The Acid-Alkaline Diet Review

All the foods we eat either release an acid or an alkaline base (bicarbonate) into our blood. As humans began to invent modern conveniences, we changed the eating habits of our earlier existence to foods such as grains, fish, meat, dairy, and salt, which all produce acid. Proponents of "The Acid-Alkaline Diet" say that when we consume an abundance of protein, sugar, caffeine and other highly-processed foods, our pH levels change significantly.

Our blood is slightly alkaline, with a normal pH level of between 7.35 and 7.45. The theory behind the "Acid-Alkaline Diet" is that our diet should reflect this pH level. Proponents believe a diet high in acid-producing foods disrupts this balance and promotes the loss of essential minerals such as potassium, magnesium, calcium, and sodium. This imbalance is believed to make us more prone to such problems as lack of energy, nasal decongestion, colds and flu, anxiety, ovarian problems and cysts and headaches.

According to the diet, you should eat about 70-80% alkaline foods. Foods high to moderate include: broccoli, cucumbers, kale, parsley, pumpkin seeds, avocado, buckwheat, almonds, lima beans, soy beans, cayenne pepper, salt and chili peppers. In addition you should consume an amount of low acidity foods such as, milk, fish, black beans, peas, flaxseed, pecans, cantaloupe, dates and nectarines.

There are no extensive clinical trials supporting the acid alkaline diet and its effectiveness. As for this diet as a weight loss program, it sounds an awful lot like any number of diets that tell you in a roundabout kind-of-way to eat more fruits and vegetables and eat less highly processed carbohydrates. These basics are recommended by most health care practitioners as part of a healthy diet. The real issue for weight loss is long-term sustainability. Any regimen that is highly restrictive and doesn't speak to the necessity of daily exercise fails almost universally.