The alkaline diet is based on replacing acid-forming foods with alkaline foods can improve health. Proponents of this diet claim that it can help fight serious diseases like cancer, although there are other health risks.
This eating plan, also known as the delta diet, emphasizes the consumption of fresh vegetables and fruits in order to maintain an optimal pH level in the body. It is based on the idea that the food we eat alters the body’s pH to make it acidic or alkaline.
What is the alkaline diet?
This concept was developed in the mid-19th century as the dietary ash hypothesis. It has been proposed that once metabolized, food leaves an acidic or alkaline “ash” (metabolic waste) in the body. According to practitioners of the alkaline diet, the leftover ash directly affects the acidity or alkalinity of the body.
This metabolic waste can be alkaline, neutral, or acidic. In other words, if we eat foods that leave acidic ashes, the blood becomes more acidic. If we eat foods that leave alkaline ashes, the blood becomes more alkaline. According to the acid ash hypothesis, acid ash is believed to make us vulnerable to disease and ailments, while alkaline ash is considered protective.
By choosing more alkaline foods, we should be able to “alkalize” the body and improve health. Food components that leave an acidic ash include protein, phosphate, and sulfur , while alkaline components include calcium, magnesium, and potassium .
The alkaline diet has been used in medical settings to prevent kidney stones and urinary tract infections. However, it is important to note that there is not much evidence to support many of the purported health benefits of this eating plan. The body has many mechanisms for maintaining a strict pH, including processes controlled by the lungs and kidneys.
What can you eat?
The alkaline diet classifies food groups as alkaline, neutral, or acidic. People who follow the diet are instructed to focus on eating a lot of alkaline foods and less acidic foods.
- Alkaline: fruits, legumes and vegetables.
- Neutral: natural fats, starches and sugars.
- Acid: meat, chicken, fish, dairy, eggs, nuts, legumes, cereals and alcohol.
Acid levels are measured by pH on a scale of 0 to 14 where lower numbers represent more acidic compounds, higher numbers are more alkaline (or basic), and 7 is neutral.
This diet does not restrict food to certain times of the day or require periods of fasting. The idea is to eat more alkaline foods and less acidic foods. Rather than thinking about allowed and forbidden foods, the diet encourages followers to continually think about foods and strive for a balanced diet.
Some proponents of the diet recommend monitoring urinary pH by testing the first urine of the day with homemade test strips to learn how nutritional changes are affecting the body. The normal pH of urine is slightly acidic, with typical values of 6.0 to 7.5, but the normal range is 4.5 to 8.0 .
Similarly, they recommend taking fruits, vegetables, coffee, and lemon or lime juice. Instead, the consumption of meat, poultry, fish, dairy, eggs and cereals should be reduced.
Does food affect the pH of the blood?
It is essential for health that the pH of the blood remains constant. If it fell outside the normal range, cells would stop working and it would die very quickly if left untreated.
For this reason, the body has many effective ways to closely regulate the pH balance. This is known as acid-base homeostasis . In fact, it is almost impossible for food to change the pH value of the blood in healthy people, although small fluctuations within the normal range can occur.
However, food can change the pH value of the urine , although the effect is somewhat variable. The excretion of acids in the urine is one of the main ways that the body regulates the pH of the blood. If we eat a large steak, the urine will be more acidic several hours later as the body removes metabolic waste from the system.
Therefore, urine pH is a poor indicator of the body’s overall pH and general health. It can also be influenced by factors other than diet.
Many proponents of this diet suggest that people monitor the pH of their urine to make sure it is alkaline (greater than 7) and not acidic (less than 7). However, it is important to note that pH varies greatly within the body. Although some parts are acidic, others are alkaline; there is no set level.
For example, the stomach is loaded with hydrochloric acid, which gives it a pH of 2 to 3.5, which is very acidic. This acidity is necessary to break down food. On the other hand, human blood is always slightly alkaline, with a pH of 7.36 to 7.44.
Dangers of its practice
There is no scientific evidence to support the idea that following an alkaline diet can improve health or that eating certain foods can change the body’s pH. For example, proponents of the diet claim that a highly acidic diet increases the risk of osteoporosis and fractures in older adults.
The theory is that the body extracts calcium, an alkaline substance, from the bones to balance acidity. However, science does not support this. In one study, dietary acid load was found to have no significant associations with bone mineral density or with the diagnosis of osteoporosis. Although the diet promotes an increase in healthy foods, it also restricts some nutritious foods such as milk and dairy products, which are excellent sources of dietary protein and calcium.
The diet’s claims about restricting these foods are unfounded, as research studies indicate that consuming these foods does not have an acidifying effect on the body or interfere with calcium metabolism. Similarly, eating meat does not change the pH of the body either.
Blood is naturally slightly alkaline with a pH between 7.36 and 7.44. If it goes outside of those ranges, it can be fatal. An example is metabolic ketoacidosis , which is caused by diabetes, starvation, or alcohol intake and has little to do with diet. However, in healthy people, the body uses many mechanisms to control this narrow range and ensures that our pH remains constant.
Is it a healthy diet?
The alkaline diet emphasizes the consumption of fresh whole foods with a variety of fruits and vegetables, as well as limited processed foods. It also allows for small amounts of dairy and animal protein while reducing refined grains, providing a wide range of nutrients.
Adopting a plant-based diet rich in fruits and vegetables can help achieve general well-being and protect against certain diseases. However, the alkaline diet has many healthy foods on the acid-forming list that are rich in fiber, vitamins, and minerals and essential for overall health, including grains, beans, and nuts. Meanwhile, the basic list includes coffee and wine, which nutrition experts agree should be consumed in moderation.
We believe that there is no single approach to a healthy lifestyle. Successful eating plans must be individualized and sustainable, taking into account the whole person and their lifestyle. Before starting a new diet plan, it is advisable to consult a doctor or registered nutritionist, especially if we have an underlying health condition.
