Sugar solutions have a neutral pH in themselves, but it makes your body acidic. Why? [closed]
up vote
3
down vote
favorite
I'm not an expert, but as far as I understood a sugar solution is completely neutral since sugar can't take hydrogen ions out of the water or donate them in. Sugar is a non ionic compound, so it does not release H and OH ions in the water so it will not make the solution acidic or alkaline.
I keep on reading and seeing charts of how sugars make your body acidic, like this one:
What process makes a neutral pH solution into an acidic one?
I'm not into chemistry at all and therefore the simpler the answer the better.
everyday-chemistry ph food-chemistry
edited Dec 11 at 13:43
Loong♦
32.3k881163
asked Dec 10 at 7:23
Mr.Web
13315
New contributor
Mr.Web is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
closed as unclear what you're asking by Mithoron, Todd Minehardt, Jon Custer, aventurin, airhuff Dec 11 at 23:53
Please clarify your specific problem or add additional details to highlight exactly what you need. As it's currently written, it’s hard to tell exactly what you're asking. See the How to Ask page for help clarifying this question. If this question can be reworded to fit the rules in the help center, please edit the question.
|
show 6 more comments
up vote
3
down vote
favorite
I'm not an expert, but as far as I understood a sugar solution is completely neutral since sugar can't take hydrogen ions out of the water or donate them in. Sugar is a non ionic compound, so it does not release H and OH ions in the water so it will not make the solution acidic or alkaline.
I keep on reading and seeing charts of how sugars make your body acidic, like this one:
What process makes a neutral pH solution into an acidic one?
I'm not into chemistry at all and therefore the simpler the answer the better.
everyday-chemistry ph food-chemistry
edited Dec 11 at 13:43
Loong♦
32.3k881163
asked Dec 10 at 7:23
Mr.Web
13315
New contributor
Mr.Web is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
closed as unclear what you're asking by Mithoron, Todd Minehardt, Jon Custer, aventurin, airhuff Dec 11 at 23:53
Please clarify your specific problem or add additional details to highlight exactly what you need. As it's currently written, it’s hard to tell exactly what you're asking. See the How to Ask page for help clarifying this question. If this question can be reworded to fit the rules in the help center, please edit the question.
44
Charts like these are unscientific nonsense, ignore them.
– Waylander
Dec 10 at 8:19
12
@Mr.Web the opposite is proven - these foods (and any other foods) do not acidify the body. Science formed the hypothesis in the 19th century and disprove it in the early 20th century. People keep making these charts, but they are simply wrong.
– rumtscho
Dec 10 at 12:08
40
You've got to love the sheer gumption of putting citrus fruits in a column headed 'Alkaline'...
– AakashM
Dec 10 at 12:26
5
@AakashM Oh, but you see the citrus fruits make your body produce bases to neutralise them and when you stop eating them your body doesn't react fast enough to stop making them and makes too much base (/s, just in case)
– Richard Ward
Dec 10 at 13:50
7
@Mr.Web In general, if you see a chart alleging anything about food without citing at least one scientific study in a journal which, when Googled, doesn't turn up on any predatory journal lists, it's a steaming pile of bullshit. Especially about which foods are "healthy". (That's not always the case, of course -- for example, the charts found in those studies -- but if people are stealing those charts without citation they're plagiarizing and probably leaving out important context.)
– Nic Hartley
Dec 10 at 17:48
|
show 6 more comments
up vote
3
down vote
favorite
up vote
3
down vote
favorite
I'm not an expert, but as far as I understood a sugar solution is completely neutral since sugar can't take hydrogen ions out of the water or donate them in. Sugar is a non ionic compound, so it does not release H and OH ions in the water so it will not make the solution acidic or alkaline.
I keep on reading and seeing charts of how sugars make your body acidic, like this one:
What process makes a neutral pH solution into an acidic one?
I'm not into chemistry at all and therefore the simpler the answer the better.
everyday-chemistry ph food-chemistry
edited Dec 11 at 13:43
Loong♦
32.3k881163
asked Dec 10 at 7:23
Mr.Web
13315
New contributor
Mr.Web is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
I'm not an expert, but as far as I understood a sugar solution is completely neutral since sugar can't take hydrogen ions out of the water or donate them in. Sugar is a non ionic compound, so it does not release H and OH ions in the water so it will not make the solution acidic or alkaline.
I keep on reading and seeing charts of how sugars make your body acidic, like this one:
What process makes a neutral pH solution into an acidic one?
I'm not into chemistry at all and therefore the simpler the answer the better.
everyday-chemistry ph food-chemistry
everyday-chemistry ph food-chemistry
edited Dec 11 at 13:43
Loong♦
32.3k881163
asked Dec 10 at 7:23
Mr.Web
13315
New contributor
Mr.Web is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
edited Dec 11 at 13:43
Loong♦
32.3k881163
asked Dec 10 at 7:23
Mr.Web
13315
New contributor
Mr.Web is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
edited Dec 11 at 13:43
Loong♦
32.3k881163
edited Dec 11 at 13:43
Loong♦
32.3k881163
edited Dec 11 at 13:43
Loong♦
32.3k881163
32.3k881163
asked Dec 10 at 7:23
Mr.Web
13315
New contributor
Mr.Web is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
asked Dec 10 at 7:23
Mr.Web
13315
asked Dec 10 at 7:23
Mr.Web
13315
13315
New contributor
Mr.Web is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
New contributor
Mr.Web is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
Mr.Web is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
closed as unclear what you're asking by Mithoron, Todd Minehardt, Jon Custer, aventurin, airhuff Dec 11 at 23:53
Please clarify your specific problem or add additional details to highlight exactly what you need. As it's currently written, it’s hard to tell exactly what you're asking. See the How to Ask page for help clarifying this question. If this question can be reworded to fit the rules in the help center, please edit the question.
closed as unclear what you're asking by Mithoron, Todd Minehardt, Jon Custer, aventurin, airhuff Dec 11 at 23:53
Please clarify your specific problem or add additional details to highlight exactly what you need. As it's currently written, it’s hard to tell exactly what you're asking. See the How to Ask page for help clarifying this question. If this question can be reworded to fit the rules in the help center, please edit the question.
44
Charts like these are unscientific nonsense, ignore them.
– Waylander
Dec 10 at 8:19
12
@Mr.Web the opposite is proven - these foods (and any other foods) do not acidify the body. Science formed the hypothesis in the 19th century and disprove it in the early 20th century. People keep making these charts, but they are simply wrong.
– rumtscho
Dec 10 at 12:08
40
You've got to love the sheer gumption of putting citrus fruits in a column headed 'Alkaline'...
– AakashM
Dec 10 at 12:26
5
@AakashM Oh, but you see the citrus fruits make your body produce bases to neutralise them and when you stop eating them your body doesn't react fast enough to stop making them and makes too much base (/s, just in case)
– Richard Ward
Dec 10 at 13:50
7
@Mr.Web In general, if you see a chart alleging anything about food without citing at least one scientific study in a journal which, when Googled, doesn't turn up on any predatory journal lists, it's a steaming pile of bullshit. Especially about which foods are "healthy". (That's not always the case, of course -- for example, the charts found in those studies -- but if people are stealing those charts without citation they're plagiarizing and probably leaving out important context.)
– Nic Hartley
Dec 10 at 17:48
|
show 6 more comments
44
Charts like these are unscientific nonsense, ignore them.
– Waylander
Dec 10 at 8:19
12
@Mr.Web the opposite is proven - these foods (and any other foods) do not acidify the body. Science formed the hypothesis in the 19th century and disprove it in the early 20th century. People keep making these charts, but they are simply wrong.
– rumtscho
Dec 10 at 12:08
40
You've got to love the sheer gumption of putting citrus fruits in a column headed 'Alkaline'...
– AakashM
Dec 10 at 12:26
5
@AakashM Oh, but you see the citrus fruits make your body produce bases to neutralise them and when you stop eating them your body doesn't react fast enough to stop making them and makes too much base (/s, just in case)
– Richard Ward
Dec 10 at 13:50
7
@Mr.Web In general, if you see a chart alleging anything about food without citing at least one scientific study in a journal which, when Googled, doesn't turn up on any predatory journal lists, it's a steaming pile of bullshit. Especially about which foods are "healthy". (That's not always the case, of course -- for example, the charts found in those studies -- but if people are stealing those charts without citation they're plagiarizing and probably leaving out important context.)
– Nic Hartley
Dec 10 at 17:48
44
44
Charts like these are unscientific nonsense, ignore them.
– Waylander
Dec 10 at 8:19
Charts like these are unscientific nonsense, ignore them.
– Waylander
Dec 10 at 8:19
12
12
@Mr.Web the opposite is proven - these foods (and any other foods) do not acidify the body. Science formed the hypothesis in the 19th century and disprove it in the early 20th century. People keep making these charts, but they are simply wrong.
– rumtscho
Dec 10 at 12:08
@Mr.Web the opposite is proven - these foods (and any other foods) do not acidify the body. Science formed the hypothesis in the 19th century and disprove it in the early 20th century. People keep making these charts, but they are simply wrong.
– rumtscho
Dec 10 at 12:08
40
40
You've got to love the sheer gumption of putting citrus fruits in a column headed 'Alkaline'...
– AakashM
Dec 10 at 12:26
You've got to love the sheer gumption of putting citrus fruits in a column headed 'Alkaline'...
– AakashM
Dec 10 at 12:26
5
5
@AakashM Oh, but you see the citrus fruits make your body produce bases to neutralise them and when you stop eating them your body doesn't react fast enough to stop making them and makes too much base (/s, just in case)
– Richard Ward
Dec 10 at 13:50
@AakashM Oh, but you see the citrus fruits make your body produce bases to neutralise them and when you stop eating them your body doesn't react fast enough to stop making them and makes too much base (/s, just in case)
– Richard Ward
Dec 10 at 13:50
7
7
@Mr.Web In general, if you see a chart alleging anything about food without citing at least one scientific study in a journal which, when Googled, doesn't turn up on any predatory journal lists, it's a steaming pile of bullshit. Especially about which foods are "healthy". (That's not always the case, of course -- for example, the charts found in those studies -- but if people are stealing those charts without citation they're plagiarizing and probably leaving out important context.)
– Nic Hartley
Dec 10 at 17:48
@Mr.Web In general, if you see a chart alleging anything about food without citing at least one scientific study in a journal which, when Googled, doesn't turn up on any predatory journal lists, it's a steaming pile of bullshit. Especially about which foods are "healthy". (That's not always the case, of course -- for example, the charts found in those studies -- but if people are stealing those charts without citation they're plagiarizing and probably leaving out important context.)
– Nic Hartley
Dec 10 at 17:48
|
show 6 more comments
3 Answers
3
active
oldest
votes
up vote
31
down vote
accepted
It is not proven that "sugar makes your body acidic"!
Your body's pH is very tightly regulated by the body's internal systems; it is also different in different parts of the body - the stomach is acidic (1.0-2.5), the intestine are mildly basic (jejunem 7-9) terminal ileum 7.5 reference here. Blood pH is 7.35, and any deviation from this is indicative of serious illness.
answered Dec 10 at 10:50
Waylander
5,6341921
4
It is almost impossible to "make the body" acidic while keeping it alive and functioning. Diets that advertise "acidic" or "alkaline" do little (nothing) to change the body PH. Instead they focus on other properties. ref
– Mindwin
Dec 10 at 14:54
3
It is perfectly true that the "alkaline" foods recommended above will do you little harm, and some good if you replace the "acid forming foods" with them - just not for the reasons advanced.
– Waylander
Dec 10 at 15:06
4
in the end they are just (wrongly used) marketing buzzwords (lies).
– Mindwin
Dec 10 at 16:06
1
@Mindwin While it is correct that there is a lot of quackery around using diet to alter "the body's pH", you will find that your counter is completely false. The existence of a physiological buffer does not mean the pH doesn't change in disease states. It often does. There is an entire chapter in Cecil Medicine on the topic (Ch 120). Yes, alkaline diets are quackery. But no, it's not because your physiologic buffer is inviolable. Various pathophysiologic processes of varying severity can cause disturbances in the buffer system.
– De Novo
Dec 10 at 19:30
2
@Mindwin don't counter quackery with false simplifications. Counter it with facts. Absent some pre-existing disease process, alkaline diets don't substantially change the pH of any body compartment (other than urine), and they aren't shown to be any more effective than any other kind of diet. (vs. "it is almost impossible to make the body acidic while keeping it alive and functioning")
– De Novo
Dec 10 at 19:34
|
show 3 more comments
up vote
9
down vote
One place where sugar does cause acidity is your mouth. The bacteria living in your mouth feed on sugar and excrete lactic acid. It's part of their metabolism. Wikipedia has more details about dietary sugars and acidity in mouth.
It's not clear from the chart what part of the body it refers to, or what it claims the acidity to cause. But it does sound similar to the alkaline diet advice. It was originally related to acid ash hypothesis, which claimed acidic diets to cause osteoporosis. However, scientific research has not found evidence for the hypothesis. There is also a significant difference: the original acid ash hypothesis classified foods based on the pH of the ash left when burned - not the sugar content (all sugar will burn away).
In conclusion, there is no general link between sugar and acidity in body, but in some very specific cases such as caries bacteria in mouth, there is a connection.
answered Dec 10 at 13:52
jpa
23914
add a comment |
up vote
8
down vote
On the point of ‘makes your body acidic’ you already have an answer to which I have nothing to add.
However, you also claim that sugar be completely neutral—at which point I must intervene.
A lot more compounds can act as acids and bases than the shortlist of common acids you probably had in chemistry class. Most things with a lone pair can be a base and practically any $ce{X-H}$ bond where $ce{X}$ has a higher electronegativity than hydrogen can be an acid. In $95~%$ of cases, these compounds are probably still not acidic or basic though.
And then there is the (much smaller, but still vast) class of compounds that can act as acids or bases in standard aquaeous solutions but usually do not. In sugar’s case, it has a lot of $ce{O-H}$ bonds and a lot of oxygen atoms. All oxygen atoms can be protonated if a strong acid is introduced to the mixture so sugar is a base about as strong as water. On the other hand, the hydrogen of the $ce{O-H}$ bonds can also depart as a proton if a strong enough base is in solution. This means sugar’s hydroxy groups are also weak acids—again, about as strong as water.
Then there is a final convoluting factor. One of these hydroxy groups in glucose is attached to a carbon that is bound to a second oxygen ($ce{R-O-CHR'-O-H}$). Here, the electronegative oxygen exercises a negative inductive effect, i.e. draws electron density away from the hydroxy group. Therefore, this one proton is slightly more acidic than all others. It is also ever so slightly more acidic than water so it acidifies the solution ever so slightly.
For all practical intents and purposes, this effect can be fully neglected, however, as it is so minor.
answered Dec 10 at 17:29
Jan
48.7k7114256
Ok so, to keep it easy, pouring pure sugar into a stomach, doesn't it make it more alkaline? Or does it change the ph in any way?
– Mr.Web
Dec 10 at 18:23
4
@Mr.Web: The initial effect will be to dilute your natural stomach acids, making it less acid. But the acidity of the stomach is regulated by the body, producing more acid to digest consumed food.
– MSalters
Dec 10 at 20:08
1
@MSalters and, as the stomach produces more acid, the blood becomes more alkaline for a period of time (an effect known as the alkaline tide). There is no "keeping it easy" when it comes to acid base physiology.
– De Novo
Dec 10 at 21:27
@Mr.Web All of my answer should be titled ‘what happens in water’. As for the body itself, I refer to Waylander’s answer (as in my first paragraph): the pH range of all parts of the body is tightly regulated. While adding anything will briefly disrupt the stable state, counter-processes immediately kick in and re-regulate the pH to where it should be.
– Jan
Dec 12 at 1:09
add a comment |
3 Answers
3
active
oldest
votes
3 Answers
3
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
up vote
31
down vote
accepted
It is not proven that "sugar makes your body acidic"!
Your body's pH is very tightly regulated by the body's internal systems; it is also different in different parts of the body - the stomach is acidic (1.0-2.5), the intestine are mildly basic (jejunem 7-9) terminal ileum 7.5 reference here. Blood pH is 7.35, and any deviation from this is indicative of serious illness.
answered Dec 10 at 10:50
Waylander
5,6341921
4
It is almost impossible to "make the body" acidic while keeping it alive and functioning. Diets that advertise "acidic" or "alkaline" do little (nothing) to change the body PH. Instead they focus on other properties. ref
– Mindwin
Dec 10 at 14:54
3
It is perfectly true that the "alkaline" foods recommended above will do you little harm, and some good if you replace the "acid forming foods" with them - just not for the reasons advanced.
– Waylander
Dec 10 at 15:06
4
in the end they are just (wrongly used) marketing buzzwords (lies).
– Mindwin
Dec 10 at 16:06
1
@Mindwin While it is correct that there is a lot of quackery around using diet to alter "the body's pH", you will find that your counter is completely false. The existence of a physiological buffer does not mean the pH doesn't change in disease states. It often does. There is an entire chapter in Cecil Medicine on the topic (Ch 120). Yes, alkaline diets are quackery. But no, it's not because your physiologic buffer is inviolable. Various pathophysiologic processes of varying severity can cause disturbances in the buffer system.
– De Novo
Dec 10 at 19:30
2
@Mindwin don't counter quackery with false simplifications. Counter it with facts. Absent some pre-existing disease process, alkaline diets don't substantially change the pH of any body compartment (other than urine), and they aren't shown to be any more effective than any other kind of diet. (vs. "it is almost impossible to make the body acidic while keeping it alive and functioning")
– De Novo
Dec 10 at 19:34
|
show 3 more comments
up vote
31
down vote
accepted
It is not proven that "sugar makes your body acidic"!
Your body's pH is very tightly regulated by the body's internal systems; it is also different in different parts of the body - the stomach is acidic (1.0-2.5), the intestine are mildly basic (jejunem 7-9) terminal ileum 7.5 reference here. Blood pH is 7.35, and any deviation from this is indicative of serious illness.
answered Dec 10 at 10:50
Waylander
5,6341921
4
It is almost impossible to "make the body" acidic while keeping it alive and functioning. Diets that advertise "acidic" or "alkaline" do little (nothing) to change the body PH. Instead they focus on other properties. ref
– Mindwin
Dec 10 at 14:54
3
It is perfectly true that the "alkaline" foods recommended above will do you little harm, and some good if you replace the "acid forming foods" with them - just not for the reasons advanced.
– Waylander
Dec 10 at 15:06
4
in the end they are just (wrongly used) marketing buzzwords (lies).
– Mindwin
Dec 10 at 16:06
1
@Mindwin While it is correct that there is a lot of quackery around using diet to alter "the body's pH", you will find that your counter is completely false. The existence of a physiological buffer does not mean the pH doesn't change in disease states. It often does. There is an entire chapter in Cecil Medicine on the topic (Ch 120). Yes, alkaline diets are quackery. But no, it's not because your physiologic buffer is inviolable. Various pathophysiologic processes of varying severity can cause disturbances in the buffer system.
– De Novo
Dec 10 at 19:30
2
@Mindwin don't counter quackery with false simplifications. Counter it with facts. Absent some pre-existing disease process, alkaline diets don't substantially change the pH of any body compartment (other than urine), and they aren't shown to be any more effective than any other kind of diet. (vs. "it is almost impossible to make the body acidic while keeping it alive and functioning")
– De Novo
Dec 10 at 19:34
|
show 3 more comments
up vote
31
down vote
accepted
up vote
31
down vote
accepted
It is not proven that "sugar makes your body acidic"!
Your body's pH is very tightly regulated by the body's internal systems; it is also different in different parts of the body - the stomach is acidic (1.0-2.5), the intestine are mildly basic (jejunem 7-9) terminal ileum 7.5 reference here. Blood pH is 7.35, and any deviation from this is indicative of serious illness.
answered Dec 10 at 10:50
Waylander
5,6341921
It is not proven that "sugar makes your body acidic"!
Your body's pH is very tightly regulated by the body's internal systems; it is also different in different parts of the body - the stomach is acidic (1.0-2.5), the intestine are mildly basic (jejunem 7-9) terminal ileum 7.5 reference here. Blood pH is 7.35, and any deviation from this is indicative of serious illness.
answered Dec 10 at 10:50
Waylander
5,6341921
answered Dec 10 at 10:50
Waylander
5,6341921
answered Dec 10 at 10:50
Waylander
5,6341921
answered Dec 10 at 10:50
Waylander
5,6341921
5,6341921
4
It is almost impossible to "make the body" acidic while keeping it alive and functioning. Diets that advertise "acidic" or "alkaline" do little (nothing) to change the body PH. Instead they focus on other properties. ref
– Mindwin
Dec 10 at 14:54
3
It is perfectly true that the "alkaline" foods recommended above will do you little harm, and some good if you replace the "acid forming foods" with them - just not for the reasons advanced.
– Waylander
Dec 10 at 15:06
4
in the end they are just (wrongly used) marketing buzzwords (lies).
– Mindwin
Dec 10 at 16:06
1
@Mindwin While it is correct that there is a lot of quackery around using diet to alter "the body's pH", you will find that your counter is completely false. The existence of a physiological buffer does not mean the pH doesn't change in disease states. It often does. There is an entire chapter in Cecil Medicine on the topic (Ch 120). Yes, alkaline diets are quackery. But no, it's not because your physiologic buffer is inviolable. Various pathophysiologic processes of varying severity can cause disturbances in the buffer system.
– De Novo
Dec 10 at 19:30
2
@Mindwin don't counter quackery with false simplifications. Counter it with facts. Absent some pre-existing disease process, alkaline diets don't substantially change the pH of any body compartment (other than urine), and they aren't shown to be any more effective than any other kind of diet. (vs. "it is almost impossible to make the body acidic while keeping it alive and functioning")
– De Novo
Dec 10 at 19:34
|
show 3 more comments
4
It is almost impossible to "make the body" acidic while keeping it alive and functioning. Diets that advertise "acidic" or "alkaline" do little (nothing) to change the body PH. Instead they focus on other properties. ref
– Mindwin
Dec 10 at 14:54
3
It is perfectly true that the "alkaline" foods recommended above will do you little harm, and some good if you replace the "acid forming foods" with them - just not for the reasons advanced.
– Waylander
Dec 10 at 15:06
4
in the end they are just (wrongly used) marketing buzzwords (lies).
– Mindwin
Dec 10 at 16:06
1
@Mindwin While it is correct that there is a lot of quackery around using diet to alter "the body's pH", you will find that your counter is completely false. The existence of a physiological buffer does not mean the pH doesn't change in disease states. It often does. There is an entire chapter in Cecil Medicine on the topic (Ch 120). Yes, alkaline diets are quackery. But no, it's not because your physiologic buffer is inviolable. Various pathophysiologic processes of varying severity can cause disturbances in the buffer system.
– De Novo
Dec 10 at 19:30
2
@Mindwin don't counter quackery with false simplifications. Counter it with facts. Absent some pre-existing disease process, alkaline diets don't substantially change the pH of any body compartment (other than urine), and they aren't shown to be any more effective than any other kind of diet. (vs. "it is almost impossible to make the body acidic while keeping it alive and functioning")
– De Novo
Dec 10 at 19:34
4
4
It is almost impossible to "make the body" acidic while keeping it alive and functioning. Diets that advertise "acidic" or "alkaline" do little (nothing) to change the body PH. Instead they focus on other properties. ref
– Mindwin
Dec 10 at 14:54
It is almost impossible to "make the body" acidic while keeping it alive and functioning. Diets that advertise "acidic" or "alkaline" do little (nothing) to change the body PH. Instead they focus on other properties. ref
– Mindwin
Dec 10 at 14:54
3
3
It is perfectly true that the "alkaline" foods recommended above will do you little harm, and some good if you replace the "acid forming foods" with them - just not for the reasons advanced.
– Waylander
Dec 10 at 15:06
It is perfectly true that the "alkaline" foods recommended above will do you little harm, and some good if you replace the "acid forming foods" with them - just not for the reasons advanced.
– Waylander
Dec 10 at 15:06
4
4
in the end they are just (wrongly used) marketing buzzwords (lies).
– Mindwin
Dec 10 at 16:06
in the end they are just (wrongly used) marketing buzzwords (lies).
– Mindwin
Dec 10 at 16:06
1
1
@Mindwin While it is correct that there is a lot of quackery around using diet to alter "the body's pH", you will find that your counter is completely false. The existence of a physiological buffer does not mean the pH doesn't change in disease states. It often does. There is an entire chapter in Cecil Medicine on the topic (Ch 120). Yes, alkaline diets are quackery. But no, it's not because your physiologic buffer is inviolable. Various pathophysiologic processes of varying severity can cause disturbances in the buffer system.
– De Novo
Dec 10 at 19:30
@Mindwin While it is correct that there is a lot of quackery around using diet to alter "the body's pH", you will find that your counter is completely false. The existence of a physiological buffer does not mean the pH doesn't change in disease states. It often does. There is an entire chapter in Cecil Medicine on the topic (Ch 120). Yes, alkaline diets are quackery. But no, it's not because your physiologic buffer is inviolable. Various pathophysiologic processes of varying severity can cause disturbances in the buffer system.
– De Novo
Dec 10 at 19:30
2
2
@Mindwin don't counter quackery with false simplifications. Counter it with facts. Absent some pre-existing disease process, alkaline diets don't substantially change the pH of any body compartment (other than urine), and they aren't shown to be any more effective than any other kind of diet. (vs. "it is almost impossible to make the body acidic while keeping it alive and functioning")
– De Novo
Dec 10 at 19:34
@Mindwin don't counter quackery with false simplifications. Counter it with facts. Absent some pre-existing disease process, alkaline diets don't substantially change the pH of any body compartment (other than urine), and they aren't shown to be any more effective than any other kind of diet. (vs. "it is almost impossible to make the body acidic while keeping it alive and functioning")
– De Novo
Dec 10 at 19:34
|
show 3 more comments
up vote
9
down vote
One place where sugar does cause acidity is your mouth. The bacteria living in your mouth feed on sugar and excrete lactic acid. It's part of their metabolism. Wikipedia has more details about dietary sugars and acidity in mouth.
It's not clear from the chart what part of the body it refers to, or what it claims the acidity to cause. But it does sound similar to the alkaline diet advice. It was originally related to acid ash hypothesis, which claimed acidic diets to cause osteoporosis. However, scientific research has not found evidence for the hypothesis. There is also a significant difference: the original acid ash hypothesis classified foods based on the pH of the ash left when burned - not the sugar content (all sugar will burn away).
In conclusion, there is no general link between sugar and acidity in body, but in some very specific cases such as caries bacteria in mouth, there is a connection.
answered Dec 10 at 13:52
jpa
23914
add a comment |
up vote
9
down vote
One place where sugar does cause acidity is your mouth. The bacteria living in your mouth feed on sugar and excrete lactic acid. It's part of their metabolism. Wikipedia has more details about dietary sugars and acidity in mouth.
It's not clear from the chart what part of the body it refers to, or what it claims the acidity to cause. But it does sound similar to the alkaline diet advice. It was originally related to acid ash hypothesis, which claimed acidic diets to cause osteoporosis. However, scientific research has not found evidence for the hypothesis. There is also a significant difference: the original acid ash hypothesis classified foods based on the pH of the ash left when burned - not the sugar content (all sugar will burn away).
In conclusion, there is no general link between sugar and acidity in body, but in some very specific cases such as caries bacteria in mouth, there is a connection.
answered Dec 10 at 13:52
jpa
23914
add a comment |
up vote
9
down vote
up vote
9
down vote
One place where sugar does cause acidity is your mouth. The bacteria living in your mouth feed on sugar and excrete lactic acid. It's part of their metabolism. Wikipedia has more details about dietary sugars and acidity in mouth.
It's not clear from the chart what part of the body it refers to, or what it claims the acidity to cause. But it does sound similar to the alkaline diet advice. It was originally related to acid ash hypothesis, which claimed acidic diets to cause osteoporosis. However, scientific research has not found evidence for the hypothesis. There is also a significant difference: the original acid ash hypothesis classified foods based on the pH of the ash left when burned - not the sugar content (all sugar will burn away).
In conclusion, there is no general link between sugar and acidity in body, but in some very specific cases such as caries bacteria in mouth, there is a connection.
answered Dec 10 at 13:52
jpa
23914
One place where sugar does cause acidity is your mouth. The bacteria living in your mouth feed on sugar and excrete lactic acid. It's part of their metabolism. Wikipedia has more details about dietary sugars and acidity in mouth.
It's not clear from the chart what part of the body it refers to, or what it claims the acidity to cause. But it does sound similar to the alkaline diet advice. It was originally related to acid ash hypothesis, which claimed acidic diets to cause osteoporosis. However, scientific research has not found evidence for the hypothesis. There is also a significant difference: the original acid ash hypothesis classified foods based on the pH of the ash left when burned - not the sugar content (all sugar will burn away).
In conclusion, there is no general link between sugar and acidity in body, but in some very specific cases such as caries bacteria in mouth, there is a connection.
answered Dec 10 at 13:52
jpa
23914
answered Dec 10 at 13:52
jpa
23914
answered Dec 10 at 13:52
jpa
23914
answered Dec 10 at 13:52
jpa
23914
23914
add a comment |
add a comment |
up vote
8
down vote
On the point of ‘makes your body acidic’ you already have an answer to which I have nothing to add.
However, you also claim that sugar be completely neutral—at which point I must intervene.
A lot more compounds can act as acids and bases than the shortlist of common acids you probably had in chemistry class. Most things with a lone pair can be a base and practically any $ce{X-H}$ bond where $ce{X}$ has a higher electronegativity than hydrogen can be an acid. In $95~%$ of cases, these compounds are probably still not acidic or basic though.
And then there is the (much smaller, but still vast) class of compounds that can act as acids or bases in standard aquaeous solutions but usually do not. In sugar’s case, it has a lot of $ce{O-H}$ bonds and a lot of oxygen atoms. All oxygen atoms can be protonated if a strong acid is introduced to the mixture so sugar is a base about as strong as water. On the other hand, the hydrogen of the $ce{O-H}$ bonds can also depart as a proton if a strong enough base is in solution. This means sugar’s hydroxy groups are also weak acids—again, about as strong as water.
Then there is a final convoluting factor. One of these hydroxy groups in glucose is attached to a carbon that is bound to a second oxygen ($ce{R-O-CHR'-O-H}$). Here, the electronegative oxygen exercises a negative inductive effect, i.e. draws electron density away from the hydroxy group. Therefore, this one proton is slightly more acidic than all others. It is also ever so slightly more acidic than water so it acidifies the solution ever so slightly.
For all practical intents and purposes, this effect can be fully neglected, however, as it is so minor.
answered Dec 10 at 17:29
Jan
48.7k7114256
Ok so, to keep it easy, pouring pure sugar into a stomach, doesn't it make it more alkaline? Or does it change the ph in any way?
– Mr.Web
Dec 10 at 18:23
4
@Mr.Web: The initial effect will be to dilute your natural stomach acids, making it less acid. But the acidity of the stomach is regulated by the body, producing more acid to digest consumed food.
– MSalters
Dec 10 at 20:08
1
@MSalters and, as the stomach produces more acid, the blood becomes more alkaline for a period of time (an effect known as the alkaline tide). There is no "keeping it easy" when it comes to acid base physiology.
– De Novo
Dec 10 at 21:27
@Mr.Web All of my answer should be titled ‘what happens in water’. As for the body itself, I refer to Waylander’s answer (as in my first paragraph): the pH range of all parts of the body is tightly regulated. While adding anything will briefly disrupt the stable state, counter-processes immediately kick in and re-regulate the pH to where it should be.
– Jan
Dec 12 at 1:09
add a comment |
up vote
8
down vote
On the point of ‘makes your body acidic’ you already have an answer to which I have nothing to add.
However, you also claim that sugar be completely neutral—at which point I must intervene.
A lot more compounds can act as acids and bases than the shortlist of common acids you probably had in chemistry class. Most things with a lone pair can be a base and practically any $ce{X-H}$ bond where $ce{X}$ has a higher electronegativity than hydrogen can be an acid. In $95~%$ of cases, these compounds are probably still not acidic or basic though.
And then there is the (much smaller, but still vast) class of compounds that can act as acids or bases in standard aquaeous solutions but usually do not. In sugar’s case, it has a lot of $ce{O-H}$ bonds and a lot of oxygen atoms. All oxygen atoms can be protonated if a strong acid is introduced to the mixture so sugar is a base about as strong as water. On the other hand, the hydrogen of the $ce{O-H}$ bonds can also depart as a proton if a strong enough base is in solution. This means sugar’s hydroxy groups are also weak acids—again, about as strong as water.
Then there is a final convoluting factor. One of these hydroxy groups in glucose is attached to a carbon that is bound to a second oxygen ($ce{R-O-CHR'-O-H}$). Here, the electronegative oxygen exercises a negative inductive effect, i.e. draws electron density away from the hydroxy group. Therefore, this one proton is slightly more acidic than all others. It is also ever so slightly more acidic than water so it acidifies the solution ever so slightly.
For all practical intents and purposes, this effect can be fully neglected, however, as it is so minor.
answered Dec 10 at 17:29
Jan
48.7k7114256
Ok so, to keep it easy, pouring pure sugar into a stomach, doesn't it make it more alkaline? Or does it change the ph in any way?
– Mr.Web
Dec 10 at 18:23
4
@Mr.Web: The initial effect will be to dilute your natural stomach acids, making it less acid. But the acidity of the stomach is regulated by the body, producing more acid to digest consumed food.
– MSalters
Dec 10 at 20:08
1
@MSalters and, as the stomach produces more acid, the blood becomes more alkaline for a period of time (an effect known as the alkaline tide). There is no "keeping it easy" when it comes to acid base physiology.
– De Novo
Dec 10 at 21:27
@Mr.Web All of my answer should be titled ‘what happens in water’. As for the body itself, I refer to Waylander’s answer (as in my first paragraph): the pH range of all parts of the body is tightly regulated. While adding anything will briefly disrupt the stable state, counter-processes immediately kick in and re-regulate the pH to where it should be.
– Jan
Dec 12 at 1:09
add a comment |
up vote
8
down vote
up vote
8
down vote
On the point of ‘makes your body acidic’ you already have an answer to which I have nothing to add.
However, you also claim that sugar be completely neutral—at which point I must intervene.
A lot more compounds can act as acids and bases than the shortlist of common acids you probably had in chemistry class. Most things with a lone pair can be a base and practically any $ce{X-H}$ bond where $ce{X}$ has a higher electronegativity than hydrogen can be an acid. In $95~%$ of cases, these compounds are probably still not acidic or basic though.
And then there is the (much smaller, but still vast) class of compounds that can act as acids or bases in standard aquaeous solutions but usually do not. In sugar’s case, it has a lot of $ce{O-H}$ bonds and a lot of oxygen atoms. All oxygen atoms can be protonated if a strong acid is introduced to the mixture so sugar is a base about as strong as water. On the other hand, the hydrogen of the $ce{O-H}$ bonds can also depart as a proton if a strong enough base is in solution. This means sugar’s hydroxy groups are also weak acids—again, about as strong as water.
Then there is a final convoluting factor. One of these hydroxy groups in glucose is attached to a carbon that is bound to a second oxygen ($ce{R-O-CHR'-O-H}$). Here, the electronegative oxygen exercises a negative inductive effect, i.e. draws electron density away from the hydroxy group. Therefore, this one proton is slightly more acidic than all others. It is also ever so slightly more acidic than water so it acidifies the solution ever so slightly.
For all practical intents and purposes, this effect can be fully neglected, however, as it is so minor.
answered Dec 10 at 17:29
Jan
48.7k7114256
On the point of ‘makes your body acidic’ you already have an answer to which I have nothing to add.
However, you also claim that sugar be completely neutral—at which point I must intervene.
A lot more compounds can act as acids and bases than the shortlist of common acids you probably had in chemistry class. Most things with a lone pair can be a base and practically any $ce{X-H}$ bond where $ce{X}$ has a higher electronegativity than hydrogen can be an acid. In $95~%$ of cases, these compounds are probably still not acidic or basic though.
And then there is the (much smaller, but still vast) class of compounds that can act as acids or bases in standard aquaeous solutions but usually do not. In sugar’s case, it has a lot of $ce{O-H}$ bonds and a lot of oxygen atoms. All oxygen atoms can be protonated if a strong acid is introduced to the mixture so sugar is a base about as strong as water. On the other hand, the hydrogen of the $ce{O-H}$ bonds can also depart as a proton if a strong enough base is in solution. This means sugar’s hydroxy groups are also weak acids—again, about as strong as water.
Then there is a final convoluting factor. One of these hydroxy groups in glucose is attached to a carbon that is bound to a second oxygen ($ce{R-O-CHR'-O-H}$). Here, the electronegative oxygen exercises a negative inductive effect, i.e. draws electron density away from the hydroxy group. Therefore, this one proton is slightly more acidic than all others. It is also ever so slightly more acidic than water so it acidifies the solution ever so slightly.
For all practical intents and purposes, this effect can be fully neglected, however, as it is so minor.
answered Dec 10 at 17:29
Jan
48.7k7114256
answered Dec 10 at 17:29
Jan
48.7k7114256
answered Dec 10 at 17:29
Jan
48.7k7114256
answered Dec 10 at 17:29
Jan
48.7k7114256
48.7k7114256
Ok so, to keep it easy, pouring pure sugar into a stomach, doesn't it make it more alkaline? Or does it change the ph in any way?
– Mr.Web
Dec 10 at 18:23
4
@Mr.Web: The initial effect will be to dilute your natural stomach acids, making it less acid. But the acidity of the stomach is regulated by the body, producing more acid to digest consumed food.
– MSalters
Dec 10 at 20:08
1
@MSalters and, as the stomach produces more acid, the blood becomes more alkaline for a period of time (an effect known as the alkaline tide). There is no "keeping it easy" when it comes to acid base physiology.
– De Novo
Dec 10 at 21:27
@Mr.Web All of my answer should be titled ‘what happens in water’. As for the body itself, I refer to Waylander’s answer (as in my first paragraph): the pH range of all parts of the body is tightly regulated. While adding anything will briefly disrupt the stable state, counter-processes immediately kick in and re-regulate the pH to where it should be.
– Jan
Dec 12 at 1:09
add a comment |
Ok so, to keep it easy, pouring pure sugar into a stomach, doesn't it make it more alkaline? Or does it change the ph in any way?
– Mr.Web
Dec 10 at 18:23
4
@Mr.Web: The initial effect will be to dilute your natural stomach acids, making it less acid. But the acidity of the stomach is regulated by the body, producing more acid to digest consumed food.
– MSalters
Dec 10 at 20:08
1
@MSalters and, as the stomach produces more acid, the blood becomes more alkaline for a period of time (an effect known as the alkaline tide). There is no "keeping it easy" when it comes to acid base physiology.
– De Novo
Dec 10 at 21:27
@Mr.Web All of my answer should be titled ‘what happens in water’. As for the body itself, I refer to Waylander’s answer (as in my first paragraph): the pH range of all parts of the body is tightly regulated. While adding anything will briefly disrupt the stable state, counter-processes immediately kick in and re-regulate the pH to where it should be.
– Jan
Dec 12 at 1:09
Ok so, to keep it easy, pouring pure sugar into a stomach, doesn't it make it more alkaline? Or does it change the ph in any way?
– Mr.Web
Dec 10 at 18:23
Ok so, to keep it easy, pouring pure sugar into a stomach, doesn't it make it more alkaline? Or does it change the ph in any way?
– Mr.Web
Dec 10 at 18:23
4
4
@Mr.Web: The initial effect will be to dilute your natural stomach acids, making it less acid. But the acidity of the stomach is regulated by the body, producing more acid to digest consumed food.
– MSalters
Dec 10 at 20:08
@Mr.Web: The initial effect will be to dilute your natural stomach acids, making it less acid. But the acidity of the stomach is regulated by the body, producing more acid to digest consumed food.
– MSalters
Dec 10 at 20:08
1
1
@MSalters and, as the stomach produces more acid, the blood becomes more alkaline for a period of time (an effect known as the alkaline tide). There is no "keeping it easy" when it comes to acid base physiology.
– De Novo
Dec 10 at 21:27
@MSalters and, as the stomach produces more acid, the blood becomes more alkaline for a period of time (an effect known as the alkaline tide). There is no "keeping it easy" when it comes to acid base physiology.
– De Novo
Dec 10 at 21:27
@Mr.Web All of my answer should be titled ‘what happens in water’. As for the body itself, I refer to Waylander’s answer (as in my first paragraph): the pH range of all parts of the body is tightly regulated. While adding anything will briefly disrupt the stable state, counter-processes immediately kick in and re-regulate the pH to where it should be.
– Jan
Dec 12 at 1:09
@Mr.Web All of my answer should be titled ‘what happens in water’. As for the body itself, I refer to Waylander’s answer (as in my first paragraph): the pH range of all parts of the body is tightly regulated. While adding anything will briefly disrupt the stable state, counter-processes immediately kick in and re-regulate the pH to where it should be.
– Jan
Dec 12 at 1:09
add a comment |
44
Charts like these are unscientific nonsense, ignore them.
– Waylander
Dec 10 at 8:19
12
@Mr.Web the opposite is proven - these foods (and any other foods) do not acidify the body. Science formed the hypothesis in the 19th century and disprove it in the early 20th century. People keep making these charts, but they are simply wrong.
– rumtscho
Dec 10 at 12:08
40
You've got to love the sheer gumption of putting citrus fruits in a column headed 'Alkaline'...
– AakashM
Dec 10 at 12:26
5
@AakashM Oh, but you see the citrus fruits make your body produce bases to neutralise them and when you stop eating them your body doesn't react fast enough to stop making them and makes too much base (/s, just in case)
– Richard Ward
Dec 10 at 13:50
7
@Mr.Web In general, if you see a chart alleging anything about food without citing at least one scientific study in a journal which, when Googled, doesn't turn up on any predatory journal lists, it's a steaming pile of bullshit. Especially about which foods are "healthy". (That's not always the case, of course -- for example, the charts found in those studies -- but if people are stealing those charts without citation they're plagiarizing and probably leaving out important context.)
– Nic Hartley
Dec 10 at 17:48