What is the alkaline diet?

The alkaline diet, also known as the alkaline ash or alkaline acid diet, is said to help you lose weight and avoid serious illnesses like cancer. This is a high expectation for a mere diet change, but many people swear by its healing power.

According to Health US, the alkaline diet promotes the idea that consuming acid-forming foods can tip your pH level out of balance. An unbalanced PH is attributed to poor health and lifestyle diseases.

Scientific Opinion on the alkaline diet

Although it is said that the alkaline diet promotes weight loss and prevents certain diseases, there is no scientific research to support this.

An article on Medical news today, states that the main benefit of the alkaline ash diet is a false idea that you can change your blood pH with food, in addition to that, a major change in your blood pH could be life-threatening.

In other findings, it suggests that the diet may improve health; however, not in the way it claims. Any reduction in or abstinence from fatty and processed foods, which encourages more fruit and vegetables to be eaten, has health benefits. 

Many medical professionals have attested that the science behind this diet is flawed. PH is a measure of acids and alkalis in our body on a 0 to 14 scale. Acidic, alkaline substances range from 0-7 and 7-14, respectively. Our blood, which is slightly alkaline, falls between a scale of 7.35 and 7.45, while our stomachs are acidic. Based on this, they argue that we cannot alter our body’s pH by simply changing the foods we eat.

Foods you can eat

Foods you may eat on the alkaline diet are most fruits and vegetables, certain nuts and seeds, Tofu, soybeans. Considering this, it is more a vegetarian diet than anything new. 

Foods to avoid are red meat, processed foods, dairy, grains, convenience foods, coffee and alcohol. Although you will have to cut out a lot of foods (and of course, manage all the detox fuelled cravings), the most complicated process is learning to prepare these meals by using fresh foods.

Does food affect the pH of your blood?

It is agreed that the pH of your blood remains constant to ensure that your cells do not stop working, which in turn could cause you to die if it goes untreated.

Although there are tiny fluctuations that occur, the pH level in your blood does not change. Where food does change the pH level is in your urine. Excretion of acids in your urine is how the body regulates the blood’s pH level.

Benefits

The obvious health benefits are that the diet consists of fruit, vegetables and cuts out red meat, refined sugar, processed foods and alcohol. This automatically results in energy rise, weight loss and a “cleaner” gut. 

Another benefit is that the diet is not expensive to maintain at all, and ingredients are readily available.

However, the benefits that make this a top-rated diet, are:

• Better skin condition;
• Increase in energy levels;
• Fat loss;
• Fewer aches and pains; and 
• Increase in concentration

Disadvantages 

The alkaline diet has not been supported by any reliable scientific research. Health beneficial meat and dairy products, which contain important nutrients and proteins are extremely limited. Owing to the fact that the kidneys perform the function of regulating the body’s pH, it cannot be altered by a diet. 

Because alkaline minerals will have to be leached from bones, this can cause osteoporosis in the long term.

Controversies

Although the alkaline diet was very popular amongst celebrities, gurus and bloggers, it has not evaded controversy.

In January 2017, a British woman with terminal breast cancer paid thousands of dollars for Robert O Young’s alkaline treatment. It mainly consisted of intravenous infusions of baking soda. Sadly, she passed away a few months after receiving the “treatment”.

Robert O Young, who is considered “the father of the alkaline diet”, was arrested and jailed in June 2017 for illegally treating patients without any medical training.

Although theories about the alkaline diet have been circulating for over 100 years, there is still no scientific evidence to support this. The obvious health benefit is the plant-based eating and the limitation of processed foods and alcohol; however, this does not affect pH level in the blood at all.

However, if you would choose to continue this diet, it is best to consult with your medical practitioner.

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