It is important for the human body to maintain a balanced pH level in order to function properly. The pH scale ranges from 0 to 14. The normal pH level of water is 7, while human blood is closer to 7.3. When the blood pH drops below this level, the body chemistry becomes acidic. Conversely, when it rises above 7.4, it could become to alkaline. Urine pH can fluctuate between 6.0 and 7.0. Our pH levels change depending on the type of foods we eat.
Acidic Foods
Most of the foods common in the typical American diet are, by nature, acidic (acid-producing). They are typically high in fat and toxic chemicals. These include foods such as processed meats and other animal proteins, dairy products, coffee, alcohol, vinegar, processed grains and refined flours, refined sugars, soda and bottled juices. Acidic foods lead to congestion in the body and provide an ideal environment for disease and illness to proliferate. Candida and other bacteria, as well as cancerous tumors, tend to thrive in an acidic environment. One study of 9,000 women, conducted at the University of California, San Francisco, showed that those who have chronic acidosis are at greater risk for bone loss than those with normal pH levels (see Reference 3 below). The researchers concluded that "many of the hip fractures prevalent among middle-aged women are connected to high acidity caused by a diet rich in animal foods and low in vegetables."
Alkaline Foods
Human blood should lean toward the alkaline end of the scale (above 7.0 pH). Therefore, the bulk of our diet should be alkaline-producing foods. These include most fresh fruits and vegetables, garlic, mushrooms, wheat grass, tofu, flax seeds, whey protein, probiotics and all herbs and herbal teas. It should be noted here that alkaline foods refers to the effect they have on our pH, not the actual pH level of the food itself. Most fruits, for example, contain a fair amount of acid, but they have an alkalizing effect on the blood and urine.
pH-balanced Foods
Some foods we consume are neither acid-producing nor alkaline. Water is one obvious example. It is perfectly balanced at a pH of 7.0. Other balanced foods include brown rice, whole wheat, ghee, sunflower oil, other nuts and seeds, and most melons (which are mostly water). However, it is also important to eat an overall balanced diet. We do not need to completely eliminate all acid-producing foods from the diet. Nor do we need to eat only alkaline-based foods. A diet of only fruits, vegetables and water, with limited grains, dairy or other protein sources, is not a healthy diet. The human body, for the most part, is able to maintain the delicate balance of pH in the bloodstream. We should eat a variety of healthy and whole foods, and avoid excessive amounts of food on either extreme.
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