Western diets with their reliance on processed foods have for some years been seriously disrupting our bodies’ acid-base balance. Find out how you can put this right.
The human body requires a very specific pH level in the blood, in the region of 7.4 (1). This pH is maintained by means of our diet, which is itself influenced by the pH of the environment (land and water).
But intensive farming methods and industrialisation have profoundly affected the pH of our soil and oceans (2). What’s more, the growth of the agro-food industry has exacerbated imbalances, with increases in saturated fats, simple sugars, preservatives and other additives (3).
As a result, our mineral levels suffer as modern Western diets encourage imbalances between potassium and sodium in favour of sodium, and between chloride and bicarbonate, in favour of chloride. These disparities can lead to metabolic acidosis which can be damaging, in particular, for the skeleton. (4)
Note: excess sodium and chloride produce acidity whereas an abundance of potassium, bicarbonate and magnesium induce alkalinity.
When the diet is too acidic, the body is forced to restore acid-base balance by drawing on its resources in potassium and calcium, minerals which have an alkalinising effect.
This use of resources to combat the adverse effects of an unbalanced diet can cause demineralisation. Indeed, numerous studies suggest that an over-acidic diet has a negative effect on bone health (5).
In addition, a diet that’s too acidic, especially one high in animal protein not balanced by sufficient alkaline foods, can lead to calcium in the urine, or calciuria (6), a condition that should be avoided at all costs by those who suffer from kidney stones.
There is also scientific evidence that a more alkaline diet is associated with a better muscle mass index in healthy women (7).
When food is metabolised by the body, the majority of proteins produce acids, while most fruits and vegetables produce alkalis (8).
To restore the right acid-base balance, it therefore makes sense to prioritise a healthy diet high in fruit and vegetables (the ‘alkaline diet’). All the more so as this doesn’t even take into account the acidity of food in the mouth.
Completely counter-intuitively, it seems that sugary foods are actually acidifying for the body, while many acidic-tasting foods are actually basifying or alkalinising. Refined sugar, for example, is one of the main culprits in causing acid-base imbalances, while lemons are among the most alkalinising foods!
The acronym PRAL stands for Potential Renal Acid Load. The higher the PRAL index (above 0), the more acid the food, and the lower, the more alkaline. (9)
Examples: beef has a PRAL of +13.2 (an acid effect), whereas radishes have a PRAL of -3.7 (alkaline effect).
This index has enabled scientists to categorise foods according to their potential acidifying effect on the body.
Thus the most acidic foods are:
Those with a pH of between 5 and 8 include a number of non-processed foods:
And the most alkaline foods are:
Because eating a balanced diet is not about eliminating foods that are too acidic, with the exception of those known to be bad for our health (alcohol, bakery products, processed foods, ready-meals, etc). It is instead about achieving an acid-base balance.
Note: as indicated, tap water normally has a neutral pH, depending on where you live. In some regions, the water is slightly more acidic, and in others, slightly more alkaline (with a pH, in some cases, of up to 8.4).
There’s nothing to say you can’t enjoy a barbecue with friends, even if the barbecued meat (particularly beef) is quite acidifying. Just try and compensate for this acidity by eating a good amount of broccoli or other vegetables at the same meal, making sure you limit the quantity of grains. And why not, for example, offer raisins as an appetiser, or for dessert, with a fruit salad?
You can also choose to take dietary supplements based on alkaline foods such as ginger (with Super Gingerols), spirulina (with Spirulina) or a combination of alkalinising foods (with the comprehensive formulation Alkaline Formula).
Similarly, you could opt for an alkaline water, such as our product Super Water. This not only provides your body with hydration but it has a significantly higher-than-normal pH to help counteract the effects of consuming acidic foods and drinks.
So you now have all the information you need to correct your body’s acidity and restore your acid-base balance.
References
4 Days
Good service - thank you
EM
6 Days
Fast shipper. With the great discounts on repeat orders, it is a good reason, great discount to try something new.
Larry
9 Days
SuperSmart has the best supplements which generally surpass their American counterparts. I have never purchased a SuperSmart product that did not seem effective at its intended purpose. I trust SuperSmart above all other brands.
Ronald S. Smith
9 Days
Fast shipping and a quality product
Alison
11 Days
The associate who helped me was very polite and hekpful.
Wendell
14 Days
Great product. Very fast delivery.
SILVA SANTOS Alice
15 Days
Ordering from Supersmart was easy to understand and navigate. The wait time was surprisingly short and exactly what I wanted. Thank you very much.
RAYFORD Linda
16 Days
Product quality, availability, excellent packaging and timely shipping!
Mohamad Hussein
17 Days
I’ve been buying from here for years. The products have been great and the customer service very helpful.
CORENEVSKY Albert
29 Days
The address correction app put in the incorrect address and I missed it when I hit the accept option. I noticed it when the order was already in route and called customer service to request that they change it to the correct address as the shipper and they were right on top of it. They called me back right away and changed the address. They sent a new email with the tracking information and called me to let me know it was all taken care of. Really happy with the product and customer service.
B Ball
30 Days
Fast service good products.
PERCY
36 Days
GREAT HONEST COMPANY!! FAST SERVICE!
HENDERSON B.
37 Days
EVERYTHING!! NO ISSUES!
DOMINIC
38 Days
The service has been good. However, the telephone and email responses were better before. Most of the products are great. Returns are processed promptly, and I do believe this is an honest and caring company. I plan to continue to buy your products.
DANIEL FORD
41 Days
My order arrived when promised in the condition described
Lisa