Supporters of the alkaline diet say it can help prevent cancer and osteoporosis and lead to fat loss. Proponents of the alkaline diet, such as Dr. Elson Haas, say this is achieved by eating foods that reduce hydrogen ions in the body, thereby reducing acidity levels. This diet is, however, scientifically unsupported, yet maintains many followers worldwide, including celebrities such as Gwyneth Paltrow and Kate Moss.
PH Levels
Acid and alkaline substances are measured on what is known as the pH scale, which ranges from 1 to 14. The higher the reading, the more alkaline the substance is. Acidity levels of human blood range between 7.35 and 7.45 on the pH scale. The pH level of your body can be tested using litmus paper by briefly submerging it in urine or saliva. Alkaline foods provide the most benefit to your body, according to alternative and some conventional medical practitioners such as Dr. Cynthia Bailey.
Acid-Forming Foods
Acid-forming foods include most types of meat and animal products and any refined and processed foods. Beef, chicken, fish, pork, cheese, most grains, nuts, beans, whiskey and sugars are especially acidic, as well as many sources of carbohydrates, such as oatmeal, buckwheat and brown rice. Drinks such as milk, beer, wine, coffee and tea re also considered acid-forming foods.
Alkaline Foods
Dr. Cynthia Bailey recommends having a basic diet of vegetables and fruits. While fruits can be eaten liberally, vegetables should make up the largest part of your diet. Foods such as carrots, mushrooms, strawberries, potatoes, cabbage, radishes, bamboo shoots, sweet potatoes, turnips, oranges, apples, egg whites, pears and grapes are all considered alkaline-forming foods. Whole-grain foods such as bread, rye and oatmeal products can be consumed, but to a lesser extent than vegetables and fruit. Oils, nuts and lean meats must be consumed even less than whole-grain products, and refined and processed foods such as sugar, fried foods and other junk foods must be eaten less often.
Scientific Controversy
Acid- and alkaline-forming diets are a scientifically unsubstantiated theory. According to dietitian Stephanie Vangsness, "your body has a complex system of checks and balances to keep its pH in a normal and healthy range: 7.35 to 7.45. When your pH shifts outside this range and becomes too acidic or too alkaline, your body automatically corrects itself to bring things back to normal." It does this by increasing the rate of breathing, to excrete carbon dioxide and raise pH levels, by neutralizing excess hydrogen ions and by eliminating any excess ions through the kidneys.
References
- Dr. Bailey's Skin Care: Cynthia Bailey M.D.'s Recommendations for The Alkaline Mediterranean Diet
- Dr. Doris Rapp: Acid Alkaline Forming Foods
- Inteli Health; "Alkaline Diets and Cancer -- Fact or Fiction?"; Stephanie Vangsness
- Elson Haas: Dr. Elson Haas
- "Daily Mail"; "How Too Much Cheese And Meat Can Make Your Body Dangerously Acidic"; Pat Hagan; June 2011
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