The Ph of Paleo
If one of the benefits of following the Paleo diet is that it yields a net alkaline pH in the body, how does meat factor in, since it’s got an acidic value on the pH scale? And what about citrus fruits; aren’t they quite acidic?
Two words: big picture.
Yes, meat in and of itself has an acidic pH, as do tangerines (perhaps the most acidic in the citrus family, with a pH of 3.9), but when Paleo is executed properly and an abundance of fresh veggies are consumed throughout the day, all of which are incredibly alkaline, the net-net at the end of the day is the body’s pH being alkaline.
We know from The Paleo Diet, by Dr. Cordain, that dairy products, then grains, are far more acidic than meats when we make a collective categorization. For example, his chart shows the following non-Paleo foods to be very acidic:
- Brown rice +12.5
- Rolled oats + 10.7
- Parmesan cheese + 34.2
- Processed cheese +28.7
- Peanuts + 8.3
While the following Paleo foods are quite alkaline:
- Raisins -21.0
- Black currants -6.5
- Bananas 5.5
- Spinach -14.0
- Celery 5.2
Above is merely a small sampling of the acidic and basic foods one might choose to consume, but again, if each meal is made largely of fresh, local veggies, natural fat (like avocado or coconut oil) and protein, like wild salmon and this model is followed, the net takeaway at the end of the day is an alkaline body.
Basic Balance, literally.
