There are plenty of magazine and web articles touting the benefits of alkaline diets for weight loss or warnings on the harmful effects of the acidity on your body. However, most of these claims are NOT backed by scientific research. What does the science say about the acidity, alkalinity and other pH related effect of food? First, what is the PH? PH is a measure of acidity, presented as a scale ranging from 0 (Extremely acid) to 14 (Extremely alkaline). 7 is neutral (i.e., water has a pH of 7)

Some Foods Are Acidic.

Everyone would agree that lemons are acidic. Ever crunched into a lemon or lime? It’s worth trying (or not!) The wince you’ll do is caused by the acidity of the lemon. Many other foods are acidic to a certain degree, like sodas and juices.

Some foods are alkaline.

Some foods are slightly alkaline (their pH is over 7) such as eggs or baking soda.

When food enters your body, it becomes acidic.

After chewing, food goes into your stomach where it meets hydrochloric acid for digestion of food. Can you guess what’s next? The food in your stomach becomes very acidic, no matter the initial pH of the food.

· If you are eating within your caloric budget, you won’t gain weight

If the total number of calories you consume during the day (including your late night snack or meal) is equal to your energy needs, you won’t gain weight. After all, weight is determined by energy balance (and genetics). In general, if you eat fewer calories than you need, you will lose weight and if you eat more, you will gain.

· The nutritional content of food doesn’t change during the course of a day (or overnight!).

A certain food (i.e., an apple) will provide you the exact same quantity of energy (calories), vitamins and minerals whatever the time of the day you eat it. Eat it during the day- get 100 calories. Eat it at night- get the same 100 calories. **If you let food sit in your fridge for too long, it will contain less vitamins and maybe some extra stuff (bacteria and/or mold!) But this is another topic!