MISCONCEPTION ABOUT ALKALINE FOODS AND BAKING SODA.

There is much hype on social media about alkaline foods and baking soda, their role in treatment of cancer & other diseases. But, in actual, scenario is different.

WHAT IS ALKALINITY? Neutral pH (hydrogen ion concentration) of the body is 7, if the pH is above 7, it is alkalinity and if the pH is below 7, it is acidity. Alkaline foods and baking soda have their pH values above 7.

But stomach's  inside pH is between 1 to 3, highly acidic. When even alkaline food is taken, stomach's walls secrete acid to neutralize excess alkalinity ( stomach's pH rises to about 4 or 5. As this level is still below 7,contents remain in acidic range). Acidity is needed by the enzymes (Pepsin) of the stomach to work on the food inside the stomach. Small intestine's pH is 8,alkaline. Food becomes more alkaline as the food traverses the intestine. Alkalinity of intestine  is needed for the proper functioning of intestinal enzymes and digestion.

After digestion food enters blood to be carried to different parts of the body, but blood has pH about 7.4, slightly alkaline and is kept constant by the chemical buffers present in the blood aided by kidney and lungs. ...........So even when you have taken an alkaline or acidic diet,or some alkali or acid is directly injected into blood, this pH tends to remain constant. if body's buffer systems can not cope with either excess alkali or acid, then it is an emergency and can be life threatening, conditions called alkalosis or acidosis.

Actually no cell,either cancerous or normal can survive a constant high alkaline environment. Experiments done in a Petri dish do not mimic body environment.

           WHY MOST OF HEALTHY FOODS ARE ALKALINE ?

Reason is probably related to their actual content and their stability or related to their less perishablity compared to acidic foods.