The alkaline diet has gained popularity, with proponents suggesting it can aid in weight loss, cancer prevention, and treatment. But how much of this is true? While aspects of the alkaline diet promote healthy choices, its core principles are based on misunderstandings about how diet affects pH levels and their influence on health and disease.
Maria Petzel, a senior clinical dietitian, clarifies the claims surrounding the alkaline diet and provides evidence-based insights into the real impact of diet on your health.
Defining Alkaline: A Look at pH
To understand the alkaline diet, we need to define pH. Alkaline is synonymous with “basic” and refers to substances with a high pH level. The pH scale measures acidity or alkalinity, ranging from 0 to 14, with 7 being neutral. Values below 7 are acidic, while those above 7 are alkaline.
Our bodies maintain a very specific blood pH of 7.35-7.45. Deviations from this narrow range are rare and typically indicate severe, life-threatening illnesses. As we digest food and process medications, acids and bases enter the bloodstream. The lungs and kidneys rapidly filter the blood to maintain balance, producing waste products excreted in urine, saliva, and sweat. The pH of these waste products varies depending on what is being processed.
Deciphering the Alkaline Diet
The alkaline diet rests on the false idea that consuming or avoiding certain foods can alter the body’s pH levels and that these pH levels directly affect health conditions.
Most versions of the alkaline diet advocate for reducing processed foods and added sugars while increasing the intake of vegetables, fruits, and certain beans and legumes. Some also suggest limiting animal protein and alcohol.
An array of vibrant alkaline foods rich in nutrients.
Many of these recommendations align with general healthy eating guidelines and are supported by evidence demonstrating benefits, including cancer risk reduction. However, these benefits arise from the nutritional content of the foods, not from altering the body’s pH. The protective effects of diet are likely related to antioxidants and other phytochemicals that protect against cell damage and reduce inflammation.
More restrictive forms of the alkaline diet eliminate specific fruits, vegetables, and almost all grains, increasing the risk of vitamin, mineral, and potentially fat or protein deficiencies.
Another aspect of the alkaline diet is urine pH testing. While this may appear to validate the diet’s effectiveness, it is important to understand that urine pH does not reflect changes in blood pH. Instead, it simply indicates that your body is working to maintain a stable blood pH level.
Following a restrictive alkaline diet can lead to unnecessary expenses on pH testing materials, supplements, and specialized water or filtration systems, as well as potential stress and fear around food choices.
Alkaline Water: Hype or Help?
Scientific evidence does not support the claim that alkaline water is healthier than regular water. Alkaline water is essentially mineral water.
While alkaline water is not harmful, the cost of at-home alkalizing systems and bottled alkaline water can be significant. Focus on staying hydrated by drinking the water you prefer, whether it’s sparkling, flat, mineral, non-mineral, spring, or purified.
Alkaline Diet, Weight Loss, and Inflammation
The alkaline diet promotes increased consumption of fruits and vegetables, ample water intake, and reduced intake of sugar, alcohol, meat, and processed foods. These are generally sound nutritional recommendations that can improve overall health, aid in weight loss, and even help lower cancer risk – but not by alkalizing the body.
A selection of wholesome, alkaline-promoting foods.
A healthy diet can also help reduce inflammation. While inflammation is a natural response to injury and infection, chronic inflammation can damage DNA and contribute to cancer. Eating foods that reduce inflammation can help lower your cancer risk.
Alkaline Diet and Cancer: Addressing the Misconceptions
The initial interest in the alkaline diet for cancer stemmed from the observation that some tumors are surrounded by an acidic environment, meaning environments with a low pH. Proponents of the alkaline diet theorize that consuming alkaline foods can raise the body’s pH levels, creating an unfavorable environment for cancer. However, the acidic environment around tumors is a result of the tumor, not the cause. It is currently unknown whether this acidic environment benefits the tumor or is simply a byproduct.
Cancers can develop in various parts of the body, including the slightly alkaline blood, the highly acidic stomach, and the very basic pancreas. There are no reliable studies linking pH variations in the body to health or illness, nor can diet influence the pH of specific body systems.
Optimal Diet for Cancer and Overall Health
Research indicates that no single diet or food can cure cancer. However, proper nutrition can improve your well-being and enhance your tolerance to cancer treatment.
MD Anderson dietitians recommend prioritizing healthy foods. A balanced meal involves filling two-thirds of your plate with whole grains, vegetables, fruits, beans, nuts, and seeds, while the remaining one-third can consist of lean animal protein or plant-based protein.
If you are an MD Anderson patient, consulting a clinical dietitian is recommended. They can evaluate your nutritional status and discuss your nutritional goals, which may evolve during treatment. Cancer treatment can affect appetite, taste, and the body’s ability to absorb and digest food. A dietitian can provide guidance on dietary strategies to minimize adverse effects, manage side effects, and address any new food sensitivities that may arise.
Working with a clinical dietitian can help you identify the ideal diet for maximizing your well-being.
Key Considerations Before Starting an Alkaline Diet
While a less restrictive alkaline diet is unlikely to pose significant health risks, it is always advisable to consult with a doctor or dietitian about your health goals before embarking on any new dietary regimen.
Including more vegetables, fruits, beans, peas, nuts, seeds, and whole grains in your diet while reducing your intake of red meat, processed foods, and added sugars are positive changes. While these changes won’t alter your blood’s pH level, they can have a beneficial impact on your overall health.
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