Alkaline & Acid Foods - Clearing Out Confusion

The purpose of this article is to clear out, once and for all, how to obtain an ideal alkaline/ acid balance in the body, and why this is useful. It is mostly to do with diet and alkaline & acid foods but there is so much information and confusion out there regarding what to eat to achieve the ideal acid-alkaline balance. Everyone seems to agree that green vegetables are lemons are alkalizing to the body, but that's where the similarities seem to stop! And even that is confusing since lemons are acidic but have an alkalizing effect on the body. Nevertheless, a lot of sense can be made quite easily of these confusions when looking a bit deeper into the topic.

Jump to Chapter:
Alkaline and acid foods, other alkalizing methods
Are Fruits Acidic Because of Their Sugar?
Why Lemons Are Not Acidic to the Body
Negative Ions
Negative Ions as Antioxidants
The Alkaline Effect of Sunshine
Protein is Acidic!
All Cooked, Processed and Heated Foods Are Acidic
Hydrogen and its H- Ion as Energy Currency in Life Forms
Conclusions: Benefits of Alkalizing
Books on Alkaline Lifestyle

pH, Negative Ions, Antioxidants

The ideal pH for the human body is pH 7.356. This can be measured at home from saliva or from urine using pH paper or litmus paper, available to buy for example from Amazon. Basically this means that our blood has to stay between the pH levels of 7.35 and 7.45 - a lower figure being too acidic and a higher figure being too alkaline (also called 'basic'). Thus it can be said that our blood has to remain slightly alkaline at all times. Generally, the easiest way to achieve this pH is through alkaline & acid foods.

pH-value is the measurement for 'potential hydrogen'. pH measures the hydrogen ion (H+) concentration or activity of a solution. Solutions with a pH of less than 7 are said to be 'acidic' and solutions with a pH greater than 7 are 'alkaline'.

When something is acidic, it also means that it has more positively charged hydrogen ions and when it is alkaline, it has more negatively charged hydrogen ions. An ion is an atom or a molecule with an electric charge, meaning, that it does not have an equal number of electrons and positrons. Electrons are always negatively charged by definition. So an ion with a negative charge has more electrons and an ion with a positive charge has more positrons.

You may have heard of negative ionizers or the benefits of negative ions? Negative ion is a loose term for an H- ion, or a negative hydrogen ion. So we seek air or water which has 'negative ions' for its health benefits we are really seeking air with negative hydrogen ions - in other words - alkaline air.

"It appears that this tiny and lightweight ion was the original antioxidant for all life forms on earth, and is likely the single most optimal antioxidant for life forms even today. However, this ion is rather fragile in our biosphere, and it is easily driven off or destroyed by processing, bleaching, blanching, or heat. It appears that our ancestors likely ingested a significant amount of this ion in their daily food and water intake, while we modern ("civilized") folk often receive very little in our diets."
- Vinny Pinto's H-minus Ion Website: "The Negative Hydrogen Ion, aka Hydride Ion or Active Hydrogen" ( H-minus-ion.vpinf.com )

The above website is actually a brilliant source of detailed information about the H- ion and its health effects.

All this to say that alkaline foods and substances always contain negatively charged hydrogen ions (H-), which act as antioxidants in the body. Antioxidants, in turn, fight harmful oxidation in the human body, which has been linked to free radical formation. There are reports that free radicals also serve a purpose for the human body but without antioxidants keeping their activity in check, they are now commonly accepted to cause cellular damage.

I will, from now on, use the term 'negative ions' for 'negative hydrogen ions', for ease of conversation, although this term is strictly speaking incorrect. Also keep in mind that sometimes the negative hydrogen ion can be bound with another atom, forming e.g. OH- ions, which still have the same positive effect on the body and human health. When these ions are in equal proportions, the pH is a neutral 7. Water (H2O) ionizes into hydrogen (H+) and hydroxyl (OH-) ions. When there are more H+ ions than OH- ions then the water is said to be acidic.

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Jump to Chapter:
pH, Negative Ions, Antioxidants
Are Fruits Acidic Because of Their Sugar?
Why Lemons Are Not Acidic to the Body
Negative Ions
Negative Ions as Antioxidants
The Alkaline Effect of Sunshine
Protein is Acidic!
All Cooked, Processed and Heated Foods Are Acidic
Hydrogen and its H- Ion as Energy Currency in Life Forms
Conclusions: Benefits of Alkalizing
Books on Alkaline Lifestyle

A short list of alkaline & acid foods as well as other alkalizing methods...

These sound like odd lists for most readers, for sure, but it is all explainable in scientific terms and I will go through each point in what follows.

As you read on, please keep in mind that the pH scale goes from 0 to 14 and is 'logarithmic', which means that each step is ten times the previous. In other words, a pH of 4.5 is 10 times more acid than 5.5, 100 times more acid than 6.5 and 1,000 times more acid than 7.5.

For example, soda pop has been reported to be the most acidic beverage you can buy, with a typical pH of 2.5. This means that it is some 100,000 times more acidic than our blood! Beer, on the other hand, typically has a pH value around 4, still making it very acidic but not quite as bad as fizzy drinks.

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Jump to Chapter:
pH, Negative Ions, Antioxidants
Alkaline and acid foods, other alkalizing methods
Why Lemons Are Not Acidic to the Body
Negative Ions
Negative Ions as Antioxidants
The Alkaline Effect of Sunshine
Protein is Acidic!
All Cooked, Processed and Heated Foods Are Acidic
Hydrogen and its H- Ion as Energy Currency in Life Forms
Conclusions: Benefits of Alkalizing
Books on Alkaline Lifestyle

Are Fruits Acidic Because of Their Sugar?

This has been one of the biggest points of confusion for me whenever following the acid/ alkaline conversation. Many proponents of alkaline lifestyles say that fruits, such as apples, are acidic because of their natural sugar content.

Now, sugar itself is neither acidic nor alkaline! It is in fact neutral in terms of its pH. However, refined sugar, by contrast, is very acidic!

"Refined sugars are very acidic. And because the body needs to be in an alkaline environment, it will steal calcium from bones in order to create a non-acidic environment, which causes the bones to become brittle and leads to many bone disorders. You must know that an acidic environment will decrease your body's ability to absorb the nutrients that it needs. It will also decrease your body's ability to repair damaged cells and the ability to detoxify heavy metals."
- Livestrong: "5 Things You Need to Know About Sugars"

Searching on the internet, I found this statement: "Sugar in orange makes it acidic." This is in fact wrong. The sugar in orange is a natural form of sugar which will be fine in the body. Processed and refined sugars, however, are highly acidifying to the body because they leach alkaline minerals from the body. Other demineralized 'foods' such as white flour have the same problem. So when you think of alkaline & acid foods, think first of all of wholefoods and unprocessed foods to alkalize.

"Dr. Martin classified refined sugar as a poison because it has been depleted of its life forces, vitamins and minerals. "What is left consists of pure, refined carbohydrates. The body cannot utilize this refined starch and carbohydrate unless the depleted proteins, vitamins and minerals are present. Nature supplies these elements in each plant in quantities sufficient to metabolize the carbohydrate in that particular plant." [...]

"Refined sugar is lethal when ingested by humans because it provides only that which nutritionists describe as "empty" or "naked" calories. It lacks the natural minerals which are present in the sugar beet or cane.
In addition, sugar is worse than nothing because it drains and leaches the body of precious vitamins and minerals through the demand its digestion, detoxification and elimination makes upon one's entire system. [...]

"Sugar taken every day produces a continuously overacid condition, and more and more minerals are required from deep in the body in the attempt to rectify the imbalance."

- Global Healing Centre: Refined Sugar - The Sweetest Poison of All... ( Globalhealingcenter.com )

Keep in mind, also, that too much mass-farmed, hybrid fruit could be a problem, however:

"According to Brian Clement from the Hippocrates Institute, fruit we buy has 22 times more sugar than wild fruit due to its hybridisation for the commercial markets. According to some sources this high level of sugar induces loss of alkaline minerals in the urine."
"Body Electronics: Acid and Alkaline Forming Foods" by Peter Hinde ( Bodyelectronicsorg.iammendel.com )

So even organic fruit could have an acidic influence on the body, as organic does not necessarily mean that it is not hybridized! Hybridized basically means that the plant has been bred to have certain qualities, such as in the case of many fruits and potatoes, an unnatural amount of sugar. Hybridized, human-manipulated foods are always weaker than wild foods, and in the case of fruits it seems that they can unfortunately end up being acid-forming in the body.

For best results, buy as wild fruit as possible, and organic will most always be better. If you can pick your own berries from the forest or find natural fruit trees, that is the best source. So in a sense alkaline & acid foods are wild foods & 'domesticated', human-altered foods, respectively.

If you are forced to partly eat non-organic fruit, like me, I would recommend doing some research on the most domesticated fruits in your country and eating less of those. Perhaps sometimes the less sweet fruits are a safer option. Seedless fruit should ring alarm bells, since they are typically so hybridized and weakened that they can't reproduce anymore. An example of these are seedless grapes, which in my experience are much sweeter than normal, seeded grapes. Avoid those! I have also heard a rumour about real, non-hybridized bananas, available in tropical countries, which have larger seeds inside them.

The way I will personally approach this problem is to eat partly organic and partly non-organic fruit, and to monitor both my saliva and urine pH levels as well as my blood sugar levels for a while, to establish what works well for me. I am only starting this experiment now and will return here to report my findings.

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Jump to Chapter:
pH, Negative Ions, Antioxidants
Alkaline and acid foods, other alkalizing methods
Are Fruits Acidic Because of Their Sugar?
Negative Ions
Negative Ions as Antioxidants
The Alkaline Effect of Sunshine
Protein is Acidic!
All Cooked, Processed and Heated Foods Are Acidic
Hydrogen and its H- Ion as Energy Currency in Life Forms
Conclusions: Benefits of Alkalizing
Books on Alkaline Lifestyle

Why Lemons Are Not Acidic to the Body

So the matter of alkaline & acid foods is not always as simple as measuring the actual pH level of the food itself. It is the food's effect on the body that we are concerned with. Lemons are known to be acidic, yet, they have an alkalizing effect on the body. In other words, lemons are said to be "alkaline-yielding".

"One point that routinely confuses people is that in foods such as vinegar and lemon which are obviously acidic in nature, the organic acids can be broken down and eliminated easily as carbon dioxide through the lungs, so they are still considered alkaline forming foods in their final reaction in the body. These organic acids are known in chemistry as weak acids since they do not increase the acidity of a medium as much as the strong acids such as the previously mentioned sulphic and phosphoric acids."
- "Body Electronics: Acid and Alkaline Forming Foods" by Peter Hinde

In addition, lemons have electrolyte minerals in them. The four electrolytes present in lemons are calcium, potassium, magnesium and a trace of sodium. When in their natural form, these minerals are alkalizing to the body:

"Plant calcium is alkaline, and works with magnesium, sodium and potassium to alkalize the fluids of the body. These elements are called electrolytes."
- Dr. Robert Morse (p. 99, The Detox Miracle Sourcebook)

So in terms of alkaline & acid foods, what is alkaline-yielding is important. This makes lemons, and other electrolyte-rich wholefoods generally alkalizing.

Jump to top of article
Jump to Chapter:
pH, Negative Ions, Antioxidants
Alkaline and acid foods, other alkalizing methods
Are Fruits Acidic Because of Their Sugar?
Why Lemons Are Not Acidic to the Body
Negative Ions as Antioxidants
The Alkaline Effect of Sunshine
Protein is Acidic!
All Cooked, Processed and Heated Foods Are Acidic
Hydrogen and its H- Ion as Energy Currency in Life Forms
Conclusions: Benefits of Alkalizing
Books on Alkaline Lifestyle

Negative Ions

Negative hydrogen ions, as explained in the beginning of this article, are alkalizing.

"H- is formed easily in water, ice or moisture laden air (water vapor) via exposure to ionizing radiation, an electrical discharge (plasma or spark), or an electrical current in water strong enough to produce electrolysis."

"... anyone consuming relatively fresh, and unheated and untreated (and unfiltered) water from any of the following sources may also consume a significant amount of H- ions:
- high-altitude glacial runoff streams
- high-altitude mountain wells and springs
- some deep wells in relatively stable geological formations..."

"In nature, ions are formed in a variety of ways. About half are created by radioactive gases. Radioactive substances in the soil, cosmic rays, ultraviolet rays, air flow friction, falling water and plants all produce the other half. For example, they stream off the leaves of plants, most notably pines and asparagus ferns.

"Ions are apparently also created by the phenomenon of "subterranean suspiration." As Fred Soyka, author of The Ion Effect, told the first Ions and Light Conference held this summer in Atherton, California: 'Solar and lunar influences cause the water table to rise, forcing air out of the earth.' This prompted Federal Aviation Administration research psychologist, Bruce Rosenberg, to charge the earth with having 'bad breath'. Being negatively charged, he said, 'it breathes positive ions.' [...]

"Normally only about one atom in 100,000,000,000,000,000 is ionized, making a total of maybe 1000-2000 ions per cubic centimeter (that's like a handful of planets floating in a circle 4 billion miles in diameter). These are usually balanced pretty evenly between positive and negative, with a slight edge toward positive. "However, the normal may not be the optimal," Fred Soyka told New Realities. "On the seashore, where water is always falling, you have about 2000 negative to 1000 positive. That seems to be the ratio that human beings respond to most favorably."

"We have all experienced this positive effect, regardless of our proximity to waterfall or the ocean. Every home has a built-in, natural ionizer- the shower. Our daily bath rituals are, in effect, the practice of preventive medicine. Research has shown that falling water creates thousands of negative ions by splitting otherwise neutral particles of air, freeing electrons to manifest their vitalizing function. These electrons join up with smaller air particles, thus giving them a predominantly negative charge."

- "Negative Ions - Vitamins of the Air?" ( Negativeionsinformation.org/ions_vitamins.php )

Keep in mind, also, that processed air and water also loses the negative ions.

Tonya Zavasta has also some interesting things to say about negative ions in her book: Quantum Eating.

So think of more than just alkaline & acid foods when planning to bring your body pH to an optimum level: spend time around water falls and water spray, clean air, and unprocessed, natural and wild nature.

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Jump to Chapter:
pH, Negative Ions, Antioxidants
Alkaline and acid foods, other alkalizing methods
Are Fruits Acidic Because of Their Sugar?
Why Lemons Are Not Acidic to the Body
Negative Ions
The Alkaline Effect of Sunshine
Protein is Acidic!
All Cooked, Processed and Heated Foods Are Acidic
Hydrogen and its H- Ion as Energy Currency in Life Forms
Conclusions: Benefits of Alkalizing
Books on Alkaline Lifestyle

Negative Ions as Antioxidants

Negative ions act as antioxidants in the body. I'm not sure whether all antioxidant-rich foods, such as chaga mushroom and broccoli sprouts, as well as other natural wholefoods, have negative ions in them. But I do know that since antioxidants can neutralize free radicals which are positively charged, there is an alkalizing effect to the body from antioxidants. I suspect the antioxidants would use negatively charged ions to neutralize the positive charge of free radicals but am not sure.

"Life is a rather delicate balance of oxidative processes and reducing (antioxidant) processes, and almost all scientists and observers agree that most of the time, the balance in most organisms (including humans) is shifted too far in the oxidative direction in our modern era. This excess oxidative activity results in a surplus of oxygen free radicals (aka reactive oxygen species, or ROS), some of the most common of which are superoxides, peroxides, ozone, and triplet and quadruple oxygens. As a powerful reducing agent (an electron donor), H- is able to neutralize these radicals easily, often leaving only pure water or simple compounds as the "ash" or residue from the encounter."

- Vinny Pinto's H-minus Ion Website: The Negative Hydrogen Ion, aka Hydride Ion or Active Hydrogen

So in terms of alkaline & acid foods, antioxidants in foods are alkalizing. Antioxidant-rich foods would be chaga mushroom tea, broccoli-sprouts, and strongly pigmented natural wholefoods: especially berries but also other fruits and vegetables.

Grounding as a Source of Negative Ions and Antioxidants - Walking Barefoot is Alkalizing!

The earth's surface has a negative charge, the space has a positive charge and the air in between acts as an insulator. The earth's surface is full of negative hydrogen ions. We are able to utilise these ions by bare skin contact with the earth, or via a conductive element linked to the earth.

Original photo at Canada's Department of Natural Resources website (link below)

"Earth is always referred to as ground when explaining electrical circuitry. Electrical current flows to ground or earth. The Earth - the ground we stand on, walk on, sleep on, play on, run on, drive on and build on is negative electrically charged and acts as a spherical capacitor. The Earth has a net negative charge of about a million coulombs, while an equal and positive charge resides in the atmosphere..." Natural Resources Canada: "Frequently Asked Questions about Lightning" > "The Earth's Electrical Structure" ( Cfs.nrcan.gc.ca/pages/160 )

More information here from Clint Ober, the re-inventor of the ancient wisdom of grounding. The website provides You Tube videos, a free audio book to listen to, and various grounding products, including sheets, mousemats, and wrist bands:

Groundology.co.uk

Benefits of grounding (earthing) have been reported to be: helpful against inflammation, helpful against pain, improved sleep, etc.

I have written more on this here:
Grounding for Health

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Jump to Chapter:
pH, Negative Ions, Antioxidants
Alkaline and acid foods, other alkalizing methods
Are Fruits Acidic Because of Their Sugar?
Why Lemons Are Not Acidic to the Body
Negative Ions
Negative Ions as Antioxidants
Protein is Acidic!
All Cooked, Processed and Heated Foods Are Acidic
Hydrogen and its H- Ion as Energy Currency in Life Forms
Conclusions: Benefits of Alkalizing
Books on Alkaline Lifestyle

The Alkaline Effect of Sunshine

Sunshine is the main source of vitamin D in the human body, which is needed to alkalize the body:

"Vitamin D is a major factor in alkalizing the body. Most Americans have an overly acidic chemistry which is a breeding ground for disease. Our hormones, cell membranes, and enzymes; even our oxygen levels are not working correctly if our system is mildly acidic. Our bodies work best in a pH of 7.365 and even a minor drop in pH to 7.2 can cause a major shift in the way our body functions. Whenever our systems are too acidic, one of the major buffers our bodies use to reduce that acidity is calcium. Vitamin D, among other functions, causes increased calcium absorption by increasing a hormone called "calcitriol". Better calcium absorption through proper levels of vitamin D is a major buffer for an overly acidic system and prevents resorbtion of our bones for the calcium required."
- Jim Harris of The Art of Wellness Center: "Vitamin D - the Importance of Adequate Levels" ( Theartofwellnesscenter.wordpress.com )

Keep in mind that our windows, sunscreen, sunglasses, glasses and contact lenses, clothes, and make-up block UV light and thus vitamin D. Although you should not stay in the sun long enough to burn, you also should ensure some UV light on your bare skin and eyes every day. Beware of all chemicals on the skin, also, which may react with the UV light.

I have written more on this topic in these articles:
Tanning for Health: UV Light is Good for You!
Vitamin D Revolution (Book Review)

Alkaline & acid foods summary: Vitamin D in its natural form as received from the sun is alkalizing to most people because it improves the absorption of calcium. Calcium-rich natural wholefoods are also alkalizing because the body uses calcium to counter acidity in the body. (On the dangers of calcium supplements (David Wolfe's teachings): Calcification in the Body. On good and bad forms of calcium: Calcium Toxicity.)

Update: Note that Robert Morse says that generally cold air is alkalizing, and warm air is acidifying. According to him, this is the reason why people in cold climates need more acidic diets, while people in the tropics can live on a diet consisting mainly of fruit.

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Jump to Chapter:
pH, Negative Ions, Antioxidants
Alkaline and acid foods, other alkalizing methods
Are Fruits Acidic Because of Their Sugar?
Why Lemons Are Not Acidic to the Body
Negative Ions
Negative Ions as Antioxidants
The Alkaline Effect of Sunshine
All Cooked, Processed and Heated Foods Are Acidic
Hydrogen and its H- Ion as Energy Currency in Life Forms
Conclusions: Benefits of Alkalizing
Books on Alkaline Lifestyle

Protein is Acidic!

"Protein foods are acid-forming as they give rise to sulphuric and phosphoric acids in the body on breakdown, which, if there is insufficient intake of alkaline minerals to balance the acid, will build up and acidify body tissues. This stored acidity creates all manner of disease symptoms given time. Grains are midway or slightly acid-forming and animal proteins are at the extreme end of the acid-forming foods. Demineralized foods such as white sugar and flour are also acid in their end reaction on the body since they deplete alkaline minerals."
- Peter Hinde

You can eat amino acids instead of proteins, which are easier for your body to utilise, and available in non-animal sources, such as spirulina, green vegetables, nuts, seeds, quinoa, hemp, etc. Also Bragg's liquid amino acids is meant to be a good source.

[Update: I am currently struggling with this protein issue and not sure if amino acids are enough or if 'real' protein foods are needed. Will update once I have some clarity.]

So is it true that all cooked and processed foods are acidic? Apparently yes, read on...

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Jump to Chapter:
pH, Negative Ions, Antioxidants
Alkaline and acid foods, other alkalizing methods
Are Fruits Acidic Because of Their Sugar?
Why Lemons Are Not Acidic to the Body
Negative Ions
Negative Ions as Antioxidants
The Alkaline Effect of Sunshine
Protein is Acidic!
Hydrogen and its H- Ion as Energy Currency in Life Forms
Conclusions: Benefits of Alkalizing
Books on Alkaline Lifestyle

All Cooked, Processed and Heated Foods Are Acidic

"Anyone consuming a significant quantity of fresh and raw plant or animal food of high quality and freshness will automatically consume a generous amount of H- ions, in the several different hydride storage forms. Unfortunately, incidence of H- and of the compounds which can carry it (NADH, some antioxidants [e.g. OH-], certain vitamins, etc.) is drastically reduced by heating, processing, milling, prolonged exposure to air or prolonged storage."

- Vinny Pinto's H-minus Ion Website: "The Negative Hydrogen Ion, aka Hydride Ion or Active Hydrogen"

It seems that in terms of alkaline & acid foods, there are many reasons to consume live, plant-based wholefoods in large quantities. They are hydrating, include many electrolyte minerals, and have more negative ions in them. Some amount of animal products may be ok despite their acidity, but from what I am researching here, it seems that these should be counter-balanced with plenty of alkaline foods.

David Wolfe has said in a You Tube video that alkaline foods are basically water-rich wholefoods. This is another definition. I know from elsewhere that dehydration is an acidic condition of the body so hydrating with natural, alkaline water (such as that stored in fruits) may be a straightforward way to alkalize.

I don't think there is one correct way to alkalize, however, and everyone's body is different. That's why it seems that the easiest way is to buy those pH strips, test your urine daily, and see which techniques of alkalizing work for your body's unique needs and which also work with your lifestyle and preferences.

Jump to top of article
Jump to Chapter:
pH, Negative Ions, Antioxidants
Alkaline and acid foods, other alkalizing methods
Are Fruits Acidic Because of Their Sugar?
Why Lemons Are Not Acidic to the Body
Negative Ions
Negative Ions as Antioxidants
The Alkaline Effects of Sunshine
Protein is Acidic!
All Cooked, Processed and Heated Foods Are Acidic
Conclusions: Benefits of Alkalizing
Books on Alkaline Lifestyle

Hydrogen and its H- Ion as Energy Currency in Life Forms

What follows is slightly technical, but fascinating. The main argument being that negative ions are the primary energy source of living systems on earth. It seems the text also explains that the sun donates these negative ions to the earth but I'm not sure if I understood this correctly.

"In the latter half of the 20th century, it became apparent that the negative hydrogen ion was not as rare and short-lived in nature on our planet's surface as once thought. Indeed, by the 1990s it became apparent the H-minus ion is ubiquitous in the biochemistry of life forms on earth, and essential to certain key biochemical reactions related to the citric acid cycle (Krebs cycle) in living organisms. By the late 1990's, it became obvious that several common antioxidants found in plants and animals (Vitamin E among them) function as an antioxidant by acting as a transport vessel for the H- ion, donating it at the right time within living systems to neutralize any of several species of oxygen free radicals (oxidizing radicals), also known as reactive oxygen species (ROS) occurring in tissues or fluids in or around the cells. It also became generally recognized by the late 1990s that the likely mechanism by which certain key energy-transport molecules in living systems were formed and subsequently regenerated after "being burned" (e.g. NAD conversion to NADH), was via donation of H- to the molecule by a donor molecule, the origins of which ultimately traced back to the energy liberated from sunlight during photosynthesis." [...]

"In other words, hydrogen and the H- ion have emerged as the primary energy currency in living systems. An excellent and simple example is the binary pair NAD and NADH. NADH is well known as a powerful energy carrier in living systems, and to play a key part in the energy currency of most cells of many life forms, including those of humans. [...]

"The dialog immediately preceding is of great interest, because it might be construed as suggesting that hydrogen, at least the H- ion, might be the primary energy currency of life. Indeed, closer and deeper examination of the literature shows that this this idea is hardly new. As early as the 1950's, Nobel Prize-winning biochemist Albert Szent-Gyorgyi proposed in a number of articles and books that hydrogen is the true energy currency of life, and is the true "currency" or carrier of energy in photosynthesis. He stressed that this energy currency may be traced directly back to the sun, or more literally, to the energy contained in sunlight. This is especially fascinating in light of the discovery of latter 20th century astronomy that much of the sun's atmosphere is composed of the H- ion. In essence, one can see that hydrogen and its H- ion, located in the sun millions of miles away, donate energy in forms which allow photosynthetic organisms on earth to also liberate the H- ion from compounds which were initially at a lower energy state, and then bind and transport that H- ion as energy currency to support a wide range of life on earth."

- Vinny Pinto's H-minus Ion Website: The Negative Hydrogen Ion, aka Hydride Ion or Active Hydrogen

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Jump to Chapter:
pH, Negative Ions, Antioxidants
Alkaline and acid foods, other alkalizing methods
Are Fruits Acidic Because of Their Sugar?
Why Lemons Are Not Acidic to the Body
Negative Ions
Negative Ions as Antioxidants
The Alkaline Effects of Sunshine
Protein is Acidic!
All Cooked, Processed and Heated Foods Are Acidic
Hydrogen and its H- Ion as Energy Currency in Life Forms
Books on Alkaline Lifestyle

Benefits of Alkalizing

You have probably heard that in the industrialised countries we eat too many acidic foods and not enough alkaline foods. This causes acidosis, which is turn causes various problems in the body, as well as the mind! It has been reported that we are better able to clear out toxins, metabolize nutrients, repair damaged cells, etc. when we feed our bodies the alkalizing diet it desires. Acidic body state, by contrast, has been linked to premature aging, cellular damage, sour moods, and many diseases, notably cancer.

For example, Dr. Robert Morse states that:

"Acidosis and congestion (toxicity and mucus) [are] the root cause of 99.9% of all diseases." (p. 100, The Detox Miracle Sourcebook)

Meanwhile, I will leave you with this quote:

"Instead of being addicted to sugar, stress, adrenaline rushes, conflict, or food additives, you will be addicted to feeling energetic, sleeping well at night, thinking clearly, and maintaining a balanced mood. Your body, your mind, and your spirit will feel strong in a way that can never be achieved with an acidic lifestyle."

- Michelle Schoffro Cook in "The Ultimate pH Solution: Balance Your Body Chemistry to Prevent Disease and Lose Weight"

Jump to Chapter:
pH, Negative Ions, Antioxidants
Alkaline and acid foods, other alkalizing methods
Are Fruits Acidic Because of Their Sugar?
Why Lemons Are Not Acidic to the Body
Negative Ions
Negative Ions as Antioxidants
The Alkaline Effects of Sunshine
Protein is Acidic!
All Cooked, Processed and Heated Foods Are Acidic
Hydrogen and its H- Ion as Energy Currency in Life Forms
Benefits of Alkalizing

Books on Alkaline Lifestyle

'Alkalize or Die: Superior Health Through Proper Alkaline-Acid Balance' by Dr. Theodore Baroody

View on Amazon

The Ultimate pH Solution by Michelle Schoffro Cook

View on Amazon

'Secrets of an Alkaline Body: The New Science of Colloidal Biology' by Annie Padden Jubb and David Jubb

View on Amazon

Jump to Chapter:
pH, Negative Ions, Antioxidants
Alkaline and acid foods, other alkalizing methods
Are Fruits Acidic Because of Their Sugar?
Why Lemons Are Not Acidic to the Body
Negative Ions
Negative Ions as Antioxidants
The Alkaline Effects of Sunshine
Protein is Acidic!
All Cooked, Processed and Heated Foods Are Acidic
Hydrogen and its H- Ion as Energy Currency in Life Forms
Conclusions: Benefits of Alkalizing
Books on Alkaline Lifestyle

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