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FAQs:

What is an Alkaline Diet?

The alkaline diet encourages you to eat foods that are alkaline (or basic, meaning they have a pH greater than 7), instead of those that are acidic. The theory is that foods that make your body produce acid are harmful. The acid level in your body is known as pH. The premise of the alkaline diet is that if you eat certain foods, you can change your pH level.

How Does the Alkaline Diet Work?

The alkaline diet categorizes foods based on the acid they produce during digestion, which doesn’t directly reflect their raw pH. Acid-forming foods like meat, dairy, grains, and alcohol lower pH, while alkaline-forming foods, including fruits, vegetables, and nuts, raise it. Neutral foods such as starches and natural fats are limited.

However, research indicates that diet cannot significantly alter the body’s pH due to tight regulation by the kidneys and lungs. Blood pH remains between 7.2 and 7.45, while urine pH varies (4.6 to 8.0) as the body adjusts for balance. Shifts in urine pH, measurable with dipsticks, reflect this regulatory process but not overall health. Major pH changes in the body usually signal serious health conditions, not dietary influences.

Is the Alkaline Diet Healthy?

The alkaline diet reinforces good, old-fashioned healthy eating. It recommends eating more vegetables and fruits, drinking lots of water, and cutting back on sugar, alcohol, meat, and processed foods. All of these things will help improve your overall health, help you lose weight, and even help lower your cancer risk—just not for the reasons proponents of the diet claim.

What Nutrients Do You Miss on an Alkaline Diet?

An alkaline diet is plant-based and focuses on limiting meats and processed foods. Eating a plant-based diet can make it difficult to get enough protein or certain nutrients including calcium, zinc, iron, and B12.

Does the Alkaline Diet Work?

To determine if a diet “works,” it’s important to establish the specific goals and indicators of success. Is it an attempt to lose weight? Feel more energetic? Build muscle? From a purely nutritional standpoint, the alkaline diet is strong. It centers heavily around fruits and vegetables, rather than meat and grains. Researchers suggest the absence of plant foods, excessive consumption of meat, saturated fat, simple sugars, and starchy foods contributes to many common health concerns. Any diet that includes more health-promoting foods will better support your health than a diet that doesn’t. However, eating healthy, natural foods, may not change your internal acid levels, which is the entire point of the alkaline diet.

Who Should Avoid the Alkaline Diet?

There are specific groups of people who must be very cautious if interested in trying the alkaline diet due to its restrictive nature, according to experts. These groups include:

1. People with chronic health conditions such as kidney disease

2. People taking medications that can affect potassium levels

3. People at risk for or currently experiencing nutritional deficiencies

4. People with a history of or currently diagnosed with an eating disorder

Alkaline foods can be high in potassium, which needs to be cleared by the kidneys. Eating too much potassium can be dangerous for someone with kidney disease because it can build up in the body and could lead to heart arrhythmias or other severe health outcomes.

Can the Alkaline Diet Help Me Lose Weight?

You may lose weight on the alkaline diet in the short term, but this is likely due to increasing your intake of fruits and vegetables and eliminating processed sugary, and high-fat foods. This is likely because you are consuming more fruits and vegetables and cutting out many food groups. Cutting out so many foods is not sustainable in the long term.

Does an Alkaline Diet Reduce Inflammation?

This diet can also help reduce inflammation. Inflammation is a natural response to injury and infection, but too much inflammation – also known as chronic inflammation - can cause DNA damage and lead to cancer. So eating foods that reduce inflammation can help reduce your cancer risk.

Is the Alkaline Diet Bad for Kidneys?

Your kidneys help regulate your blood pH level (acid concentration) by removing excess substances that can make your blood more acidic or alkaline. Blood that has a low pH level is considered acidic and can cause life-threatening health issues. When you have kidney disease, it's more difficult for your kidneys to remove acid from your blood. Because of that, a high-alkaline diet, one that is low in acidic foods, may help people with kidney disease balance their pH levels. In some cases, your doctor may order medications to help with this balance.

Key Principles of an Alkaline Diet

An alkaline diet is based on the idea that certain foods can affect the acidity or alkalinity (pH level) of the body. The theory behind this diet is that consuming foods that promote a more alkaline environment in the body can benefit overall health.

Here are the key principles of an alkaline diet:

1. Alkaline Foods:

The diet encourages the consumption of eating more plant-based foods, such as fresh fruit, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and whole grains. These foods are believed to have positive effects on the body.

2. Acidic Foods to Limit:

Conversely, the diet suggests minimizing the intake of acidic foods, including meat, dairy, processed foods, caffeine, and certain grains. These foods are thought to contribute to an acidic pH in the body thus causing numerous health conditions.

3. Body’s pH Balance:

Proponents of the alkaline diet argue that maintaining a slightly alkaline pH in the body (around 7.35 to 7.45) is essential for good health. They believe that an acidic environment may contribute to various health issues.

4. Health Claims:

Advocates of the alkaline diet claim improved energy levels, better digestion, reduced inflammation, and even prevention of chronic diseases like high blood pressure, heart disease, and diabetes.

Health Conditions Linked to a Highly Acidic Diet 

A highly acidic diet may contribute to certain health conditions, including:

1. Osteoporosis: Some believe that a highly acidic diet may lead to the leaching of calcium from bones, potentially contributing to osteoporosis or poor bone health.

2. Muscle Wasting: An acidic environment in the body may lead to muscle wasting or a decrease in muscle mass.

3. Kidney Stones: An acidic diet may increase the risk of kidney stones due to imbalances in mineral levels.

4. Digestive Issues: Acidic diets may be associated with digestive problems, including acid reflux and indigestion.

5. Inflammation: An overly acidic environment may contribute to inflammation, which is linked to various chronic diseases.

6. Dental Issues: It’s proposed that highly acidic diets may negatively impact dental health, potentially leading to tooth decay.

Foods to Eat in an Alkaline Diet

The basic premise of the alkaline diet is to eat foods ranking high on the pH list and fall within the acceptable ranges for protein, fat, and carbohydrates. You don’t need to follow any specific foods or eat a certain times; you simply need to eat foods that tip your pH balance into alkaline levels.

1. Fruits

Not all fruits are on the approved list, however, you may eat:

- Apples

- Apricots

- Black currants

- Lemon juice

- Oranges

- Peaches

- Pears

2. Vegetables

Not all vegetables are on the approved list, however, you may eat:

- Asparagus

- Broccoli

- Carrots

- Celery

- Cucumber

- Green beans

3. Beverages

You can drink alcohol and coffee in moderation on the alkaline diet:

- Slightly acid coffee

- Red and white wine

Foods to Avoid in an Alkaline Diet

The alkaline diet foods are organized around the pH levels of individual foods. Some versions are less strict, meaning they may allow grains for their health benefits, despite their slightly acidic pH. But generally, if you try the alkaline diet, you’ll want to follow the food list below, steering clear of acidic foods, limiting or avoiding neutral foods, and focusing on alkaline foods.

1. Acid-Forming Foods to Avoid

- Meat

- Poultry

- Fish

- Milk

- Cheese (especially cottage cheese, Parmesan cheese, reduced-fat cheddar, and hard cheeses)

- Yogurt

- Ice cream

- Eggs (the yolk in particular)

- Grains (white and brown rice, rolled oats, spaghetti, cornflakes, rye bread, whole-wheat bread)

- Alcohol

- Soda

- Lentils

- Peanuts and walnuts

- Packaged, processed food

2. Neutral Foods to Limit

- Natural fats, such as olive oil and butter

- Starches, including corn and sweet potatoes

- Sugars

Benefits of the Alkaline Diet

The alkaline diet, which emphasizes fruits and vegetables while limiting processed meats, has some health benefits. Scientific evidence supports certain claims by proponents, while others lack support:

1. Weight Loss: The diet’s low-calorie nature can promote weight loss, though it still requires an active lifestyle and balanced nutrition for effective results.

2. Kidney Health: Reducing dietary acid may benefit those with kidney issues, but no specific alkaline diet is needed; simply limiting acidic foods like meat can help.

3. Cancer Prevention: While there’s no evidence the diet cures or reverses cancer, eating more fruits and vegetables may reduce cancer risk, aligning with recommendations from the American Cancer Society.

4. Heart Health: By reducing red meat, the diet may lower heart disease risks, although the link to growth hormone benefits is weak.

5. Back Pain and Bone Health: There’s limited evidence suggesting alkaline minerals help with back pain, and no solid evidence links this diet to osteoporosis prevention.

6. Muscle Health: The diet may marginally support muscle retention with age, as shown in a small study.

Overall, the diet’s benefits mostly arise from increasing fruits and vegetables rather than its alkaline properties.

Drawbacks of the Alkaline Diet

The alkaline diet raises several concerns among the experts. Here are some of the diet’s potential drawbacks. 

1. It may lead to nutritional shortfalls. The body needs a varied diet to get the full range of nutrients required for optimal health. Since the alkaline diet limits major food groups—including grains, dairy, and all animal protein—maintaining balanced nutrition could be challenging.

2. Meals might not satisfy. With a big list of foods to avoid, you might not find the alkaline diet enjoyable or satisfying unless you’re used to (or excited about) eating vegan-style. “I tend not to recommend restrictive diets that may be difficult to follow in the long term.

3. It overlooks exercise. Both Hunter and Dr. Yancy point out that physical activity is an important part of a viable health and weight-loss plan. The alkaline diet does not include guidance on fitness or exercise.

4. It may create a false sense of security. No published studies of good quality support claims about the alkaline diet’s ability to ward off serious diseases. Placing too much faith in the diet’s powers of prevention could cause people to overlook early warning signs of illness.

5. It may not be safe for people with kidney conditions. Anyone with uric acid kidney stones or chronic kidney disease should think twice (and check with their doctor) before trying an alkaline diet. That’s because many alkaline foods are high in potassium—a nutrient processed by the kidneys. When kidneys are compromised, high potassium intake could lead to complications

Myths and Truths about an Alkaline Diet

The alkaline diet, popularized for its supposed benefits in reducing disease risk, has both myths and truths to consider:

Myth#1 Stay away from protein: Protein by nature is acidic, but that doesn't mean protein-rich foods should be avoided. Quantity, quality, spacing, and food pairing are what matters.

Myth#2 Acid in the urine indicates acidic blood: A urine test is a good way to determine pH levels because waste products and salts are excreted in the form of urine. Levels anywhere between 6-6.5 in the morning and between 6.5-7 in the evening are great. However, acidic urine doesn't necessarily mean acidic blood. The pH levels of blood rarely go out of proportion because of the body's innate capability to maintain optimum values.

Myth#3 Lemon shots keep acidity down: There is a trend of drinking lemon shots right after meals in an attempt to keep bodies alkaline. However, that's not the right thing to do. We have already noted that the stomach needs to secrete acids during meal times for it to be able to break down and digest food effectively. Lemon juice will result in a pH imbalance and hamper digestion, leading to issues like indigestion and bloating. Just like lemon, apple cider vinegar might have an acidic pH, but it leaves an alkaline residue/ash post-digestion and metabolization. Therefore, it contributes to reducing acidity in most cases. Lemon juice might have a pH value between 2-3, but upon ingestion and digestion, it creates alkaline ash and has an alkaline effect on the body. Similar is the case with apple cider vinegar. Hence its ingestion during meals is not recommended as it might dilute stomach acid and disturb the required pH for effective digestion.

Myth#4 Highly alkaline water is great: Machines that dispense alkaline water are gaining in popularity. There are plenty of machines that promise water having pH as high as 11-11.5, but is it healthy? In a word, No. Nothing extreme is healthy, and that holds for water as well. Anything less than 6.8 (overly acidic) or higher than 7.8 (overly alkaline) is useless and dangerous for the human body. All you need to do is follow moderation and aim for balance.

Myth#5 Alkaline diet in cancer treatment: In general, cancer cells thrive in an acidic medium which is also oxygen deficient. This means an alkaline environment that is rich in oxygen starves cancer cells to death. An alkaline environment not only supports the starvation and eventual death of cancer cells, but also negates the side effects of conventional therapies like chemotherapy, radiation, and other strong medications. The by-products and residues of most of these medicines are acidic and sometimes when an individual is undergoing such therapies, it may override the body's natural pH buffer mechanism. Thus, it is essential to support such treatments with wholesome nutrition.

What Experts Think of the Alkaline Diet

The diet is not all bad and it might lead to weight loss, but not for the reasons claimed. It could also be harmful and its principles are not supported by evidence. In particular, experts point out that:

1. Alkaline 'ash' does not exist. It's good advice to eat more vegetables, fruit, legumes, and nuts, and to consume less meat, highly processed foods, alcohol, and sugary drinks. However, the idea that this diet creates an alkaline 'ash' or residue in your body is false.

2. The level of acidity or alkalinity in our bodies varies in different areas. The normal acidic environment of the stomach, for example, assists in the early stages of protein digestion. Food then moves to the small intestine, where the major enzymes involved in digestion operate in an alkaline environment. Blood is slightly alkaline (pH 7.35 to 7.45) and this is tightly controlled by the body because it is important to keeping you alive. You cannot cause changes in the pH of your blood by changing your diet.

3. The pH of urine can vary slightly but such variation can be influenced by factors other than diet.

4. Health claims are unsupported. There is no evidence to support claims that a so-called alkaline diet has benefits for exercise, cancer, or other aspects of health, including benefits for aging.

5. This is not a balanced diet. This diet may lead to weight loss if the total amount of permitted foods you eat is less than your normal kilojoule intake. However, the limits on many nutritious foods risk low levels of some vital nutrients, which may cause you harm.

6. The use of 'ionized' or 'alkalinized' water is not supported. There is no evidence drinking this type of water changes the acid/alkali levels throughout the body or is helpful to health.

Easy Alkaline Diet Meal Planning Tips

Meal planning for an alkaline diet involves incorporating a variety of plant-based, alkaline-forming foods while limiting acid-forming ones. Here are some steps to help you create a balanced and nutritious alkaline meal plan:

1. Emphasize Alkaline Foods: Fill your plate with a colorful array of fruits and vegetables, particularly leafy greens, berries, citrus fruits, and cruciferous vegetables. Include alkaline-forming grains like quinoa and amaranth. Nuts and seeds, especially almonds, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, and chia seeds, are excellent additions. Opt for healthy fats from sources like avocados and olive oil.

2. Plan Balanced Meals: Create well-rounded meals that include a mix of macronutrients. Incorporate plant-based proteins such as tofu, tempeh, and legumes. These proteins contribute to a more alkaline environment in the body. Ensure a variety of whole foods to provide essential nutrients, and consider incorporating alkaline water or herbal teas into your daily fluid intake.

3. Limit Acid-Forming Foods: Reduce the intake of acid-forming foods, such as meat, dairy, processed foods, and refined sugars. While some versions of the alkaline diet may allow small amounts of certain acid-forming foods, the emphasis should be on whole, nutrient-dense options that promote alkalinity.

4. Snack Smartly: Choose alkaline-forming snacks to maintain a consistent intake throughout the day. Fresh fruit, raw veggies with hummus, or a handful of nuts can be satisfying and align with the principles of the alkaline diet.

5. Stay Hydrated: Adequate hydration is crucial for any diet. Consider incorporating alkaline water into your daily routine. Adding a slice of lemon or cucumber to your water can enhance its alkalizing effects.

6. Plan Ahead: Prepare meals in advance to stay on track with your alkaline diet. Having alkaline-friendly ingredients readily available makes it easier to resist the temptation of less desirable options.

How to Start an Alkaline Diet

To some, the idea of starting a new and different diet can be a daunting task. The alkaline diet is one of the easiest diets to integrate into your daily life. It can easily fit around work, travel, and the food requirements of other family members. Here are some tips to help you get started:

1. Drink alkaline water! Alkaline water has a higher pH and it is enriched with minerals (sometimes also antioxidants like Alkazone pH drops) to give you an increased sense of well-being and more energy.

2. Rethink your diet; avoid acid-producing foods and increase your intake of fresh, leafy greens and vegetables, ideally eaten raw or lightly cooked. Download our Free Alkaline Foodchart.

3. Exercise regularly: start with 20 minutes of exercise 2-3 times a week, walking, running, swimming, rebounding, or cycling – everything counts. Ensure that you also take the time for some breathing exercises and increase your core stability as well as your posture, ie by doing yoga or pilates. Exercising increases sweat, which in turn helps the skin to eliminate acids from the body. It also increases lung capacity which helps the lungs to drain weak acids from the body. Ideally, try and exercise every day so your body can eliminate acids as they are being produced.

4. Test your body’s pH to track progress. Test your urine and/or saliva a couple of times a day and track this on a progress chart using our reliable and easy-to-use pH test strips.

5. Add variety to your diet, try new recipes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

6. Prepare food and snacks: very often, when we are very hungry, we grab the nearest available food. To counter this, prepare your food before getting very hungry. It helps to stay on track.

7. Always have an alkaline snack, like some almonds or other nuts, at the ready. It prevents you from snacking unhealthily.

Sources:

WebMD

MD Anderson

Very Well Fit

Medical News Today

Everyday Health

Parent Circle

Weight Watchers

Intentionally Eat

Simplex Health

Very Well Health

Global Healing

Forbes Health

ABC

Health US News

Davita