Is it good for you?Everything you need to know

While a celebrity (from Kelly Lipa) Gwyneth Paltrow To Victoria Beckham) praised the benefits of an alkaline diet (more energy! Less pain!), Nutritionists and nutritionists say they take a step back. The evidence behind these claims is actually quite weak.

“I’m not particularly concerned about the foods that the diet promotes,” he explained. Deirdre K. Tobias, ScD, Semi-epidemologist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Associate Professor at Harvard Medical School and Harvard School of Public Health. In fact, you end up eating lots of fresh fruits and vegetables on your diet, which is healthy for everyone. “Rather, it’s the mechanism and health claims that pseudoscience exists,” she said.

The idea behind the diet is that acidic foods (lean meat, processed sugars, dairy products, etc.) make the body more acidic and harmful (such as promoting chronic inflammation associated with chronic pain). That is. Increased risk of heart disease, Bone loss and cancer). Diet proponents liken acidic foods (high-sugar snacks, caffeinated beverages, processed foods, etc.) to acids that can burn metals. Imagine the damage it can do to your body.

On the other hand, according to people who promote diets, more alkaline (or basic) foods (fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts, etc.) reduce acid in the body and promote health benefits.Neutral foods like Whole grains And olive oil are allowed as they probably do nothing to the body’s alkalinity.

An alkaline diet promotes more fruits, vegetables, nuts and legumes and discourages processed foods. According to Tobias, these dietary patterns are associated with health benefits over and over again. However, there is no evidence that these foods are benefiting. Do something to your body’s pH level, She said.

The pH level of your body is actually very finely tuned. Your gastrointestinal organs are more acidic, which helps break down the proteins that pass through them. Pancreatic juice and bile in the intestines tend to be more basic and help neutralize stomach acid and aid digestion. Vaginal fluid tends to be quite acidic and suppresses the growth of harmful bacteria.The· Urine pH level fluctuates From acidic to basic, depending on what needs to be rinsed from the body to neutralize it.

The pH of blood is very tightly controlled. “If changed significantly [it] In reality, it will be quite annoying, “said Tobias.

It is claimed that cancer cells reproduce in an acidic environment, but this knowledge comes from studies conducted by scientists who observe cancer cells in Petri dishes rather than in the human body.There is no evidence that the food you eat alters the pH of various cells and tissues in the body in ways that can promote or promote it. Stop the growth of cancer..

The claims behind the diet mechanism are broadly unfounded, but he said that the foods you eat with it are generally recognized as part of a very healthy and balanced diet. Ta Amy Shapiro, RDN Founder and director of Real Nutrition in New York City. But you’re cutting so many foods (meat, chicken, fish, dairy products, and depending on the version of the diet you’re eating, soybeans and legumes, etc.), she said: “You You may really be limiting your food. “(If you limit your food too much, malnutrition is a risk.)

Another risk is, especially if you are following a diet, instead of taking other measures to protect your health from chronic illnesses, or treating illnesses such as cancer that are allegedly beneficial. Said. “If it is a substitute for the medical care needed, it can be dangerous.”

On an alkaline diet, you will eat a lot of fresh fruits and vegetables, nuts, seeds, whole grains, and root vegetables. Think about it: avocado, walnut, almond, farro, quinoa, broccoli, celery, peppers, green. For some alkaline foods, you can eat legumes and soy products. Others suggest avoiding them.

Restricting Alkaline Foods Acidic foods include meat and all animal foods (including dairy products), processed sugars, sugared beverages, caffeine, and processed foods.

The sample menu of Shapiro’s alkaline diet is as follows.

• breakfast: Power smoothie (1/2 banana, 1 cup spinach, 1/4 avocado, almond milk, 1 teaspoon coconut oil, 1 tablespoon chia seeds, cinnamon to taste)
• lunch: Lettuce wrap (sliced ​​avocado topped with crushed pistachios and various vegetables wrapped in butter lettuce leaves)
• snack: Pears sliced ​​with hemp seeds and cinnamon
• Dinner: Grilled potatoes (with coconut oil), roast chicken and broccoli
• dessert: Coconut yogurt topped with pomegranate seeds

• Anti-inflammatory dietLimit animal and processed foods, also focusing on produce and whole grains
• Vegan foodFocus on plant-based foods as a whole and exclude animal foods
• Mediterranean diet, Focus on Whole Foods, minimize processed foods, but allow seafood

There is little evidence that food can change the body’s pH, and that it helps with bone health, cancer treatment and prevention, and energy boosting. There is evidence that foods promoted by an alkaline diet tend to be healthy. However, some alkaline diets cut out foods that are primarily known to be part of a healthy diet, such as legumes, fish, and coffee.

If you decide to try a diet, be sure to take the time to educate yourself about the diet and prepare the foods allowed in your diet so that you can eat well. As always, discuss dietary changes with your doctor who can tailor your diet to your specific health concerns.