Alkalizing or deacidifying diets: scam or truth?

(Wellness from head to toe. Dr. Francesca Zoccai)

The idea that we can influence the pH level of our blood through our diet and, consequently, improve our health and strengthen our immune system is the origin of alkaline diets, whose creator is Dr. Robert Young.

However, science has shown that these diets are a hoax.

But let's take a step back: What is pH?

pH: potential of Hydrogen, a value that indicates how acidic (rich in H+ ions) or basic/alkaline (poor in H+) a substance is.

pH is a parameter that ranges from 0 to 14 and indicates the degree of acidity or basicity of a substance compared to the neutral value of 7. If the value is lower than 7 the substance is acidic, if the value is higher than 7 the substance is basic or alkaline.

To better understand the origin of the idea behind alkalinization through diet, consider that the pH of the blood is around 7.4, which indicates a slightly alkaline state.

The alkaline diet classifies foods based on their pH, dividing them into:

• Acids: meat, fish, dairy products, eggs, cereals, alcohol

• Neutral: natural fats starches sugars

• Alkaline: fruits, nuts, legumes, vegetables
  

Claiming that our diet can influence the pH level of our blood and, consequently, improve our health and strengthen our immune system is a theory that has no valid scientific basis.

The idea that consuming alkalizing foods can improve our health is in fact based on a misinterpretation of the concepts of acidity and alkalinity of foods:

For example, in the alkaline diet, lemons and tomatoes are classified as alkalizing foods even though they are known to be acidic.

The acidity and basicity of a food introduced through the diet has no relevance or influence on the pH of our blood also because once it has come into contact with the gastric juices, which are highly acidic, it is neutralized or even acidified.

If a food were truly capable of alkalinizing the blood it would be lethal.

Some foods can result in slightly alkaline urine but this has nothing to do with the idea that blood should be alkaline relative to the physiological value.

Dr. Robert Young, the creator of the alkaline diet, has been convicted of fraud and practicing medicine without a license.