not by a machine. What is the difference between mineral water and alkaline water? Mineral water is defined by its essential natural mineral content from a protected underground origin, certified under BIS IS 13428 in India. Alkaline water simply refers to any water with a pH above 7. Naturally alkaline mineral water like Aava is both, a BIS IS 13428-certified mineral water that is naturally alkaline because of its mineral profile. Is RO water alkaline? RO water on its own is not alkaline. It is demineralised, with most of the natural mineral content removed during processing. RO water only becomes ionised alkaline water when it is passed through a separate machine called an ioniser. This is the opposite of naturally alkaline mineral water like Aava, which is born alkaline because of its naturally occurring minerals. Can I drink alkaline water every day? Naturally alkaline mineral water with a balanced mineral profile, like Aava, can be part of a daily hydration and wellness routine. The World Health Organisation has cautioned against long-term consumption of demineralised water with low mineral content, which is one reason naturally mineral-rich water like Aava is preferred over ionised, demineralised alternatives as part of a healthy lifestyle. What is ionised alkaline water? Ionised alkaline water is water whose pH has been artificially raised by a machine called an ioniser, using a process called electrolysis. The starting water is typically RO-processed and demineralised. The ioniser raises the pH but does not add meaningful natural mineral content. This makes it fundamentally different from naturally alkaline mineral water like Aava, which is born alkaline because of essential natural minerals. Are there naturally alkaline mineral waters in India? Aava started bottling India's first naturally alkaline mineral water in 2005, originating from the Aravalli Hills, born alkaline at a natural pH of 8, BIS IS 13428-certified and bottled with zero water rejection. Twenty years of trust and multiple international awards later, Aava remains the benchmark for naturally alkaline mineral water in India. Is naturally alkaline water different from ionised alkaline water? Yes. Naturally alkaline water like Aava carries essential natural minerals that are part of a healthy lifestyle and that are highly bioavailable, meaning the body absorbs them efficiently. Ionised alkaline water, made from demineralised RO water, lacks this natural mineral substance. The minerals in naturally alkaline mineral water are what make it meaningful, not just the pH.
What Is TDS in Drinking Water? A Water Sommelier's Guide to Mineral Content
Most Indians judge water by TDS alone. But low TDS isn't healthy, it's stripped of essential minerals. Here's what TDS really means, and why Aava's naturally balanced TDS is ideal for your healthy lifestyle.