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Foods
are generally categorized as acid or alkaline
based on the residue they leave in the human body
after they have been metabolized. Often there
are fad diets that recommend people eat either
all acid or all alkaline foods to solve one disease
or another. In reality, it is probably healthier
to strive for a balanced middle ground of alkaline
and acidic foods. A variety of health problems
can occur when the body is either too alkaline
or acidic. When the body fluids become too
acidic, a condition called acidosis develops.
Conversely, when the body fluids become too alkaline,
alkalosis results.
Foods
are determined to have either an alkaline or acid
forming potential based on their pH values. (The
word pH comes from the chemistry formula for calculating
the concentration of hydrogen ions present in
a substance. pH
refers to the "power of Hydrogen.")
A pH of 7 is neutral. Foods with an alkaline ash
have pH values above 7. Foods with an acid ash
have pH values below 7. Pure water has a neutral
pH of 7.
In
general most grains, dairy products, meats, seeds,
legumes and nuts tend to have an acid ash. Most
fruits and vegetables tend to have an alkaline
ash. Cooked foods tend to be more alkaline than
raw foods. Many holistic practitioners believe
that modern Western diets generally are too acidic
for good health due to a lack of fruits and vegetables.
They often stress the importance of modifying
one's diet to achieve a better
acid-base balance.
However,
it is generally not a good idea to assume your
diet is too acidic just because that is a common
problem in the general population. There are many
factors that can influence the human body's pH
levels. People who drink a lot of mineral water,
take mineral supplements or eat highly a lot of
alkaline foods such as dandelion greens or potatoes,
may have an alkaline levels that are too high.
Many holistic health practitioners recommended
that people buy a special type of pH paper that
can be used to test pH levels based on urine or
saliva samples.
Foods
such as orange juice and lemon juice are acidic
in their natural state but turn alkaline after
they have been metabolized in the body. As such,
for dietetic purposes they are usually considered
to be alkaline forming foods despite being acidic
prior to consumption. Most fruits are alkaline
except a few that include cranberries, plums and
prunes. These fruits are classified as acidic
because they contain acids the body can't metabolize.
Links
Alkaline
Forming Foods
Acid
Forming Foods
Balanced
pH Foods
Related
Sites:
Acid-Alkaline
Balance and Your Health
- by Virginia Worthington, ScD - A well written,
well referenced article from the Price - Pottenger
Nutrition Foundation web site.
Acid/Alkaline
Balance and the Paleodiet - Dr. Loren Cordain,
researcher at the Department of Health and Exercise
Science at Colorado State University, is an advocate
of the Paleo Diet (also known as the caveman diet).
He believes that modern Western diets, with their
emphasis on grains, cheese and meats and a dearth
of fruits and vegetables, result in an unhealthy
net acid load.
Copyright
2005 - 2007 Springfield Informatics, LLC
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