What Is The PH Diet?

The pH diet, also known as the alkaline diet, is an eating model that has become popular in recent years, as it has been recommended by a large number of celebrities. According to its defenders, it is a diet that allows the body to be less acidic and more alkaline, providing a series of benefits. However, how true is this?

Although some research has been done regarding this diet, to date there has not been enough evidence to support all of the benefits attributed to it. In addition, it has been questioned that it can modify the pH of the blood. Next we will see what the current studies say.

What is the pH diet?

As we already mentioned, the pH diet can also be distinguished by names such as alkaline diet or acid-alkaline diet. It is a diet that proposes to reduce to the maximum the consumption of foods such as processed foods, animal proteins, sugar and caffeine in order to eliminate “acid waste”.

Instead, he suggests increasing your consumption of fresh, organic foods rich in alkaline minerals such as sodium, potassium, magnesium, and calcium in order to alter the body’s pH value. In this way, it could not only contribute to weight loss, but it would help reduce the risk of a wide variety of diseases that are associated with excess acidity.

According to the above, foods could be classified as follows:

Certain food groups are considered acidic, alkaline, or neutral:

• Acids:  meat, chicken, fish, dairy, eggs, grains, alcohol.
• Neutral:  natural fats, starches and sugars.
• Alkalines: fresh fruits, legumes, nuts and vegetables.

Does the pH diet work?

The pH diet has been widely questioned through scientific studies, especially since its advocates claim that it can change the pH of the blood. The latter is not true and, in fact, significant changes in blood pH pose a health risk.

Now, as a study published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association points out , it is possible to change the pH of urine and saliva through diet. However, when this happens, the pH of the blood remains the same. 

So those effects that are so widely defended by followers of the pH diet don’t actually occur from a change in pH. Rather, these benefits occur basically because the foods proposed in this eating model are healthy and promote both health and weight.

In addition, foods such as processed foods and sugars, whose excessive consumption is related to weight gain and disease , are eliminated or limited.

Current research on the pH diet

To date there is no research showing that an alkaline diet can increase the pH of the blood. However, it has been recognized that this eating model encourages people to consume more organic foods such as fruits and vegetables, which does benefit health.

According to a study published in the Journal of Renal Nutrition , the alkaline or pH diet benefits patients with kidney disease, since it contributes to slowing the progression of the disease and, in turn, improves kidney function while maintaining the state nutritional status of the person.

On the other hand, as a research published through the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health concludes , this diet gives rise to other benefits such as those described below:

• By increasing your consumption of fruits and vegetables, you could benefit bone health. Likewise, it favors the reduction of muscle wasting and mitigates other chronic diseases such as cardiovascular ones.
• The alkaline diet causes an increase in growth hormone, which improves aspects associated with cardiovascular health, memory and cognition.
• An increase in intracellular magnesium, which is required for the function of many enzyme systems, is another added benefit of the alkaline diet. The available magnesium, which is required to activate vitamin D, would generate numerous additional benefits in the apocrine / exocrine systems of vitamin D.

In summary

The pH diet can lower the risk of some diseases, but not producing the effects that many of its followers have reported. Although it has been shown that it can change the pH of the urine, there is no evidence to show that it changes the pH of the blood; furthermore, the latter is dangerous.

In any case, it is a diet that must be done with caution, since many plans that are shared on the web and social networks are too restrictive and can be harmful. As always, the ideal thing is to consult the nutritionist to find a meal plan according to the needs of each one.