BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT:

Kangen Water World owner Harvey Branman poured water over several cherry tomatoes in a plastic cup.

He then poured water into another cup containing more cherry tomatoes.

After letting the water sit for a couple of seconds, he drained the water from each cup into two separate cups.

In one of the cups, the water is clear. In the other, the water has an orange tinge, like over-diluted Tang — a visual cue to the pesticides that washed off the tomatoes.

“Now would you like to drink that?” Branman asked after conducting his experiment at his new “hydration center” at 1307 N. San Fernando Blvd., which opens today. The purpose of the experiment is to show people exactly what they are consuming.

The orange tinge in the water shows the pesticides in the vegetables that have been stripped off after being bathed in water at a pH level of 11.5. The acidic water comes from a machine, called the Kangen water machine, that creates cleaner and healthier water than tap or even bottled water, Branman said.

The Kangen water machine is handmade and considered a medical device in Japan. It consists of electrically charged titanium and platinum plates that separate ordinary tap water into its alkaline and acidic elements. The filtered alkaline water, or Kangen water, is used for drinking. The acidic water is used for disinfection or for washing fruits and vegetables, washing away waxy pesticides. Buttons on the machine allow the user to select the level of acidity or alkalinity.

The benefits of drinking the alkaline water the machine produces, Branman said, is to get rid of the acidity most people in the United States have in their bodies. Drinking the water that comes out of the machine is also known to relieve symptoms of conditions such as arthritis and digestive disorders such as Crohn’s disease, Branman said.

“I notice that I have more energy during my morning workouts,” said customer Bill Waldham of Burbank, who has been drinking Kangen water since mid-April. “My digestive health has been a whole lot better. My body is working more efficiently.”

People have reported changes in their health in as little as two weeks, Branman said.

“I would say that nine out of 10 Americans are overly acidic,” Branman said. “And what happens when you’re acidic? You get sick. Your body maintains the blood at an alkalinity level of 7.4, which is slightly alkaline. Your blood can’t vary much without you dying, so the body does strange things in order to keep the blood alkalined.”

Seven is considered neutral on the 14-point pH scale. A higher number means higher alkalinity; a lower number and the substance is more acidic. Kangen water rates at about a 9.4 pH level, Branman said.

Kangen water is also “micro-clustered,” meaning the molecules are less densely packed than in conventional tap or bottled water. The less dense water allows the body’s cells to absorb the liquid faster and retain it longer, Branman said.

“The real way to drink this water and any water is to do it in small increments all day long,” Branman said. “Except when you’re eating. Theoretically, your digestive juices should not be diluted with water or anything else.”

Some people in the United States spend more money on bottled water than they do on gasoline, Branman said.

“Not only is that unhealthy, it’s making a lot of people really rich,” Branman. “And [bottled water] is really something they should avoid.”