Acid foods and the acid-base balance
Every food we eat has to be processed by our body. In the process, countless physical and chemical processes take place, the degradation products of which affect us and influence our health. The reactions are different for each food group. They are categorised into acid-forming and alkaline-forming groups. In order to neutralise an acid-forming food, the body must provide bases. If we eat too much acidic food, our body's own buffering system can reach its limits: Excess acids accumulate, the acid-base balance becomes imbalanced and we find ourselves in a state of hyperacidity.
In this report, we have summarised the consequences of such a diet for our health and especially for our kidneys, what the PRAL value means and how easy it is to reduce acidic foods.
What is the acid-base balance?
Acids and bases play an important role for our organism and it needs a balanced acid-base balance to function properly. The pH value can be used to measure whether a solution is acidic or alkaline. pH values from 0 to 6.5 are described as acidic, pH values from 7.5 to 14 as alkaline. A pH value of 7 is considered neutral.
After eating a lot of meat and possibly even a dessert afterwards, a lot of acid is produced and our acid-base balance can get mixed up. You can counteract this by eating as many alkaline foods as possible, as an alkaline diet is particularly rich in alkaline minerals, which neutralise the excess acid and shift the pH value back into the alkaline range. For a balanced sense of well-being, it can help to aim for an alkaline-rich diet. The ratio of alkaline to acid-forming foods should always be around 80 to 20 or 70 to 30. Simply integrating fruit and vegetables into your diet a little more often can easily help you to restore the balance of your acid-base balance. The PRAL value (Potential Renal Acid Load) of food is used to assess the influence of food on our acid-base balance. The value describes the extent to which 100 g of the food has an acidic or alkaline effect on our metabolism and kidneys.
Why is acid-alkaline balance important?
Our organism stores excess acids primarily in connective tissue, which is found in all areas of the body. It serves as protection against damage, is elastic and can store water. It also plays a central role in the body's defence against pathogens. According to alkaline nutritional theory, excess acids bind to alkaline minerals and form salts. Together with acids, these salts are deposited in cells, tissue and the connective tissue of all organs. Persistent hyperacidity can therefore lead to chronic conditions such as sleep and digestive disorders, allergies and osteoarthritis.
The effects of hyperacidity go even further: our blood is alkaline in a healthy state. Severe acidosis can cause the blood to reach an acidic pH value, which makes the red blood cells rigid and immobile, preventing them from reaching the fine veins. The consequences of this are particularly frequent cold hands or feet.
What are the symptoms of hyperacidity?
Excessive intake of acid-forming foods causes the acid-base balance to become unbalanced and the body to become hyperacidic. The consequences can be tiredness and exhaustion, a reduced ability to concentrate, nervousness and stress as well as muscle and joint complaints, among other things.
In the case of chronic acidosis, the body is unable to completely remove the acids and toxins produced due to insufficient buffering capacity of the blood and body cells. If the acid load is not compensated for in the long term, this can have a negative effect on the calcium balance and therefore also on the bone structure. In order to buffer the acids, the body removes calcium from the bones and osteoporosis can develop.
The human organism only has a certain capacity to neutralise acids. If this capacity is exhausted because too many acids are ingested, the acids are temporarily stored in connective and fatty tissue. If the body is constantly supplied with acids or produces more and more itself without being able to excrete them, this can lead to a variety of complaints: Connective tissue and skin age and sag prematurely. Wrinkles can form and cellulite can develop.
Acids also affect the autonomic nervous system, which is responsible for heartbeat, digestion, sleep and breathing. The consequences can include fatigue, sleep disorders, concentration problems, forgetfulness or an increased number of stress hormones.
A hyperacidity can also exacerbate or contribute to a variety of skin conditions, such as acne, neurodermatitis or eczema. Skin and mucous membranes form an acidic environment and therefore provide ideal conditions for fungi to colonise and multiply. As a result, mycoses (fungal infections) of the skin, nails, intestines and vagina can develop.
Acid deposits only lead to noticeable impairments such as pain and inflammation at a late stage, when the acid stores are no longer sufficient and the salts are deposited as crystals in joints, muscles, tendons, ligaments, intervertebral discs, nerves and blood vessels. This can also lead to health problems such as tension and gout, as well as a significant restriction in the mobility of affected joints.
An alkaline diet with plenty of fruit and vegetables can help you to support the acid-alkaline balance in the long term and minimise the risk of the diseases mentioned.
How to regulate your acid-alkaline balance?
The basis for an alkaline diet is a division into alkaline foods and acid-forming foods. Alkaline foods are all those that the body metabolises into so-called bases. For this purpose, foods are not only assessed according to whether they consist predominantly of carbohydrates, fats or proteins, but also according to whether they form more bases or more acids in the body.
The Swedish chemist Carl Gustav Ragnar Berg (1875-1956) is considered the founder of the "base theory". After much research and study, he published the first "acid-base tables" in 1913, followed in 1977 by scientific tables from the company Ciba-Geigy, in which the acid-base value of foods was also given.
In 1995, the professors Friedrich Manz MD and Thomas Remer MD then calculated new tables for evaluating the acid and base effects of foods using a new formula, the so-called PRAL formula. The PRAL value calculated is a measure of how high the expected acid load on the kidneys is.
Plant-based products in particular, i.e. vegetables, fruit, herbs, seeds and many types of nuts, are considered alkaline foods. An important characteristic of alkaline foods is that they are rich in minerals. By consuming alkaline-forming foods, you can detoxify your body in a gentle and digestible way and subject it to an effective deacidification programme.
Which foods are acid-forming?
Acid-forming foods include foods that are particularly rich in protein, for example animal products such as fish, meat, eggs, milk and dairy products (including cheese) and vegetable protein sources such as cereals and pulses. Sugar and sweets, asparagus, Brussels sprouts, artichokes, bread, eggs, ice cream, soft drinks (cola drinks: in addition to the high sugar content, the phosphoric acid content affects the acid-base balance), sweets, black and white tea, fruit tea, cereals (exception: millet and buckwheat have no acidifying effect), pulses such as peas and lentils, coffee, margarine, refined oils and vinegar.
What can you eat to deacidify your body?
Foods that have a high proportion of alkaline minerals, such as potassium, magnesium and calcium, but a low proportion of proteins, are usually metabolised by the body in an alkaline way. These are known as alkaline foods, as are most types of fruit, vegetables, herbs and seeds. Such an alkaline diet can balance the acid-alkaline balance and reduce acidosis and also compensate for chronic acidosis.
What do acidic foods mean during pregnancy?
During pregnancy, the natural elimination of metabolic waste and toxins is restricted by the absence of menstruation. The degree of slagging increases month after month. The pH value of the body fluids, e.g. the amniotic fluid, drops and the body fluids thicken, so that the cells in the body are less well supplied with nutrients and oxygen. In addition, waste products from the cells are no longer removed sufficiently and in good time, thereby irritating the cells.
The uterine lining serves as a temporary storage facility for excess acids. If its capacity is exhausted, the body mobilises more mineral deposits from other parts of the body.
However, tendons, muscles and teeth also suffer from excess acid. Expectant mothers need more calcium to protect their teeth - but during pregnancy, this is available to the child first. Acid-related mineral deficiency leads to an increased susceptibility to tooth decay in mothers. Heartburn is also a typical problem that almost every pregnant woman has to deal with. The pressure of the uterus on the stomach increases. This makes it easier for stomach acid to enter the oesophagus and cause the unpleasant burning sensation. It is therefore particularly important to ensure a balanced acid-base balance. Acidosis during pregnancy can also affect the health of the child (e.g. dry, inflamed skin, allergies...).
If the acid-base balance gets out of balance, complaints arise in the short or long term. Pregnancy symptoms can make pregnancy and later the postpartum period difficult.
What do acid-base tablets or alkaline powders do?
Acid-base powders and alkaline tablets provide the body with important minerals and vitamins. In addition to an alkaline-oriented diet, they can help the body to neutralise acids and excrete excess acids and waste products. To support the kidneys in the excretion process, it is recommended to drink at least 1.5 to 2.5 litres of liquid per day. Unsweetened herbal tea and mineral water are particularly helpful here.
Does mineral water have an acidic or alkaline pH value?
Some people fear that their body will become over-acidic if they drink carbonated mineral water. In fact, carbonated water has a lower pH value than non-carbonated water. Tap water and still water usually have a pH value of around 7, while sparkling water can have a pH value of 5.5 due to the carbon dioxide it contains - and is therefore chemically acidic. This is why naturopaths sometimes advise against carbonated drinks.
However, the German Nutrition Society (DGE) gives the all-clear: the carbon dioxide it contains is quite unstable and quickly breaks down into its components CO2 and H2O. When the bottle is opened, the carbon dioxide escapes with a hiss (in the form of CO2). The remaining part decomposes in the stomach. This causes you to burp or some of it enters the bloodstream via the digestive tract and is exhaled unnoticed through the lungs. This means that carbonated water does not contribute to acidification of the body.
You can find more information about alkaline foods here in our article.
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