Alkaline Foods: More Myths Exposed
Alkaline foods raise more controversy than they are worth.
People swear they are the holy grail of health – a magic cure for gout and every other health problem in the world.
Skeptics swear back: “You’re wasting your *#@!$&! time.
It’s time for us to see the real truth behind alkaline diet and gouty arthritis.
Myth 1: Alkaline Foods Turn Red Litmus Blue
Alkaline Foods Image
Despite my best efforts to explain otherwise, people still believe that you can measure the power of alkaline foods by testing their pH. There are even lists of alkaline foods touted round the Internet that show the pH value for common foods. But these have nothing to do with the alkalizing effect, so why do they exist?
They stem from a US government table of pH values produced for the canning industry. Whilst they might help food packagers determine what balancing agents they need to avoid food reacting with it’s container, these values have absolutely nothing to do with the effect of food on our bodies.
The science of alkaline foods recognizes that elements and compounds in food cause different reactions in our body when digested. Some elements, e.g. proteins and phosphorous produce acidic salts. Other elements, e.g. potassium, magnesium and calcium, produce alkaline salts. These salts end up at our kidneys, where they alter the pH environment. This process has resulted in the Potential Renal Acid Load (PRAL) calculation, which is an approximate estimate of the effect of foods on the acidity/alkalinity of our bodies. Or more specifically, of urine, as this is the measurable result.
Still, people remain confused as to how an acidic food item, like lemons or vinegar, can have an alkalizing effect on urine and the kidneys. As I explained recently: Read the rest of Alkaline Foods: More Myths Exposed