What is the acid-base diet?
The concept of acid-base diet is based on the classification of foods according to their acidic and alkaline effects. It is assumed that there is often an imbalance in the body. It is assumed that the so-called pH value is too low in many parts of the body.
According to the diet model, there would be an excess of acids in the body, which could lead to a so-called “hyperacidity”. It is assumed that this “acidosis” has effects on the health and weight of the body. It is not a question of whether certain foods taste acidic or alkaline, but rather of their effect on the body.
According to the dietary concept, lemons, for example, are among the basic foods. The classification is based on how the ingredients of the food act in the body during conversion and breakdown. According to this, acidic tasting foods can have alkaline effects and vice versa.
Procedure of the diet
According to the dietary concept, the ingested food should consist of 80% of so-called base formers and 20% of so-called acid formers. The acid-base diet lasts four weeks in total. It is divided into three phases.
- The first phase lasts one week and includes soup fasting. In this phase, (basic) soups are on the diet three times a day.
- The second phase lasts 14 days. In this phase, the diet is characterized by vegetable food.
- In the third phase, the 70/30 rule is followed. This means that 70% base formers and 30% acid formers should be taken up with the food. In this phase, the last week of the acid-base diet, mainly basic ingredients are on the menu.
Acid-base diet for rheumatism
According to some authors, the pH value is lower in rheumatic joint diseases in the joints than in healthy joints. The lower the pH-value, the more the acid content seems to predominate. According to some authors, this means that the fluid in the joint space is more acidic.
It is suspected that this acidic fluid causes pain. It is assumed that an alkaline diet can reduce the pain. According to some authors, an acid-base diet followed by a change in diet is recommended for rheumatic joint diseases. These assumptions are controversially discussed.
