Hollywood celebrities love the alkaline diet, Victoria Beckham especially. If you haven't heard of it, read on to find out what it is and whether or not you should be following it.
First, a science lesson
If you can't remember what pH is, don't worry, we'll explain. pH explains how acidic or alkaline something is. The pH scale goes from 0 to 14, with 0 being completely acidic, 7 being neutral, and 14 being completely alkaline.
The pH level of the human body varies. Blood for example, is slightly alkaline, with a pH between 7.35 and 7.45. The stomach is an acidic environment, with a pH of 3.5 or lower, so that it can break down food and kill germs. The pH of urine depends on what you eat that day, because your kidneys filter out any extra acidic or alkaline compounds from your blood, to keep your blood pH levels stable.
So, what is the alkaline diet?
The alkaline diet tries to help you maintain optimal body pH by encouraging you to eat more alkaline foods and limiting your intake of acidic foods. Proponents of this diet claim that it lowers inflammation, boosts immunity, promotes weight loss and prevents diseases like osteoporosis and cancer.
How does it work?
According to this diet, fruits and vegetables, soya, tofu, nuts, seeds, and legumes are allowed, while dairy, eggs, meat, grains, and processed foods are a no-no.
The theory is that acidic foods create an unhealthy cellular environment in the body, leading to colds, outbreaks, and inflammation. Over a period of time, this could even lead to chronic diseases such as arthritis, osteoporosis, and cancer. Your kidneys do actually filter out the excess acid from your system, so that your blood pH level is always stable, but the more acidic food you eat, the harder they have to work.
Should you be following this diet?
The alkaline diet has met with mixed reviews. It has shown some positive effects, like promoting strong bones and muscles, preventing kidney stones, reducing chronic diseases such as hypertension and stroke, reducing the risk of Type 2 diabetes, and improving cardiovascular health as well as memory and cognition. However, there is some contrasting evidence as well. After all, foods like dairy products and certain meats do have several health benefits, despite the fact that they're acidic.
All in all, it's a good idea to follow the basic premise: eat more fruits and veggies, limit your meat intake and avoid processed foods, but keep foods like dairy products in your diet.
Source: The Alkaline Diet: Is There Evidence That an Alkaline pH Diet Benefits Health?
*Image courtesy: ©Shutterstock and Reuters
For More: 7 Proven Benefits of Low-Carb Diets
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