Acid vs Alkaline Diet: ph level needed

by Hippocrates Health Educator

Acid vs. alkaline diet: being alkaline is crucial because the human blood ph level needs to be on the alkaline side of the equation.

Much of the food we eat is very acidic. I received a question about coffee and meat specifically.

First, let me go back and explain the ph level of human blood. The ph level range is from 0 to 14 with 7 right in the middle. Any number above 7 is alkaline, getting more so as it gets to 14. On the acidic side, the lower the number, the more acidic it is.

The human blood ph level is 7.35 to 7.45, definitely on the alkaline side of the equation. When there is too much acid in the food, the body must neutralize it to protect itself. It does this by “borrowing” calcium from the bones.

Therefore an acidic food like cow’s milk actually deprives the body of calcium because of the neutralizing that occurs and the calcium in the milk cannot actually be processed by the body.

Meat and coffee are both acidic, around the 3.0 ph level. If you are going to indulge in acidic foods at times, you need to offset it with lots of fresh greens, the most alkaline foods there are.

There are many factors in the Hippocrates Health Institute program that combine to help you into accelerated healing. Being on a very alkaline program and away from the acidic foods that we are tempted to eat is an important part of why it works so well.

A really great question in the comments below has prompted me to add that for you who are interested in understanding the science behind these statements and learning a lot more about why eating animal protein weakens the bones: you need to read The China Study by T. Colin Campbell. On page 205 he discusses the research behind this.

But the entire book, The China Study, is the product of several decades of research in China that demonstrated beyond all doubt, at least for me and many others, that meat and dairy are very unhealthy for our bodies.

Watch the video and feel free to leave me your comments or questions.

  • Come,

    I somehow missed this question! I don't think it's possible to become too alkaline. Even if you are 100% raw, there are foods that are more acidic: nuts and seeds, oils, I think avocadoes but I'm not sure. Cooking food also creates more acidity - if you are doing 80% raw, you will need the greens and sprouts which are the most alkaline to balance the cooked food.

    And of course, I'm talking cooked beans or vegetables not animal products.
  • Hi Maria,

    Great question, I should add what I'm going to say below to the post so readers will know where to look for more information.

    If you want to understand the science behind the statement that animal protein actually pulls calcium from the body, thus weakening the bones - you need to read The China Study by T. Colin Campbell.

    On page 205 specifically he cites all the research studies that have demonstrated this. Here is the synopsis:

    "These researches explained that animal protein, unlike plant protein, increases the acid load in the body. An increased acid load means that our blood and tissues become more acidic...In order to neutralize the acid, the body uses calcium...which ends up being pulled from the bones, and the calcium loss weakens them, putting them at greater risk for fracture."
  • Maria Viale-Rigo
    I wish I could get more cientific details about this statement mentioned in the text "Therefore an acidic food like cow’s milk actually deprives the body of calcium because of the neutralizing that occurs and the calcium in the milk cannot actually be processed by the body".
    Thank you in advance. Maria
  • Côme
    Is it possible to become too alkaline? I'm concerned because my stomach doesn't produce enough hydrochloric acid. On the Hippocrates diet, which foods bring the small amount of acidity needed to function optimally? Thank you in advance.
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