It's natural to believe there might be something to the alkaline diet given all the talk about it. It has a scientific name with a chemistry-based feel to it. You can find simple-to-follow recommendations on the internet that outline what to eat and what to avoid. Professional athletes are praising it. Influential celebrities are talking about it. This could be the real thing.
However, the assertions made by supporters of the alkaline diet aren't as definitive as they seem, like so many things in life. And it just cannot live up to its claim that it can "hack" your body's processes. Overall, dietitians agree that the alkaline diet can be safe and helpful if followed correctly. Although not for the reasons you might believe, this diet can help you stay healthy.
What is an alkaline diet?
You might be familiar with pH, a measurement of how acidic or basic (alkaline) a solution is, if you recall much of what you learned in science class. It receives a grade between 0 and 14. An acidic pH range is 0 to 6. 7 is the neutral pH. Basic or alkaline is defined as a pH of 8 or higher.
The alkaline diet is based on the idea that shifting your body's chemistry to the alkaline side of the scale can have positive effects on your health. Diet advocates claim that by consuming alkaline foods rather than acidic or neutral ones, you might prevent chronic diseases like cancer and osteoporosis, boost your energy levels, and even lose weight.
The fact is, however, that some areas of your body are naturally acidic. Your body naturally contains certain alkaline regions. You can't really do much to change that, nor would you really want to.
Your body is a clever device. On its alone, it controls pH quite effectively. Due to the high acidity of our stomachs, food can be broken down. To guard against microorganisms, the pH of our skin is somewhat acidic. To keep our body's pH at the proper level and remove metabolic waste, our lungs and kidneys work together. Between 7.2 and 7.4, your blood's alkaline level remains constant. It can be deadly if the pH varies from that range. But fortunately for us, no food will alter the pH of our blood.
In some aspects, the alkaline diet can be helpful for your health because it stresses selecting organic foods that are generally healthy. But there are some drawbacks as well.
Advantages
The alkaline diet is rich in foods with high nutritional value, unlike some other fad diets. It advises avoiding packaged foods in lieu of fresh foods, which are well-known for their health benefits, and restricts added sugars. In that regard, the alkaline diet can be seen as a healthy eating pattern because it promotes whole, minimally processed foods, which have been demonstrated to reduce disease over the long term. Some of the foods being dietary pillars of a diet plan, include, fruits and unprocessed fruit juice, grains like quinoa, wild rice, and oats, legumes, and non-starchy vegetables like leafy greens, broccoli, cabbage, and carrots, as well as nuts and seeds, are all healthy food choices.
These are some of the same foods that studies have shown to be beneficial for your heart, help you lose weight, and are generally healthy for you. Therefore, it makes sense that making whole, healthy foods the foundation of your diet will have a positive impact on your health.
Disadvantages
In addition to providing your body with nourishment and supporting muscle growth and repair, protein is essential. But many popular sources of protein are off-limits if you strictly follow the alkaline diet. A plant-based diet is the alkaline diet. It forbids the consumption of any animal proteins, such as meat, eggs, or dairy, much like a vegan diet. Vegans can obtain enough nutrition from plant-based proteins including lentils, soybeans, soy milk, and tofu. However, according to the most ardent alkaline dieters, these items are acidic or acid-forming and ought to be avoided. Other adherents of the alkaline diet permit small amounts of plant proteins, such as those from soy or lentils.