When people think of the word “kangen” they immediately think of Kangen Water ® which is a trademark of Enagic, an alkaline kangen water machine maker. Trademarking the phrase “Kangen Water ®” was a shrewd move by the company leading consumers to believe they are the only real alkaline water producers. Alkaline Water is also known as ionized water, micro-clustered water, reduced water, spa water, miracle water or living water. Alkaline water is used in over 100 hospitals and medical clinics in Japan for its scientifically documented health benefits.
Why Did They Call It Kangen Water?
Let’s look into a brief history to understand this word “Kangen.”
The Ministry of Health and Welfare in Japan announced in 1965 that the intake of reduced water is effective for restoration of intestinal flora metabolism. Extensive clinical research was presented which caused the Japanese health department to make the above announcement. Nearly two decades later, in the 1980s when water ionizers were developed, the Japanese Health Department declared that water ionizers and alkaline ionized water offered health benefits that had been proven and thereby classified water ionizers as health devices.
What Does Kangen in Kangen Water Really Mean?
So where did the word “Kangen” come from? Some say that “Kangen” is a Japanese word that translates as “return to origin.” But according to Japan encyclopedia it more accurately means a “New Era.” Kangen refers to an era in Japanese history, an era in the reign of an emperor. A period that spanned the years from February 1243 to February 1247. The Kangen or “new era” name was created to mark an event or a number of events. One previous era ended and a new one commences. It was also a ruling decree that emperors made.
When the Japanese Department of Health and Welfare made the above announcement about alkaline water, a “New Era” of health and wellness came to be because of the amazing health benefits of alkaline water. All alkaline water represent this new era, not just Enagic’s who trademarked Kangen Water ®.
Enagic’s Kangen Water ® ionizers make the same type of alkaline and acidic water that all other water ionizers like Alkaviva UltraWater and TyentUSA offer.
Furthermore, the ionizing chamber in the Enagic machines utilizes the same technology all other water ionizers use to split water into acidic and alkaline streams. The other ionizers more often than not are of a higher quality and much more affordable than Enagic’s version of Kangen Water®.
Enagic representative’s web site says, “technically, in order to be classified as Kangen Water®, it needs to show a negative Oxidation Reduction Potential (ORP) in the range of -200mV to -450mV. However, other alkaline ionizers can also achieve at least a -250mV ORP reading and IonWays ionizers, like the Athena, can give an ORP of over -800mV.
The conclusion is, the health benefits of alkaline water launched a “New Era” of health for all people. I believe alkaline water is structured the way waters originally should be. In that sense, one could say it is a “return to origin,” a return to health and wellness.
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