Leena Watts
The alkaline diet is a low-acid diet that encourages eating foods that are alkaline, or basic, with a pH level above 7. The diet is based on the theory that eating certain foods can change your body's pH level, making your body a poor environment for diseases like cancer. However, this claim is unproven, and there is no evidence that diet can influence the pH of different body systems. The alkaline diet promotes nutritious and unprocessed foods, including most fruits and vegetables, legumes, and some nuts and seeds, while excluding meat, dairy, eggs, grains, and processed foods. While the alkaline diet may have some health benefits, it can also be restrictive and difficult to maintain, and may lead to nutritional gaps if not carefully planned.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Goal | To emphasise foods with negative PRALs and eliminate those with positive PRALs to prevent acid build-up in the body |
| Theory | Eating specific foods that make your body more alkaline can protect against diseases like arthritis and cancer and help with weight loss |
| Food | Fruits, vegetables, soybean, tofu, nuts, seeds, legumes, whole grains, eggs, dairy, and plant-based proteins |
| Exclusions | Meat, wheat, milk, eggs, peanuts, walnuts, fish, shellfish, poultry, red meat, processed foods, alcohol, caffeine |
| Testing | Testing urine pH with a special dipstick |
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What You'll Learn
- The alkaline diet is based on the unproven notion that health benefits are gained by moving your body chemistry to the alkaline side of the pH scale
- The diet encourages eating alkaline foods (pH > 7) and avoiding acidic foods
- Alkaline foods include fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, legumes, and whole grains
- Acidic foods include meat, dairy, eggs, grains, and processed foods
- The diet is considered restrictive and may be difficult to maintain long-term
The alkaline diet is based on the unproven notion that health benefits are gained by moving your body chemistry to the alkaline side of the pH scale
The alkaline diet is based on the idea that consuming alkaline foods can alter your body's pH level, making it more alkaline. Proponents of this diet argue that the acidity of metabolic waste, or "ash," affects your body's overall acidity. Alkaline ash, which comes from eating alkaline foods, is believed to protect against illness, while acidic ash is thought to make you more susceptible.
The diet recommends eating alkaline-promoting foods like most fruits and vegetables, soybeans, tofu, nuts, seeds, and legumes, while avoiding acidic foods like dairy, eggs, meat, grains, and processed foods. The alkaline diet is also known for its restrictions, which can make it challenging to maintain. It excludes major food allergens like milk, eggs, peanuts, and shellfish, as well as animal proteins and plant-based proteins, which can make it difficult to consume adequate protein.
While the alkaline diet emphasizes healthy, whole foods, its primary promise—that altering your body's pH will improve your health—remains unproven. Research has not found a link between variations in pH levels in the body and health or illness. Urine pH, which can be influenced by diet, is not an accurate indicator of overall body pH or health.
Despite the unproven notion that health benefits are gained by moving towards the alkaline side of the pH scale, the alkaline diet may still offer some positives. It encourages the consumption of nutritious, unprocessed foods, which can have heart-healthy and weight loss benefits. However, a less restrictive version of the diet that includes a variety of whole foods may be preferable, as it can provide similar health advantages without the challenges of a highly restrictive diet.
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The diet encourages eating alkaline foods (pH > 7) and avoiding acidic foods
The alkaline diet is based on the theory that eating certain foods can change your body's pH level, which in turn can protect against conditions like arthritis and cancer and help with weight loss. The diet encourages eating alkaline foods (pH > 7) and avoiding acidic foods (pH < 7).
Alkaline foods are believed to prevent acid build-up in the body and protect against illnesses. According to the "acid-ash hypothesis of osteoporosis," acid-forming foods can cause bone mineral density loss. However, this theory does not consider the role of the kidneys and lungs in regulating blood pH.
Alkaline foods include non-starchy vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, legumes, olive oil, and margarine. Specifically, beets, broccoli, cabbage, avocados, bananas, chestnuts, pumpkin seeds, kidney beans, and white beans are considered alkaline. The diet also includes whole grains, eggs, and dairy, though the strictest followers may avoid these as they are considered acidic.
Foods to avoid on the alkaline diet include animal proteins, such as meat, poultry, fish, shellfish, and dairy. Processed foods, canned and packaged snacks, convenience foods, alcohol, and caffeine are also considered acidic and are not allowed.
While the alkaline diet may promote healthy foods, it can be restrictive and difficult to maintain. It may also lead to nutritional gaps and deficiencies in important nutrients like vitamin B12, zinc, and calcium. The diet's claim that it can change the body's pH level is unproven, and there is no evidence that diet influences the pH of different body systems.
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Alkaline foods include fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, legumes, and whole grains
The alkaline diet is based on the theory that eating certain foods can change your body's pH level, making it more alkaline. This claim, however, is unproven. The diet encourages the consumption of alkaline or basic foods with a pH greater than 7, while avoiding acidic foods with a pH below 7.
The alkaline diet is plant-based and almost entirely vegetarian, excluding animal proteins and limiting plant-based proteins. It emphasizes nutritious and unprocessed foods, while restricting meat, dairy, eggs, most grains, and processed foods. While the alkaline diet may be challenging to maintain due to its restrictiveness, it promotes healthy foods that are known to have various health benefits.
It is important to note that the alkaline diet's premise of changing the body's pH to improve health is not supported by scientific evidence. Research suggests that diet does not significantly affect blood pH, which the body tightly regulates. However, the alkaline diet may still offer health benefits due to the types of foods it promotes, such as increased consumption of heart-healthy nutrients like potassium and fiber, and reduced intake of saturated fat.
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Acidic foods include meat, dairy, eggs, grains, and processed foods
The alkaline diet is based on the idea that eating certain foods can change your body's pH level, making it more alkaline. Proponents of the diet argue that this will protect you from illness, while acidic ash can make you vulnerable. However, it's important to note that the link between diet, pH levels, and health is not well-established. The pH of your blood needs to remain constant for you to stay healthy, and your body has several effective ways to regulate it.
The alkaline diet emphasizes eating alkaline or basic foods (with a pH above 7) and limiting acidic foods (with a pH between 0 and 6). Alkaline foods include non-starchy vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, legumes, and soybeans. These foods are generally considered nutritious and unprocessed.
Now, let's focus on the foods that are considered acidic in the context of the alkaline diet. Meat, including red meat, poultry, and fish, is considered acidic and is limited or excluded in the alkaline diet. This is because meat is a source of animal protein, which can increase the acidity of urine and potentially contribute to the development of kidney stones.
Dairy products, such as milk, are also considered acidic in the alkaline diet. Excluding dairy may lead to deficiencies in important nutrients like vitamin B12 and calcium over time. However, some sources suggest including dairy, whole grains, and protein as part of a less restrictive version of the alkaline diet, which may be easier to sustain.
Eggs are another food item that falls into the acidic category in the alkaline diet. Similar to dairy, excluding eggs may lead to nutrient deficiencies, especially protein deficiency, which is important for muscle growth and repair.
Grains, especially those containing gluten, are often limited or excluded in the alkaline diet. While some sources consider whole grains to be acidic, others suggest including them for a more balanced and sustainable approach to the alkaline diet.
Processed foods, including canned and packaged snacks and convenience foods, are typically considered acidic and are not recommended in the alkaline diet. These foods are generally less nutritious and can contribute to increased acid production in the body.
It's important to note that the alkaline diet can be restrictive, and there are concerns about its potential impact on overall nutrition and long-term sustainability. While it may have some benefits, it's always recommended to consult a healthcare professional or registered dietitian before making significant dietary changes.
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The diet is considered restrictive and may be difficult to maintain long-term
The alkaline diet is considered restrictive and may be difficult to maintain long-term. The diet is based on the premise that eating certain foods can change your body's pH level, making it more alkaline. While this claim is unproven, the diet promotes nutritious and unprocessed foods, including fruits, vegetables, legumes, and nuts. However, it restricts or limits several food groups, which can make it challenging to adhere to and may lead to nutritional deficiencies.
The alkaline diet encourages the consumption of foods with a pH greater than 7, which are considered alkaline or basic. These include non-starchy vegetables, fruits, nuts, legumes, and some whole grains. It recommends avoiding acidic foods with a pH below 7, such as dairy, eggs, meat, grains, and processed foods. The diet also typically excludes alcohol and caffeine. This restriction on multiple food groups can make the diet challenging to follow, especially for those who are used to including these foods in their daily meals.
One of the main challenges of the alkaline diet is its restriction of animal proteins, including meats, eggs, and dairy. While plant-based proteins are allowed, the diet limits them as well. This restriction on protein sources can make it difficult to consume adequate protein, which is essential for maintaining lean muscle and bone mass, growth and development, and a strong immune system. It may be particularly unsafe for children, adolescents, and pregnant and breastfeeding individuals who have higher protein requirements.
The alkaline diet also requires eliminating several healthy food groups without a medical reason, which can lead to nutritional deficiencies over time. For example, excluding animal proteins and dairy products may result in deficiencies in vitamin B12, zinc, and calcium. Additionally, cutting out entire food groups can create a disordered mindset around eating, making it challenging to maintain a healthy relationship with food.
Furthermore, the alkaline diet may lead to unnecessary spending on pH testing materials, supplements, and special water filtration systems. Testing urine pH is a common practice among followers of the diet, but it only measures the pH of urine and not the entire body. This testing may lead to unnecessary stress and fear around food and diet, as maintaining a stable body pH is crucial for health.
While the alkaline diet promotes healthy foods, its restrictive nature and potential impact on nutritional intake can make it challenging to sustain long-term. It is always recommended to consult with a healthcare professional or dietitian before starting any new diet to ensure it meets individual nutritional needs and health goals.
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Frequently asked questions
An alkaline diet is a low-acid diet that emphasizes eating alkaline or basic foods (with a pH of 8 or higher) to optimize the body's pH levels. The diet is based on the unproven notion that moving the body's chemistry to the alkaline side of the pH scale will bring health benefits.
An alkaline diet focuses on plant-based foods and emphasizes fruits and vegetables above all. Some alkaline foods include beets, broccoli, cabbage, avocados, bananas, non-starchy veggies, fruits, nuts such as chestnuts or pumpkin seeds, and legumes like kidney beans or white beans.
An alkaline diet excludes animal proteins and limits plant-based proteins. This includes meats, eggs, dairy, wheat, fish, shellfish, peanuts, walnuts, and other major triggers for food allergies.
