Overview

The Acid Alkaline Diet is based on an understanding of how the acidity or alkalinity of foods affects your body's pH levels. Just as your body has a set temperature of 98.3 degrees, it also has a set pH level within the range of (7.35-7.45) Our bodies tend to lean slightly towards alkaline for optimal health. However the vast majority of the modern processed foods we eat are heavily acidic. This bombardment of acid in our system has caused an imbalance to our natural pH levels, and our bodies protects us from this acid by insulating it, in the form of fat. Not only can a highly acidic diet promote obesity, but can be linked to many forms of disease, according to proponents of the diet.

The diet itself recommends an 80% to 20% ratio of alkaline to acid foods. What are alkaline foods? Leafy green vegetables, non-acidic fruits such tomatoes and avocados, nuts, seeds and grains. According to the diet, rebalancing your alkaline levels neutralizes the acid levels in your body and allows you to effortlessly take off pounds of fat. There are many high profile proponents of this diet including Tony Robbins.

Pros

Veggies: Whatever the scientific basis is, eating lots of green vegetables in your diet is always good for your health. No Processed Foods: In an ideal world, we shouldn't be eating processed food. And this diet aspires to that ideal. Cons

Hard to Follow: Sure we should all be eating more vegetables. You don't need to know about pH levels, or have a PHD to know that. The reason most of us don't, is because it just isn't that fun to do in the long term. Hunger: I find that consuming only vegetables without starches leaves me hungry all the time. Bottom Line

pH levels, acid, alkalinity? Do you really need to understand chemistry to lose weight? No. At the end of the day, this diet works because it has you eating more vegetables and laying off the processed foods. While there's nothing wrong with a diet that recommends an abundance of green vegetables, the challenge with this and many other diets out there, is that it makes losing weight more technical and mysterious than it really needs to be. At the end of the day permanent weight loss comes down to a sensible diet, with a focus on portion control and regular exercise.