The foundation of the alkaline diet rests on an unsubstantiated assertion that the consumption of foods boasting a higher pH, or those leaning towards alkalinity, possesses the potential to mitigate the likelihood of enduring chronic ailments such as cancer.
The alkaline diet, alternatively known as the alkaline-ash diet or alkaline-acid diet, achieved its prominence through endorsement by well-known personalities. Esteemed figures such as Victoria Beckham, Kate Hudson, and Tom Brady have openly shared their positive encounters with this dietary approach.
In the year 2013, Victoria Beckham expressed her enthusiasm for the alkaline cookbook titled “Honestly Healthy: Eat With Your Body in Mind, the Alkaline Way.” This book, co-authored by vegetarian chef Natasha Corrett and nutritionist Vicki Edgson, held a special place in her heart. Following this endorsement, the alkaline diet experienced a surge in popularity.
However, the efficacy of celebrity-endorsed diets is not universal, and their sustainability over the long term varies. Furthermore, the foundational principles of the alkaline diet lack comprehensive scientific backing. It’s important to acknowledge that, for certain individuals, adopting this dietary strategy might entail potential health hazards.
Hence, the pivotal question remains: Is the alkaline diet a healthy choice? This comprehensive guide aims to assist you in determining whether embracing an alkaline diet aligns with your wellness objectives.
What exactly is the Alkaline Diet?
The basic idea behind the alkaline diet is that the foods we consume influence the pH balance of our blood. pH, as you might recall from chemistry, measures how acidic or alkaline a substance is on a scale from 0 to 14.
- 0 is super acidic
- 7 is neutral
- 14 is highly alkaline
Supporters of the alkaline diet suggest that diets high in specific foods like meat and grains, but low in others like fruits and vegetables rich in potassium, can disrupt blood pH balance and lead to various health issues. This theory is referred to as the acid-ash hypothesis, giving rise to the term “acid-ash diet” for the alkaline diet.
However, it’s important to note that this idea is just a hypothesis, meaning it lacks solid proof. No scientific research backs up these claims. A review indicated that the human body can effectively regulate blood pH, regardless of diet.
Though the pH of our food might not be a significant factor, an alkaline diet does promote health-conscious eating habits. This includes favoring unprocessed, plant-based foods and minimizing consumption of red meat and refined grains. A study even found that adhering to an alkaline diet could boost certain micronutrients like potassium and magnesium. This, in turn, could potentially lower the risk of conditions like hypertension, and stroke, and enhance heart, bone, and cognitive health. This nutritional approach was ranked by U.S. News & World Report as No. 31 in the Best Heart-Healthy Diets and tied for No. 35 in the Best Diabetes Diets.
How Does the Alkaline Diet Work?
The alkaline or acid-ash diet categorizes foods based on their acid-producing capacity during digestion. This measure doesn’t necessarily align with the natural acidity of foods in their raw state. Research has shown that acid-forming foods yield a pH lower than 7, whereas alkaline foods lead to a pH level exceeding 7. Foods hovering around 7 falls into the neutral category. Guided by these principles, the diet recommends the following:
Avoid acid-forming foods: These include meat, dairy, fish, eggs, grains, and alcohol.
Embracing alkaline-forming foods: Focus on consuming abundant fruits, vegetables, nuts, and legumes.
Moderating neutral foods: This involves regulating the intake of starches, sugars, and natural fats.
Yet again, it’s important to emphasize that there is no scientific basis to suggest that the pH of food profoundly impacts overall health. Existing evidence strongly indicates that altering the body’s pH through dietary choices is simply not feasible. Notably, pH levels vary within different bodily regions; the stomach, for instance, maintains a highly acidic environment as a functional necessity.
Balanced pH within the body is predominantly managed by the kidneys and lungs, with precise levels meticulously regulated. The blood pH typically ranges from 7.2 to 7.45. The kidneys also contribute to pH equilibrium in urine, as indicated by UC San Diego Health. Urine pH values of 4 are considered strongly acidic, 7 is neutral, and 9 reflects a significant alkaline state, as per Michigan Medicine.
It is essential to comprehend that dietary patterns can’t fundamentally alter the body’s pH. While urine pH measurements, accessible through a simple dipstick test, may show fluctuations, they don’t accurately reflect overall pH levels within the body. This is because surplus acid may be excreted through urine to restore pH equilibrium, as highlighted by the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR).
Any substantial changes in the body’s pH are usually indicative of serious health conditions. Elevated urine pH levels could signal a urinary tract infection or kidney stones, while low pH values might suggest conditions like diarrhea, starvation, or diabetic ketoacidosis, as noted by Michigan Medicine.
What Are the Potential Health Benefits of an Alkaline Diet?
Advocates and authors behind the plethora of guides and recipe books about the alkaline diet assert its potential for addressing diseases and chronic ailments, including cancer and kidney disease.
However, scrutinizing these assertions through a scientific lens reveals their lack of feasibility, according to Adrienne Youdim, MD, an associate professor of medicine at the UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine in Los Angeles. While the claims of the alkaline diet’s disease-fighting capabilities aren’t well-supported, she acknowledges that the foods identified as alkaline generally align with healthy eating habits. Examining well-established and beneficial diets such as the Mediterranean diet leads to the reasonable conclusion that the emphasis on these foods embodies a health-conscious approach.
Despite the widespread examination of the alkaline diet, no definitive studies exist that unequivocally establish its potential to influence cancer—a major touted benefit of the diet. Jennifer Fitzgibbon notes that the theory linking diet to cancer treatment hinges on the idea that cancer cells thrive in an acidic environment. While this is substantiated in laboratory settings, she explains that transforming cells in a manner that creates a less acidic environment within the body is practically unattainable.
Below is a summary of research findings concerning the alkaline diet’s impact on various chronic health conditions:
Bone Health:
Claims that the alkaline diet mitigates the risk of osteoporosis rest on the “acid-ash hypothesis of osteoporosis.” This theory suggests that diets rich in acid-forming foods, like the Western diet, can degrade bones and prompt osteoporosis by increasing urinary calcium and reducing overall calcium levels in the body. However, this theory doesn’t withstand scrutiny. Previous research in the Journal of Bone and Mineral Metabolism acknowledged that an acid-producing diet combined with low calcium intake might affect bone health. Interestingly, if calcium levels are high, an acidic diet could even be protective. Another comprehensive review and meta-analysis echoed the sentiment, concluding that there is neither proof that an acidic diet triggers bone disease nor does it offer bone protection.
Cancer Prevention:
While a preliminary study in the International Journal of Cancer (2019) suggested an alkaline diet’s potential protective effect against hormone receptor-negative breast cancer, most research outcomes remain inconclusive. Instead, consistent findings point toward one dietary adjustment that could lower breast cancer risk: reducing meat consumption and increasing the intake of fruits and vegetables. The American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) dismisses claims linking cancer and the alkaline diet, asserting that food acidity or alkalinity doesn’t significantly impact human body chemistry. The AICR advocates for a predominantly plant-based diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, unrelated to alkalinity, as a healthful approach to reduce cancer and chronic disease risk. A 2018 study in Oncology affirmed that while the alkaline diet might benefit cancer patients, the reasons touted by its enthusiasts aren’t accurate.
Chronic Kidney Disease:
Individuals with chronic kidney disease may find benefit in prioritizing alkaline foods due to the strain excessive protein imposes on the kidneys. An article in the Journal of Renal Nutrition (2017) suggested that diminishing kidney acid load via a low-protein diet emphasizing plant-based proteins could potentially slow kidney disease progression and enhance kidney function. Research in the Iranian Journal of Kidney Diseases (2018) demonstrated that an alkaline diet could decelerate the deterioration of the kidneys’ blood-filtering mechanisms.
Heart Health:
An earlier review in the Journal of Environmental and Public Health revealed that incorporating more alkaline foods, such as fruits and vegetables, into one’s diet may contribute to a reduced risk of hypertension and stroke.
In sum, while the alkaline diet’s effects on various health conditions are subject to ongoing investigation, it’s clear that its benefits, if any, might not necessarily align with the claims promoted by its proponents.
Can the Alkaline Diet Help With Weight Loss?
While the main focus of the alkaline diet isn’t weight loss, and no substantial research substantiates it as a primary objective, any diet that limits food groups generally leads to a reduction in overall calorie intake. Furthermore, the alkaline diet’s prioritization of fruits and vegetables over processed foods aligns with established principles of weight management and control.
There is some indication that adhering to an alkaline diet might contribute to the preservation of muscle mass, a significant calorie-burning factor, as indicated by the Mayo Clinic. A previous study revealed a positive correlation between adopting a more alkaline diet and higher muscle mass indices in women. This connection likely stems from the fact that fruits and vegetables are rich in potassium and magnesium, which play a role in maintaining muscle health.
Alkaline Diet Food List: What to Eat and Avoid
The foundation of the diet revolves around the pH levels of individual foods. Some variations are less stringent, permitting the inclusion of grains for their health advantages, despite their slightly acidic pH. However, generally, if you choose to adopt an alkaline diet, you should adhere to the following food list. This involves avoiding acidic foods, minimizing or excluding neutral foods, and focusing on alkaline foods.
Foods That Form Acid (Best to Avoid):
- Meat
- Poultry
- Fish
- Cottage cheese
- Milk
- Cheese (particularly Parmesan, reduced-fat cheddar, and hard cheeses)
- Yogurt
- Ice cream
- Eggs (especially the yolk)
- Grains (brown rice, rolled oats, spaghetti, cornflakes, white rice, rye bread, whole-wheat bread)
- Alcohol
- Soda
- Lentils
- Peanuts and walnuts
- Other packaged and processed foods
Neutral Foods (Consume in Moderation):
- Natural fats like olive oil and butter
- Starchy foods such as corn, quinoa, oats, white and brown rice, and sweet potatoes
- Sugars
Alkaline-Forming Foods (Recommended for Consumption):
- Fruits
- Unsweetened fruit juices
- Non-starchy vegetables
- Almond milk
- Mineral soda water
- Soy products
- Almonds
- Coconut oil
While there isn’t a specific meal plan provided, you can find recipes online or in alkaline diet cookbooks. Alternatively, you can create your dishes using the list of alkaline foods mentioned above as a guide.
Pros and Cons of the Alkaline Diet
Pros:
A more lenient version of the alkaline diet that permits healthy nuts and grains can offer overall health benefits. Essentially, adopting a plant-based diet can contribute to reducing the risk of several cancers, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and stroke, as noted by the American Heart Association. For individuals with a history of kidney stones or kidney disease, a plant-based diet (though not necessarily an alkaline one) might provide benefits, as highlighted in a 2019 article in the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology.
For those without preexisting health conditions, the alkaline diet is generally considered safe. However, some individuals might experience feelings of hunger or struggle to obtain sufficient protein for their requirements. Beyond the elimination of many unhealthy foods, certain nutritious foods are also excluded.
Tracy Lockwood Beckerman, RD, owner of Tracy Lockwood Nutrition, a private nutrition practice in New York City, emphasizes that certain acidic foods are quite healthy, such as eggs and walnuts. Removing these foods from the diet could lead to an obsession with restriction, causing people to avoid nutrient-rich foods that are essential.
Cons:
Despite its emphasis on healthful, plant-based foods, the alkaline diet is not specifically designed for weight loss. It lacks guidance on portion control and exercise routines, which the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend for disease prevention. Additionally, if individuals are unsure about obtaining sufficient protein from plant sources, they might experience persistent hunger.
In summary, the alkaline diet, particularly in its more permissive forms, can provide health advantages through a plant-based approach. However, it’s essential to be aware of potential drawbacks, such as the omission of certain nutritious foods and the lack of specific weight loss or fitness guidance. For individuals considering this diet, a balanced and informed approach is recommended.
Summary:
The idea that the acidity or alkalinity of foods affects health or weight lacks scientific support, making the alkaline diet more of a pseudoscience. However, the core concept of favoring plant-based foods over processed options is reasonable. It’s important to consult a healthcare provider before trying an alkaline diet or any restrictive diet to avoid potential nutrient deficiencies and unintended health issues.