Can alkaline foods change your blood pH levels?
Written by
Natalie Hamilton
Reviewed by
Prof. William Dalton, Ph.D.It is a commonly held belief that alkaline foods can influence blood pH levels, but this is a persistent misunderstanding. Your body maintains its own strict pH balance through systems that operate independently of food. Blood pH skews constantly between 7.35 and 7.45. This stability is derived from the complex functions of various organs.
Kidney Function
- Process: Filters acids into urine
- Action: Reabsorbs bicarbonate buffers
- Capacity: Processes 150-200 liters daily
- Outcome: Maintains blood pH stability
Lung Contribution
- Process: Adjusts breathing rate
- Action: Controls carbon dioxide levels
- Response: Faster breathing releases acids
- Outcome: Fine-tunes acid-base balance
Digestive Neutralization
- Process: Stomach acid breakdown
- Action: Pancreas secretes bicarbonate
- Result: Neutralizes foods before absorption
- Outcome: Prevents dietary pH influence
Variations in urine pH are primarily caused by the removal of waste products from the body. After eating alkaline foods, the kidneys excrete surplus alkaline minerals efficiently, which makes the urine temporarily alkaline. The pH of the blood remains unaffected. I explain to my clients that the test strips for urine can measure only the efficiency of removal.
The complete digestive process neutralises all food before absorption takes place. Thereafter, the food is digested in gastric juices, the acid of which quickly breaks down the alkaline foods. The pancreas then secretes bicarbonate into its juices, which neutralizes the mixture, allowing the nutrients to enter the bloodstream at a neutral pH. Therefore, there is no food influence on the blood chemistry.
The practical significance is related to the quality of food, not the pH scale. You should choose nutrient-dense plants to get the associated vitamins and minerals. Don't waste time manipulating pH. Your body's organs will automatically regulate the acid-base balance as needed to provide nutrients. You should eat food for nourishment and not based on pH theories.
Read the full article: Alkaline Diet Benefits Explained Clearly
