Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsHow It WorksBenefitsAlkaline vs. Acidic FoodsMeal Prep Suggestions
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
How It Works
Benefits
Alkaline vs. Acidic Foods
Meal Prep Suggestions
Although eating alkaline vs.acidic foodswill not impact your blood acidity, focusing on fruits and vegetables while avoiding processed foods can have a positive impact on your health, leading to weight loss and reduced inflammation.
To understand the alkaline diet, you need to know a bit about acidity. The pH scale measures how acidic or alkaline a substance is, measured on a scale from 0 to 14, in which 0 is the most acidic. Anything with a pH level of 7 or higher is considered alkaline, the opposite of acidic.
Benefits of Alkaline Eating
Proponents of the alkaline diet claim that it can reduce cancer risk, lead to weight loss, and have other health benefits. Unfortunately, there’s not much research to back up the impact ofalkaline waterand alkaline foods on health.
The little research there is shows there can be some positive impacts of the alkaline diet. For example, a 2023 study found that women who followed an alkaline diet for eight weeks lost weight and had better cardiovascular performance.The diet can also help reduce inflammation.
Yet, these health changes likely happen because of the diet’s focus on fruits, vegetables, and unprocessed foods. A diet heavy in fruits and vegetables is beneficial for various reasons, and can have many positive health impacts. However, these impacts do not happen because the diet changes the acidity of your body.
What Nutrients Do You Miss on an Alkaline Diet?
An alkaline diet isplant-basedand focuses on limiting meats and processed foods. Eating a plant-based diet can make it difficult to get enough protein or certain nutrients, including:
Alkaline UrineWhen you follow an alkaline diet, you might notice changes to the pH level of your urine or saliva. These fluids integrate waste products from your body. But your blood pH and overall pH will remain unchanged.
Alkaline Urine
When you follow an alkaline diet, you might notice changes to the pH level of your urine or saliva. These fluids integrate waste products from your body. But your blood pH and overall pH will remain unchanged.
Alkaline Diet vs. High-Acid Foods
The alkaline diet emphasizes eating lots of fruits and vegetables. High-acid foods include meats and grains since there are no alkaline meats. Eggs and dairy products are also not allowed on the alkaline diet because they are acidic.However, both eggs and lean meats are considered an important part of an overall diet and can be cornerstones of clean eating.
Alkaline Meal Prep Inspiration
If you’re following the alkaline diet, you will prepare meals and snacks that are centered around fruits and vegetables. An example of a day on the alkaline diet might include:
Considerations and Dietary Restrictions
The alkaline diet is restrictive and cuts out entire groups of food, like meats and grains. This can make it difficult to follow long-term, and can have negative impacts on your own health.
Unless a healthcare provider has advised you to follow the alkaline diet, you might considercreating a healthy dietthat incorporates plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins. A healthy diet that is appealing to you and addresses any dietary restrictions that you have is a key to long-term health.
Summary
The alkaline diet emphasizes consuming fruits and vegetables, while minimizing meats, dairy, eggs, and grain. The alkaline diet hasn’t been proven to alter blood pH—which the body maintains at a constant level—but it can have positive health impacts because of its emphasis on avoiding processed foods and eating lots of produce. However, there is a risk of missing important nutrients like protein, iron, and calcium.
8 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Fenton TR, Huang T.Systematic review of the association between dietary acid load, alkaline water and cancer. BMJ Open. 2016. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2015-010438.MD Anderson Cancer Center.The alkaline diet: What you need to know.Columbia.The pH diet: facts and fiction.Schwalfenberg GK.The alkaline diet: is there evidence that an alkaline ph diet benefits health?Journal of Environmental and Public Health. 2012;2012:1-7. doi:10.1155/2012/727630.Yalcinkaya N, Isik O, Beyleroglu M, Erdogdu D, Cicek G, Novak D.Effects of 8-week alkaline diet and aerobic exercise on body composition, aerobic performance, and lipid profiles in sedentary women. Front Nutr. 2024. doi: 10.3389/fnut.2023.1339874.NHS.The vegan diet.American Institute for Cancer Research.The alkaline diet: Another cancer and diet claim.NHS.Eating a balanced diet.
8 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Fenton TR, Huang T.Systematic review of the association between dietary acid load, alkaline water and cancer. BMJ Open. 2016. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2015-010438.MD Anderson Cancer Center.The alkaline diet: What you need to know.Columbia.The pH diet: facts and fiction.Schwalfenberg GK.The alkaline diet: is there evidence that an alkaline ph diet benefits health?Journal of Environmental and Public Health. 2012;2012:1-7. doi:10.1155/2012/727630.Yalcinkaya N, Isik O, Beyleroglu M, Erdogdu D, Cicek G, Novak D.Effects of 8-week alkaline diet and aerobic exercise on body composition, aerobic performance, and lipid profiles in sedentary women. Front Nutr. 2024. doi: 10.3389/fnut.2023.1339874.NHS.The vegan diet.American Institute for Cancer Research.The alkaline diet: Another cancer and diet claim.NHS.Eating a balanced diet.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Fenton TR, Huang T.Systematic review of the association between dietary acid load, alkaline water and cancer. BMJ Open. 2016. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2015-010438.MD Anderson Cancer Center.The alkaline diet: What you need to know.Columbia.The pH diet: facts and fiction.Schwalfenberg GK.The alkaline diet: is there evidence that an alkaline ph diet benefits health?Journal of Environmental and Public Health. 2012;2012:1-7. doi:10.1155/2012/727630.Yalcinkaya N, Isik O, Beyleroglu M, Erdogdu D, Cicek G, Novak D.Effects of 8-week alkaline diet and aerobic exercise on body composition, aerobic performance, and lipid profiles in sedentary women. Front Nutr. 2024. doi: 10.3389/fnut.2023.1339874.NHS.The vegan diet.American Institute for Cancer Research.The alkaline diet: Another cancer and diet claim.NHS.Eating a balanced diet.
Fenton TR, Huang T.Systematic review of the association between dietary acid load, alkaline water and cancer. BMJ Open. 2016. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2015-010438.
MD Anderson Cancer Center.The alkaline diet: What you need to know.
Columbia.The pH diet: facts and fiction.
Schwalfenberg GK.The alkaline diet: is there evidence that an alkaline ph diet benefits health?Journal of Environmental and Public Health. 2012;2012:1-7. doi:10.1155/2012/727630.
Yalcinkaya N, Isik O, Beyleroglu M, Erdogdu D, Cicek G, Novak D.Effects of 8-week alkaline diet and aerobic exercise on body composition, aerobic performance, and lipid profiles in sedentary women. Front Nutr. 2024. doi: 10.3389/fnut.2023.1339874.
NHS.The vegan diet.
American Institute for Cancer Research.The alkaline diet: Another cancer and diet claim.
NHS.Eating a balanced diet.
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