For some people, eating highly acidic foods like citrus fruits, tomatoes, onions, chocolate, coffee, and peppermint causes heartburn or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Eating a diet of non-acidic foods may be helpful for managing such conditions.
If you have a burning sensation in the chest or throat upon eating, it may be an indication that stomach acid is backing up in the esophagus. If this happens, your doctor may recommend eating foods that reduce stomach acid.
Other people choose to eat non-acidic foods due to a popular belief that an alkaline diet plan — which includes mostly fruits and vegetables — can prevent or treat cancer.
While eating more plant-based meals can benefit your health in many ways, fruits and vegetables are only one part of a healthy eating pattern. Be sure you understand the complete picture for your individual health, and work with your doctor to decide if an alkaline diet is best for you.
Alkaline Diet Plan Basics
The alkaline diet plan is based on the concept that the body becomes acidic, alkaline, or neutral in response to the mineral components of food. Note that a pH of zero indicates a high level of acidity, seven is considered neutral, and 14 is the most basic, or alkaline.
The theory is that the modern diet of processed foods, saturated fats, and added sugars acidifies the body. This acidity, the theory goes, is said to cause cancer, osteoporosis, and cardiovascular disease, among other health conditions.
In contrast, an alkaline diet plan, also known as an acid-ash diet, is promoted as both a preventive measure and a treatment for these diseases. The acid-ash hypothesis suggests that consuming more fruits and vegetables and only moderate protein allows the body to achieve a more alkaline load.
Proponents of the diet say that dietary changes will raise systemic pH. But a June 2016 review states that foods can alter urine pH, but not blood pH. In addition, any excess acid or base from food is excreted in the urine to help maintain proper pH balance in the body, according to the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR).
According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), there’s no evidence that an alkaline diet can slow, cure, or prevent the recurrence of any disease.
About Non-Acidic Foods
The 2016 review found no clear evidence that an alkaline diet plan can prevent or treat cancer — at least in terms of a food’s acidity or alkalinity. In reality, the human body tightly regulates the acid-base balance in the body via several mechanisms, including kidney and respiratory functions.
These systems are always at work to keep blood pH levels in the neutral range, around 7.35 to 7.45, according to the StatPearls. As such, the food you eat won’t impact blood pH.
At the same time, as the AICR says, eating an alkaline diet still offers numerous health benefits. It’s the vitamin, mineral, fiber, and phytochemical content of fruits and vegetables that work to reduce the risk of certain diseases, supply antioxidants, and reduce inflammation.
In other words, what you eat matters in terms of disease prevention, but perhaps not clearly so in terms of impacting your body’s acidity or alkalinity.
Focus on Healthy Eating Patterns
The key to good health is not simply eating foods that reduce stomach acid but eating a wide variety of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and beans. Limit consumption of red meat and processed meats, and drink alcohol only in moderation.
Eating this way is considered a healthy eating pattern, according to the 2020–2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. These guidelines further suggest eating healthy unsaturated fats, with limited saturated fat and little to no trans fat, preferably. Limiting added sugars and sodium is also recommended.
Generally speaking, the AICR and the NIH say the following food groups are part of an alkaline diet:
- Fruits
- Non-starchy vegetables
- Nuts
- Seeds
- Beans
- Herbs and spices
The AICR and the NIH also says alkaline diets usually limit the following:
- Meat
- Cheese
- Eggs
- Grains
- Ultra-processed foods
- Fish
- Dairy foods
- Coffee
- Healthy oils
The evidence linking a food’s acid content with disease prevention and treatment is not definitive. But the alkaline diet’s focus on consuming more plants and fewer processed foods and refined sugars is a well-accepted measure toward greater health.
