Alkalizing foods are all those that are able to balance the acidity of the blood, making it less acidic and approaching the ideal pH of the blood, which is around 7.35 to 7.45.
Proponents of the alkalizing diet argue that the current diet, rich in refined foods, sugars, processed meats and proteins of animal origin, tends to make the blood pH more acidic, which can harm health and increase problems such as inflammation and low blood pressure. immunity.
Alkaline foods
Alkaline foods are mainly foods with little sugar, such as:
- Fruits in general, including acid fruits like lemon, orange and pineapple; Vegetables and greens in general; Oilseeds: almonds, chestnuts, hazelnuts; Proteins: millet, tofu, tempeh and whey protein; Spices: cinnamon, curry, ginger, herbs in general, chili, sea salt, mustard; Others: alkaline water, apple cider vinegar, common water, molasses, fermented foods.
According to this diet, alkalizing foods promote health and detoxification of the body, bringing benefits such as preventing infections, reducing inflammation, improving pain and preventing diseases such as cancer.
How to measure body acidity
The acidity of the organism is measured through blood, but to facilitate monitoring, the creators of the alkaline diet suggest measuring acidity through tests and urine. However, the acidity of the body varies according to the location, being very acidic in the stomach or vagina, for example.
The acidity of the urine varies according to the diet, diseases in the body or medications used, for example, and it is not possible to compare it to the acidity of the blood.
How the body maintains blood pH balance
The pH of the blood is controlled so that it is always around 7.35 to 7.45, through a process known as the buffer effect. Whenever a disease, food or medicine changes the pH of the blood, it is quickly controlled to return to its normal state, mainly through urine and breathing.
Thus, it is not possible to make blood more acidic or more basic through the diet, as only some very serious diseases, such as COPD and heart failure, can lower the pH of the blood, leaving it slightly acidic. However, the alkaline diet proposes that keeping blood pH less acidic, even if its acidity was within the normal range, already has health benefits and prevents diseases.
To learn more about acidic foods see: Acidic foods.
