Healthy, oxygen-rich arterial blood is slightly alkaline, with a narrow pH range of 7.35 to 7.45. The pH of saliva can vary from a slightly acidic 5.5 to a slightly alkaline 7.5 or higher, and the pH of normal urine can fluctuate between slightly acidic and slightly alkaline, ranging from 5 to 8 throughout the day. Although the definition of a healthy pH range is distinct for each bodily fluid, cells and tissues require a slightly alkaline environment to function. The food you eat momentarily affects this overall homeostasis, by contributing either alkalizing compounds or acids to your body.
Metabolic Acidosis
Foods that produce alkalizing compounds when metabolized support a balanced body pH, whereas acid-forming foods slightly and temporarily alter the body’s homeostasis. Maintaining a balanced pH is essential for bodily function, requiring the body to buffer and remove excess acid to preserve this critical homeostasis. Freely available alkaline compounds, or those pulled from alkali reserves, are bound to dietary acids to buffer them for removal. This complex metabolic process occurs many times a day, but the body only has a limited capacity for acid removal. A long-term diet rich in acid-forming foods can lead to a condition known as chronic low-grade metabolic acidosis, or a slightly acidic body pH. Metabolic acidosis occurs when the body can’t keep up with high acid removal demands.
Effects of Acidosis
Over time, a high-acid diet depletes alkali reserves, causing the body to rob its bones and vital organs of alkalizing compounds to avoid shutting down. Because cells and tissues can’t function normally in a slightly acidic environment, untreated chronic acidosis sets the stage for a number of diseases and conditions, including chronic fatigue, osteoporosis and cancer. Acidosis increases blood parathyroid hormone levels, which can cause brittle bones. It also depresses protein metabolism, resulting in the body’s inability to fully repair damaged cells, tissues and organs. Accumulated acid waste products accelerate aging, according to “The Acid Alkaline Food Guide,” and increase the production of cell-damaging free radicals. Increased salivary acids can cause dental decay and periodontal disease.
Acidifying Foods
Acid-forming foods include all dairy products, meat, poultry, fish and seafood, many whole grain products, all processed foods and any food containing refined sugar. Alcohol, coffee and regular and diet soft drinks are acid-forming beverages. The standard American diet, or SAD, features many acid-forming foods, such as bread, pasta, crackers, oversized portions of animal protein, soft drinks and desserts — often to the exclusion of alkaline-forming foods. A balanced, alkalizing diet doesn’t exclude acid-forming foods. Rather, it limits their consumption to 20 to 30 percent of overall intake. Aside from soft drinks, alcohol and desserts, many acid-forming foods contain valuable nutrients. Eggs, cottage cheese, fatty fish, nuts and rice are some of the best acid-forming food choices, according to “The pH Balance Diet.”
Alkalizing Foods
Nearly all vegetables and fruits are moderately to highly alkaline-forming in the body. Citrus fruits, stone fruits, melons and many berries are among the most alkalizing fruits. Sea vegetables, leafy greens and cruciferous and root vegetables top the list of most alkalizing vegetables. Wild rice, quinoa and oats are among the few alkalizing grains. Even though many legumes and nuts are slightly acid-forming, lentils, chestnuts and almonds are alkaline-forming. Soy, almond and goat’s milk are alkalizing alternatives to dairy milk. Other alkalizing beverages include mineral water flavored by fresh lemon or lime juice, freshly extracted vegetable juice, almost all unsweetened fruit juice and herbal, ginger and green tea.
References
- “The Encyclopedia of Healing Foods”; Michael Murray, N.D., et al.; 2005
- “The Acid Alkaline Food Guide”; Dr. Susan E. Brown, et al.; 2006
- “The pH Balance Diet”; Bharti Vyas, et al.; 2007
- “Alkalize or Die”; Dr. Theodore A. Baroody; 1991
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