The alkaline diet is believed to promote overall health by reducing the intake of processed foods while encouraging a greater consumption of whole, nutrient-rich foods. However, it is important to note that this dietary approach does not influence disease resistance by altering your body's pH levels. At its core, the alkaline diet is founded on the principle that substituting acid-forming foods with those that are alkaline can lead to better health outcomes. Advocates of this dietary regimen even assert that it has the potential to combat serious health issues, including cancer.

This article delves into the scientific evidence surrounding the alkaline diet and its purported benefits.

Understanding the Alkaline Diet

The alkaline diet, often referred to as the acid-alkaline or alkaline ash diet, is based on the premise that consuming specific foods can influence the pH levels in your body. This dietary approach hinges on the concept that metabolism functions similarly to a chemical reaction, transforming food into energy and generating a byproduct known as metabolic waste. This metabolic waste can be categorized into three types: acidic, neutral, or alkaline ash. Advocates of the alkaline diet suggest that the nature of this ash plays a pivotal role in determining your body's overall acidity. Thus, they believe that alkaline ash may help safeguard your health against various ailments, whereas acidic ash could increase susceptibility to illness.

By incorporating a higher proportion of alkaline foods into your diet, you might positively influence your body's pH levels, potentially leading to enhanced overall health and well-being.

What Can You Include in an Alkaline Diet?

The components of your diet can be categorized into several essential groups: those rich in protein, phosphate, and sulfur, alongside those that are alkaline, such as calcium, magnesium, and potassium.

Food items can generally be classified into three distinct categories based on their pH levels:

  • Acidic: This group encompasses meat, poultry, fish, dairy products, eggs, grains, and alcoholic beverages.
  • Neutral: Items that fall into this category include natural fats, milk, starches, and sugars.
  • Alkaline: Fruits, nuts, legumes, and a variety of vegetables are considered alkaline foods.

Advocates of the alkaline diet suggest that the metabolic waste, or ash, that results from digesting different foods can significantly influence the overall acidity or alkalinity of your body.

Understanding Regular pH Levels in Your Body

The term pH refers to a scale that quantifies the acidity or alkalinity of a substance.

This scale ranges from 0 to 14:

  • Acidic: 0.0–6.9
  • Neutral: 7.0
  • Alkaline (or basic): 7.1–14.0

Many advocates of the alkaline diet recommend that individuals keep an eye on their urine's pH to ensure it remains alkaline (above 7) rather than acidic (below 7). It is crucial to understand that pH levels fluctuate significantly within the human body. Certain areas are acidic, while others are alkaline, and there is no fixed level across the board.

For instance, your stomach contains hydrochloric acid, resulting in a pH level of around 1.5 to 3.5, making it highly acidic. This acidity plays a vital role in the digestion process by breaking down food effectively. In contrast, human blood is consistently slightly alkaline, typically maintaining a pH around 7.35 to 7.45. If your blood pH deviates from this normal range, it can lead to severe health issues if not addressed promptly. Such imbalances generally arise during specific medical conditions, like ketoacidosis, which can be triggered by diabetes, prolonged fasting, or excessive alcohol consumption.

How Food Influences Urine pH Without Impacting Blood pH

Maintaining a stable pH level in your blood is essential for good health, and your body has developed several efficient mechanisms to achieve this balance. In contrast, while the consumption of food generally does not lead to substantial alterations in blood pH, it can indeed influence the pH value of your urine, albeit to varying degrees.

Your body utilizes the process of excreting acids through urine as a method to manage and adjust blood pH levels effectively. For instance, consuming a hefty portion of steak (gosht) will typically result in your urine becoming more acidic as your body works to eliminate metabolic waste generated from the meal.

This indicates that urine pH is not a reliable indicator of your overall body pH or your general well-being, as it can be influenced by other factors beyond dietary choices. The body has a robust system to control blood pH levels; therefore, while diet may not drastically alter blood pH, it certainly can impact urine pH.

Acid-Forming Foods and Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis is a progressive condition affecting bone health, marked by a reduction in bone mineral density. This ailment is notably prevalent among postmenopausal women and can significantly elevate the risk of fractures. The theory behind the alkaline diet posits that to maintain a stable blood pH, your body extracts alkaline minerals from bones to neutralize acids produced by acid-forming foods. This concept, known as the “acid-ash hypothesis of osteoporosis,” suggests that such foods could lead to a decline in bone mineral density. However, this hypothesis overlooks the crucial roles played by your kidneys and lungs. Blood contains various acids, classified as either “metabolic” (fixed) or “respiratory” (volatile).

Fixed acids are eliminated through urine, while volatile acids are expelled via the lungs. An example of a volatile acid is carbonic acid, produced during respiration, which can increase blood acidity. Your kidneys play a vital role by reabsorbing bicarbonate derived from the carbonic acid in circulation. This entire mechanism helps maintain the pH balance necessary for optimal physiological function. Moreover, the acid-ash hypothesis fails to consider the significant role of collagen in osteoporosis. Ironically, low concentrations of orthosilicic acid and vitamin C in dietary sources are closely associated with collagen degradation.

Acidity and Cancer

Historically, extensive reviews have examined the connection between diet-induced acidosis, which refers to the increased acidity in the blood resulting from dietary choices, and cancer. Recent studies suggest a potential association between the acidity in food and the development of cancer. However, it is important to note that this research does not accurately represent blood acidity levels. Furthermore, it remains uncertain whether a high dietary acid load definitively contributes to cancer onset. In fact, various experiments have demonstrated the ability to cultivate cancer cells in neutral or alkaline environments, indicating that the relationship is not straightforward.

Although it is true that tumors tend to proliferate more rapidly in acidic environments, these tumors are responsible for generating the acidity themselves. Thus, it is not the acidic surroundings that initiate cancer cell formation; rather, it is cancer cells that produce an acidic environment. Current evidence indicates that there is no direct correlation between a diet that promotes acidity and the incidence of cancer. Interestingly, cancer cells can thrive in alkaline conditions as well.

Ancestral Diets and Acidity

When we explore the acid-alkaline theory through both evolutionary and scientific lenses, we uncover some intriguing discrepancies. One notable study suggests that approximately 87% of our pre-agricultural ancestors consumed primarily alkaline diets, which serves as a cornerstone for the contemporary alkaline diet movement.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the top 10 alkaline foods?

The key categories of alkaline foods encompass a variety of vegetables, fruits, nuts, and legumes. Here are ten excellent examples:

  • Beets
  • Broccoli
  • Mushrooms 
  • Peas
  • Tomato
  • Apple
  • Cherries 
  • Pineapple 
  • Almonds
  • Pumpkin seeds

What is the fastest way to alkalize your body?

There is no quick solution to alkalize your body, nor is there any definitive proof that it is necessary. The pH levels of your body are meticulously regulated, and the influence of food on blood pH is minimal. However, dietary choices can slightly affect urine pH.

The Bottom Line

The alkaline diet emphasizes the consumption of whole, unprocessed foods, which contributes to its reputation for promoting overall health. Nonetheless, assertions regarding its ability to enhance health by changing pH levels lack robust scientific backing.
Additionally, a lower protein variant of this diet may offer advantages for individuals suffering from chronic kidney disease, yet there is no conclusive evidence indicating an impact on pH levels.