What You Should Know About the Alkaline Diet Before You Try It

What is an alkaline diet?

The alkaline diet’s premise is this: Replace acidic foods with alkaline foods and your health will improve. Why would that work, you ask? The theory is that by controlling your body’s pH level (pH is a scientific scale on which acids and bases are measured), you can lose weight and avoid chronic diseases like cancer and heart disease. Also a consideration in some skin care routines, pH levels are measured on a scale from 1 to 14; under seven are the more acidic foods like vinegar, animal fats, and dairy. Over seven are alkaline foods—these mostly include healthful, plant-based foods. When you digest a food, the leftover residue is ash, which can be acidic or alkaline. This is why the alkaline diet is sometimes called the alkaline ash diet. According to proponents of the alkaline diet, acidic ash can be dangerous to your health. By the way, this is what alkaline water does to your body.

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