Alkaline fasting is intended to bring an overly acidic body back into balance and thus help against numerous civilization diseases. But how does alkaline fasting work and do you need it at all?
Alkaline fasting was developed in 1997, but the concept of alkaline nutrition is much older. What’s behind it? The organs of the human body can only work properly under certain conditions. This includes a certain acidity, which is also known as the pH value. According to the advocates of alkaline nutrition, the wrong diet can “overacidify” the body. Then the organs no longer work properly and diseases threaten. Base fasting should help to restore the correct acidity.
Base fasting: This is how the diet works
The basic idea of alkaline fasting is simple: you only eat alkaline foods for a period of your choice – i.e. foods that supply your body with bases instead of acids.
So no more lemons? But. An acidic food does not necessarily make your body acidic. Because the body can easily break down many acids, such as citric acid. Instead, compounds with sulfur or phosphorus in particular are said to form acids during digestion. Sulfur and phosphorus occur naturally in some amino acids. These are often found in animal and vegetable proteins.
That’s why you mainly avoid animal products during base fasting. You eat a lot of fruits and vegetables because they are supposed to have an alkaline effect in the body.
Alkaline fasting: the most important foods
According to the SWR, these foods are particularly alkaline-forming:
fruit
many types of vegetables, especially lettuce
Herbs
Mushrooms, seeds and nuts are also part of base fasting.
The following foods are considered particularly acidic:
meat
sausage
hard cheese
Fish
seafood
eggs
Grain products, legumes and most dairy products are also supposed to form acids rather than bases and do not belong on your menu when you are fasting on bases.
In addition to alkaline foods, you should drink two to three liters of water or unsweetened herbal tea every day. Both should not only quench thirst, but also have an alkaline effect. You should avoid alcohol.
Note: You should avoid processed foods such as sweets or fast food during an alkaline fast, even if they are not necessarily all acid-forming. Because many ready meals contain sulfur or phosphorus compounds as additives.
Base fasting: the state of the art
In fact, the acid or base-forming effects of certain foods have been proven. This is confirmed by the German Society for Nutrition (DGE) in Spiegel. Accordingly, the composition of the urine after eating clearly shows whether a food is acidic or alkaline.
But regardless of whether the body forms acids or bases after eating: it has numerous mechanisms at its disposal to keep the pH values of the individual organs constant. According to the Association of Independent Health Advice (UGB), the blood in particular must have a pH value of 7.4 throughout. Even small fluctuations affect the processes in the body. The body can therefore dispose of excess acids, for example via the kidneys. Or he exhales more CO2 – also an acid.
According to Spiegel, a life-threatening hyperacidity (“acute metabolic acidosis”) can only be caused by certain diseases and must be treated immediately by a doctor. So is alkaline fasting superfluous?
Base fasting against “latent acidosis”
Scientists suspect that a highly acid-forming diet can cause “latent acidosis”. This means that the pH of the blood is constantly at the lower (acidic) limit of the healthy range.
The blood then has to balance the acidity by using the body’s own minerals – including calcium from the bones. This is said to increase the risk of osteoporosis.
Der Spiegel adds that a long-term acidic diet increases the level of the stress hormone cortisol in the blood. This could potentially lead to high blood pressure.
According to the science program Quarks & Co, the risk of kidney stones should also increase.
However, the show also notes that all of these connections have yet to be proven. Experts from Stiftung Warentest come to the same conclusion. In fact, it is very difficult to find meaningful studies on this subject.
Regardless of that, you would have to eat extremely unhealthily to permanently acidify your body. According to Der Spiegel, there is no risk if you eat a balanced diet and eat fruit and vegetables regularly. Base fasting is not necessary – especially not with the help of dietary supplements.
Base fasting: healthy or questionable?
According to the current state of research, you do not have to protect your body from acidification by alkaline fasting. Base fasting for a limited time is not harmful to health either.
Compared to other diets, base fasting has the advantage that you can basically eat when and how much you want. Choosing the right (alkaline) foods is not always easy. The UGB complains that the information on how which foods work varies greatly depending on the source – and is not always backed up by scientific findings.
However, alkaline fasting is unsuitable for a permanent change in diet: According to the DGE, the body lacks important nutrients in the long run. You should eat a varied diet over the long term rather than going on short-term diets. The ten rules of the DGE for a balanced diet and the Utopia seasonal calendar for fresh fruit and vegetables from your region offer good orientation.
Important warning: Alkaline fasting is unsuitable if you suffer from an eating disorder, are pregnant or have an advanced chronic disease. In this case, seek medical advice.