Q: I just wanted to get your opinion on this whole acid alkaline craze amongst the vegan world. Do you think we need tons of greens to mineralize the body? ~Kasey
A: For starters, as for the issue of “minerals”, although plant foods are mineral rich we don’t absorb minerals from plant foods as efficiently as we do from protein-based foods. Keep in mind that vitamin D3 is needed in order to absorb calcium (found exclusively in animal source foods and synthesized less reliably from sunlight, depending on availability of cholesterol and D2…as well as proper sunlight/UVB), as is hydrochloric acid. Vitamin D requires the presence of fat, too, in order to be properly absorbed and utilized…and it needs balanced levels of preformed retinoic acid (vitamin A—NOT beta carotene), also, in order to be properly utilized. Calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, iron and many other minerals MUST be ionized in the gut by the action of hydrochloric acid, produced significantly only in the presence of protein foods. Cows and other herbivores (which we are not) have a physiological design that allows them to extract plant nutrients more efficiently (i.e., 4-stomachs, cud-chewing) and spend literally all day eating and digesting in order to get those nutrients sufficiently. Herbivores, incidentally, do not produce hydrochloric acid.
Now, as for acid/alkaline…
The acid/alkaline-thing is a complicated subject.
Although a great deal of lip service is given to this idea it is poorly understood, even by many of its proponents. Whenever you are talking about acid or alkaline you need to start with knowing what area of the body you are talking about. Salivary pH is entirely separate from urinary pH, the pH of the stomach (which we want as acid as possible), the pH of the bowels and the pH of the blood. One does not accurately reflect the other. Blood pH must ALWAYS be maintained between 7.35-7.45 or we die. It is not diet that regulates this, but breathing (regulating a balance between CO2 and bicarbonate). Measuring tools used to determine your “pH” with urine and salivary paper strips can be misleading in their conclusions. For instance, too low/acidic a salivary pH may be more reflective of essential fatty acid deficiencies that “alkaline veggie deficiencies”.
I think of the “alkalizing effect” of things like fresh lemon juice, fibrous or green leafy vegetables, and green drinks as essentially helping to take the general burden off the buffering system. I think there is a legitimate value to this where so many modern day pollutants give our inherent buffering system such constant challenge. As such, I am a fan of consuming larger quantities of fibrous vegetables, greens and green drinks than our ancestors probably ever needed. Of course, too, keep in mind that it takes a good ten servings of spinach today to get the nutrient value from what we got from a single serving of spinach just 50 years ago. Welcome to the modern world. Does this mean we all need to become herbivores? Of course not. It does mean that it makes more sense nowadays to eat a wide variety and greater amount of fibrous vegetables and greens. There’s also the whole phytonutrient and antioxidant thing to consider.
I think a lot of the benefit assigned to “alkaline diets” is largely due to the detoxifying effects of plant and raw plant oriented foods. That’s my opinion. Remember, though…detoxifying is not necessarily rebuilding. We need complete protein and sufficient varieties of natural fats for that.
I hope this helps!
~ Nora
Primal Body Primal Mind
Nora is 100% correct here.
The pH of the body is primarily governed by breathing and correcting dysfunctional breathing patterns will more effectively ‘balance’ pH than any dietary changes.
That said, foods that are nutritionally deficient can of course affect us negatively so if we are eating those foods we will also be ‘out of balance’ and a change in diet can be of great benefit.
Combine that with good breathing practices and improved health will follow.
John
Nora, this is the clearest discussion of acid/alkaline balance I have ever read. I knew that desirable levels were different in various parts of the body, and practically nobody even acknowledges that. I think this is an area where a little knowledge can be dangerous, and many people with a little knowledge (but not a lot) are spouting theories about what to eat to maintain a healthy acid/alkaline balance. I agree with your idea that in the modern world we probably need vegetables more than our ancestors did because of the greatly increased toxic load our bodies have to deal with, and the reduced nutritive value of plants grown in mineral-deficient soils. You can’t get something from nothing. It’s amazing how many intelligent people think that just because a seed grows into a plant, it will maximize its genetic potential, no matter the conditions under which it is grown. Thanks for this.