Alkaline water and the alkaline diet have surged in popularity among health-conscious consumers. Celebrities and athletes helped to kickstart the trend, and per data from Beverage Marketing Corporation, the alkaline water market today has a market value in the billions.¹

Advocates for the alkaline diet maintain that a predominantly alkaline-forming diet boosts energy, promotes weight loss, reduces inflammation, supports bone health, and may reduce the risk of cancer. Ideally, one should aim for 60% alkaline foods (with a pH of 8 or higher) and 40% considered acidic (a pH below 7).²

Fruits, legumes, non-starchy vegetables, nuts, seeds, tofu, and grains like quinoa are considered alkaline.

• Strong alkaline: grapes, tea, seaweed
• Medium alkaline: berries, tomatoes, spinach, and egg white
• Weak alkaline: apples, onions, tofu, leafy greens

Acidic foods include meat, cheese, eggs, most grains, sugary foods, and alcohol

• Strong acidic: egg (yolk), cheese, persimmon
• Medium acidic: pork, beef, chicken, fish, and wheat
• Weak acidic: Rice, peanuts, cow’s milk, beer

Foods considered neutral include fats such as olive oil and avocados, as well as root vegetables like potatoes and yams.

Reading up on the science behind the diet, I found that, in general, the foods we eat don’t alter our blood’s pH or directly impact the pH of cells. The body regulates blood pH on its own.³ However, the alkaline diet plan does emphasize fresh, nutrient-rich foods and excludes sugars and processed foods lacking nutritional value.

The pH of urine does fluctuate based on food intake, with a diet high in meats and dairy leading to acidic urine with a low pH. Alkaline foods like leafy greens and fruits raise urine pH.  Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), which is commonly caused by obesity and high blood sugar, affects up to 30% of American adults.4 In one study, NAFLD was associated with low urine pH, and NAFLD prevalence increased as urine pH decreased.5

The significant value of an alkaline diet stems from its focus on plant foods and exclusion of “carcinogenic” items such as processed meats, saturated fat, sugars, and alcohol. Low-glycemic alkaline foods, like non-starchy veggies, also reduce the risk of obesity-related metabolic syndromes like high blood sugar, which, over time, lead to conditions like type-2 diabetes and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) as mentioned above.

My coach, Zoe Nance, and I started discussing diet and the link to osteoporosis, which inspired me to do a bit of informal research. I found that the association between “dietary acid load” and bone health remains mixed. One NIH review of relevant studies did not confirm that diets high in acidity lead to osteoporosis and skeletal fragility.⁶ However, an article published in Kidney International suggests that high dietary acid load can cause our bodies to draw calcium from bones to neutralize excess acidity. The study concludes that the “…protective function of bone to maintain systemic pH,…,comes at the expense of mineral stores.”7 Calcium, a mineral essential for bone density, is found in kale, spinach, almonds, oranges, quinoa, and soy, foods promoted by an alkaline diet.

In sum, an alkaline diet encourages the consumption of fresh, plant-based foods, which have been shown to help allay chronic disease when prioritized over the long term. It stands to reason that, when nutritious foods are the basis of your daily diet, you can realize significant health benefits.

1. theguardian.com/global/2018/oct/29/alkaline-water-cure-bs-science-beyonce-tom-brady
2. cancer.gov/publications/dictionaries/cancer-terms/def/alkaline-diet
3. health.clevelandclinic.org/alkaline-diet
4. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6207809/ https://allieddigestivehealth.com/causes-of-fatty-liver-disease/#:~:text=Types%20of%20Fatty%20Liver%20Disease,liver%20damage%20if%20not%20addressed
5. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9120865/
6. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9133222/