Popular in the UK thanks to the backing of celebrities, including Victoria Beckham and Gwyneth Paltrow, this diet removes "
acid-forming foods" and replaces them with "alkaline-forming foods".
Their story goes there are certain foods that are
acid-forming, such as meat, dairy, gluten, sugar, alcohol and caffeine, and avoiding them helps you resist serious diseases.
Of course, given that amino acids are "acids," it would seem likely that every time an amino acid is metabolized, there would be a contribution to an
acid-forming pool.
ACIDIC FOODS Typical
acid-forming foods or items include dairy made from cow's milk, prescription drugs, artificial sweeteners, processed foods like breads and pastas - with gluten - and pastries, animal proteins like meat and fish, protein powders and most starchy vegetables and grains.
Higher
acid-forming diets increased urinary calcium excretion and, in some cases, lowered bone mineral density (British Journal of Nutrition, 2010).
Among the
acid-forming food options are: fish (never fried), seafood of all kinds, bread, cereals, barley, corn, rice, wheat germ, crackers, pancakes, meats (never fried), beef (lean, well done), beef juice, lamb, chicken and turkey.
After eating sugary foods, your mouth must not remain coated with the
acid-forming sugars and other carbohydrates found in sweets.
It also contains 14 appendices dealing with a wide range of important subjects such as serving sizes, foods high in phytoestrogens,
acid-forming and alkali-forming foods, and foods with a low GI.
Eating the right balance of alkaline and
acid-forming foods boosts your wellbeing by improving your metabolism and digestion, energy levels, mental clarity and ultimately, your appearance.
For example, osteoporosis may be exacerbated by consuming more
acid-forming foods (especially soft drinks and meat) than alkaline-forming foods, leading to the bone being constantly forced to give up alkaline minerals (calcium and magnesium) in order to buffer the excess acid.
Eat plenty of fruits and veggies and lower your intake of
acid-forming foods.
Ziem also advises patients to eat protein with each meal, avoid refined carbohydrates, and eat more alkaline-than
acid-forming foods.
acid-forming - yielding an acid in aqueous solution