The alkaline diet, which is also called alkaline ash diet and alkaline acid diet, is a diet that has been popularized by celebrities like Jennifer Aniston and Kate Hudson, saying that they tried this diet and experienced positive results. If you are on the look for a diet that will work for you, remember that just because it works for them doesn’t mean it can work for you or others.
The premise of an alkaline diet is that the foods we eat can affect the body’s pH levels. If a person eats more alkaline-rich foods and is less acidic, it will boost the body and reduce the risk of various health issues.
According to AlkalineNaturals, the diet centers on the so-called acid-ash hypothesis. This process means that a person undergoing an alkaline diet focuses on consuming fruits and vegetables with only moderate amounts of protein to achieve an alkaline-loaded body and healthier lifestyle.
Who is the Alkaline Diet Best For
With so many versions of the alkaline diet around, it encourages simpler and basic diet plans, especially for first-timers. Also, a more relaxed version of this diet doesn’t eliminate grains and nuts since these are still essential for fundamental health.
The American Heart Association noted that a plant-based diet could contribute to lowering the risks of many cancers, cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes, and stroke. Moreover, an article published in 2019 mentioned that a plant-based diet (not necessarily the alkaline diet) could help individuals with a history of kidney stones and kidney diseases.
Foods to Include in the Alkaline Diet
Some of the foods that are said to be alkaline-rich are the following:
- Green, leafy vegetables are rich in minerals needed by the body for its daily functioning.
- Citrus fruits- though they are believed to be acidic, citrus fruits are the best sources of alkaline. Fruits like lemon are rich in Vitamin C which can detoxify the system and relieve acidity and heartburn.
- Seaweed and sea salt- these have 10-12 times more mineral content than those who grow on land.
Why Alkaline Diet is a Pseudoscience
Unfortunately, there are claims that an alkaline diet is not what everyone, especially celebrities, expects. Here are some of the reasons why this diet is said to be a “fake science.”
- There aren’t any scientific pieces of evidence that an alkaline diet is a way to become healthy and prevent different diseases.
- Despite its focus that the food we consume has either alkalizing or acidic effect on the body, every food we eat is said not to influence the blood’s pH levels. It always stays at around 7.4, and no diet can shift the pH levels of the body because it is sharp and has built-in mechanisms to maintain balance pH levels.
- Cutting out many food groups in the diet can lead to nutritional deficiencies that can cause adverse health effects.
