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For many cultures, fish is a staple. It is packed with protein and nutrients that can improve heart and brain health. Additionally, fish is easy to cook without a lot of preparation. Many diets encourage fish consumption for its health benefits, but the alkaline diet actually recommends not eating fish. Why would that be?
Before jumping into the alkaline diet and its requirements, it is first necessary to understand alkalinity and acidity. These are terms that are defined usually according to their pH value, with a high pH representing a more alkaline substance and a low pH representing an acidic substance. While pH values can only be assigned to substances soluble in water, foods and beverages can still be classified as “alkaline” or “acidic” based on the effect it has on your body’s pH levels.
The human body requires a tight range of pH values to function optimally. It sits at aneutral range of 7.35 to 7.45 to function the best it can, and the foods and drinks you consume can raise or lower this range. People tend to eat more acidic foods on the daily, including meats, processed foods, soda, and dairy, which risks lowering the body’s pH level.
The idea behind the alkaline diet is that eating more alkaline foods will raise your body’s pH level, ultimately improving your health. Because the average diet includes many acidic foods, the alkaline diet challenges this by suggesting you eat mostly alkaline foods, including leafy greens, nuts, soy products, and fruits. This diet warns against consuming red meat, added sugar, fish, and other acidic foods.
The alkaline diet encourages healthy eating, but more research needs to be conducted to evaluate its actual effectiveness.
Fish is considered acidic due to the presence of Omega-3 fatty acids in many species of fish (1). That being said, like all lean proteins, fish is a very weak acid. In fact, white fish is cited as a food that could actually help acid reflux, so clearly its acid levels are low. Mahi Mahi, halibut, tilapia, salmon, and tuna are all lean proteins that have proved to lower acid reflux (2).
Omega-3 fatty acids give fish the label of “acidic,” but they are also healthy for you. Fatty fish like salmon and mackerel are particularly packed with omega-3 acids, and eating these healthy fats provides your body with a slew of health benefits (3). For example, omega-3’s can lower your blood pressure and triglyceride levels (which are often connected with risk of heart disease and stroke.) Additionally, these fatty acids “contribute to both the prevention and treatment of immunological, neurological, reproductive, and cardiovascular complications” (4).
Even fish without high levels of omega-3’s have health benefits. Fish are a great source of protein, iodine, and Vitamin-D. Studies connect eating fish to brain health, reduced risk of type 1 diabetes, and improving sleep quality (5).
Consuming too many acidic foods, as previously mentioned, can be detrimental to your health. Eating acidic foods in moderation may help your body’s pH levels from decreasing, which can affect your bloodstream and cause acidosis. According to Healthflow Integrative Health Center, “Acidosis is a common denominator in over 150 degenerative diseases” (6).
There are various strategies you can take to decrease your risk of acidosis. First, you can decrease the amount of acidic foods in your diet. Eating less grains, meats, processed sugar, and dairy can help keep your body’s pH levels at bay. Another option is to increase the amount of alkaline foods and beverages in your diet. Without fully following the alkaline diet, eating more leafy greens, soy products, and fruits is sure to improve your health. One other simple trick to add more alkalinity to your diet is to switch your normal drinking water to alkaline water. Alkaline water is packed with healthy minerals that can help raise your body’s pH levels to ensure it continues functioning optimally. For an economic water pitcher to alkalize your water, consider shopping Seychelle.
Fish is an excellent source of protein and nutrients that can benefit your health. However, fish is still considered a weak acid. To counter the health risks that accompany eating an overly-acidic diet, consider adding more alkaline foods and beverages to your diet. An easy switch to increase your alkaline intake daily is to invest in an alkalizing water pitcher.
Can I eat fish on an alkaline diet?
Because fish is considered acidic, it should be eaten in moderation on the alkaline diet. The alkaline diet suggests following the 80/20 rule, eating 80% alkaline foods and 20% acidic foods each day.
Is fish an acidic or alkaline food?
Fish is considered a weak acid due to the presence of Omega-3 fatty acids in fish.
Is fish less acidic than meat?
Both fish and meat are considered acidic and should be avoided on the alkaline diet. While fish is technically slightly less acidic than meat, the difference between the two is miniscule and will not make much of a difference to your body’s pH levels (2).
References
Jared Meacham,Healthline,https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/the-alkaline-diet-myth
Isadora Baum,The Upside,https://www.vitacost.com/blog/foods-that-help-acid-reflux/#:~:text=White%20fish%20is%20a%20great,along%20with%20some%20green%20veggies!
Cleveland Clinic,https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/17290-omega-3-fatty-acids
Matilde Rodrigues, et. al.,ScienceDirect,https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0960308524000221
Joe Leech,Healthline,https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/11-health-benefits-of-fish#TOC_TITLE_HDR_10
Healthflow Integrative Health Center,https://www.healthflow.ca/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/Acid-Alkaline-Foods.pdf
