Week 9: Chemistry
I found two articles that address the Alkaline Diet from two different perspectives. The conclusion of the first article is that "There may be some value in considering an alkaline diet in reducing morbidity and mortality from chronic diseases and further studies are warranted in this area of medicine." Check that article out here.
The other article doesn't find any benefit to the Alkaline Diet, beyond the fact that it suggests eating a diet high in fruits and vegetables, and low in processed foods. It's conclusion states "Your body tightly regulates blood pH levels. In healthy people, diet doesn’t significantly affect blood pH — but it can change urine pH." That article is here.
I haven't given the diet much thought beyond the generalized suggestions mentioned in the latter article. Obviously can't hurt too much to eat a diet high in vitamin-rich whole plant foods.
I did notice that lemon is a 9 on the pH scale - and being of Greek descent, I grew up watching my grandparents' generation squeeze fresh lemon on everything, pretty much every meal of the day. Soup? It got lemon. Eggs? They got lemon. Salad? Lemon. Main course? Lemon. Side course? Lemon. Dessert? Yeah, even lots of those got lemon. I'm sure there's a reason, beyond a taste preference, but as far as health benefits go, I can't definitively report in the positive.
The other article doesn't find any benefit to the Alkaline Diet, beyond the fact that it suggests eating a diet high in fruits and vegetables, and low in processed foods. It's conclusion states "Your body tightly regulates blood pH levels. In healthy people, diet doesn’t significantly affect blood pH — but it can change urine pH." That article is here.
I haven't given the diet much thought beyond the generalized suggestions mentioned in the latter article. Obviously can't hurt too much to eat a diet high in vitamin-rich whole plant foods.
I did notice that lemon is a 9 on the pH scale - and being of Greek descent, I grew up watching my grandparents' generation squeeze fresh lemon on everything, pretty much every meal of the day. Soup? It got lemon. Eggs? They got lemon. Salad? Lemon. Main course? Lemon. Side course? Lemon. Dessert? Yeah, even lots of those got lemon. I'm sure there's a reason, beyond a taste preference, but as far as health benefits go, I can't definitively report in the positive.
Yes, I wrote my thoughts on this diet earlier tonight. Just eat like your grandparents and you'll be fine!
ReplyDeletehehe if I ate like my grandparents then my overall health wouldn't be too promising. That being said when my parents were eating fried greasy foods, they were cooking them. Even in the heart of a food desert in South Central LA, they had the capacity to grow their own vegetables. We are discussing the ph of our overall diet, but I would love to see testing that compares nutritional and ph components of GMO vs. non GMO food.
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