The Effect of Acidic Foods on the Human Body - Research Paper Example

?The Effect of Acidic Foods on Human Body The foods we eat affect the acid-base balance of the body. The food products having considerable amount of phosphorus, sulfur and chlorine metabolize to form negatively charged ions (also known as anions). The large intake of such food products lead to the accumulation of anions resulting in disturbance in the acid-base balance of the body. The common examples of acidic foods are cheese, meat, eggs and cereals. Alkali foods act to neutralize the effect of the acidic foods because they produce an excess of cations (positively charged ions) after getting metabolized. The alkali producing foods include Fruits, vegetables, milk and groundnuts as the eating of these foods gives out sodium, calcium and magnesium in the body. The human kidneys are the most important osmoregulatory organ in the body by maintaining the acid-base balance of the body through checking the concentration of the acidic and alkali minerals in fluids of the human body. The normal pH of the human body is 7.3-7.5, below and above this range acidosis (excess of acidic minerals in the human body) and alkalosis (excess of alkaline minerals in the human body) occurs respectively. The amount of pendrin, which is responsible for the transfer of iodine in the in the cells of thyroid also changes due to metabolic acidosis and alkalosis [1]. An acidic pH in body can be a result of emotional stress, toxic overload, and deprivation of oxygen in some cells; however the most common cause of the decrease in pH of the body below the normal range is the excessive use of acidic foods in diet. With the decrease in pH of the body the body starts utilizing the alkaline minerals of the cells resulting in an acidic buildup in the cells which sometimes leads to cancer and severe medical abnormalities in cells. The acidity also increases when the body deposits excess acids into any particular area of the body resulting in the increase of acidity in the cells of that area of the body and thus the cells eventually die or become abnormal by adapting to the acidic environment. These abnormal cells later cause cancer. Thus the development of cancer in the body starts with the intake of acid forming foods containing large amounts of nitrates. The development of cancer due to the intake of acidic foods also passes through leukemia, a condition in which the number of white cells increases and red cells decreases. The various other disastrous effects of the disturbance of acid-base balance include: 1. Decrease in the energy production of cells 2. Decrease in the amount of minerals and nutrients being absorbed by the body 3. The repair of the damaged cells and the detoxification of the various harmful chemicals in the cells become difficult 4. Tumors develop in the various parts of the body 5. The person with an acidic pH in the body feels fatigued and ill which ultimately lead to coma and death in severe cases. The disturbance of acid-base balance of body due to dehydration also causes various diseases [2]. These diseases include diarrhea and dysentery, and the intake of acidic foods contributes to the situation because it adds more acidic minerals to the body fluid. There are some beneficial effects of intake of acidic foods as well. Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA) is known for decreasing the risk of cancer in human body. The cis-9 and trans-11 CLA is reported to have anti-carcinogenic effects whereas cis-10 and trans-12 CLA induces lipogenesis [3]. The most important benefit of these acids is the fact that they do not alter body composition, thus do not have any harmful effects on the body. The roots of the food crops is the very first stage of the path through which acids and heavy metals reach human body because the injurious minerals from the fertilizers travel from the roots of plants and get deposited in the edible parts of plant body [4]. Now the vegetables and foods from plant sources are also being classified as sources of acidic intake because of the unchecked and unprotected use of fertilizers which are very rich in acidic minerals. The solution to this problem lies in the increased use of natural fertilizers which do not have any such threat associated with them. Sometimes insecticides and pesticides also get accumulated in the edible parts of the plant bodies and reach the human body as acidic foods. It is important to control the use of such chemicals in agriculture and the use of biological pesticides should be encouraged. Another medical ailment associated with the consumption of acidic foods is the acid erosion of teeth which is also known as dental erosion. The major cause of the acid erosion is the large intake of fruit juices which are usually considered as highly beneficial for health however these juices contain large amounts of citric acid which affects the health of the teeth. The dental erosion usually starts from the erosion of enamel and may penetrate into the teeth to affect dentin, in severe cases. Carbonated drinks are also considered harmful for teeth but carbonic acid does not trigger erosion of teeth, the phosphoric and citric acid in the drinks does. Hen egg ovalbumin is considered to be an anti-erosive additive which can be used in soft drinks and other food products to control the acid erosion of the teeth [5]. Acidosis and cancer are becoming very common in the modern day society and the most evident cause of this devastating fact is the eating habits of people. The daily diet of people today lacks fresh vegetables and is rich in hazardous food products which include meat, eggs and dairy. Moreover the use of sugar, processed flour and CO2 rich soft drinks only aggravates the situation. The extent of use of acidic foods and the frequency of stomach problems caused by them can be analyzed by the fact that antiulcer agents are one of the top selling drugs in the world [6]. The modern urbanized lifestyle in which most of the food products being used by humans are synthesized and thus have many side effects associated with them. The increase in the population demands an increase in the production of food products and it has given rise to the use of unhealthy practices for synthesizing foods which involve the use of harmful chemicals. The farmers nowadays are using harmful pesticides and fertilizers in excess quantities in order to increase the production and vegetables which were used as neutralizing agents for acidity of the body are now being rendered as acidic because of the acids accumulated in them. The solution to the problem lies in cleaning up of lifestyle and improvement of the eating habits. The risk of harmful effects of acidic foods on human body can be minimized by following the below mentioned practices: 1. The consumption of acidic foods which include energy drinks, carbonated drinks, meat and dairy products should be minimized according to the food charts to keep the acid levels of the body in the allowed limits. 2. Fresh green vegetables and fruits should be consumed regularly along with meat and dairy products because they contribute alkaline minerals to the body thus helping the body to restore its acid-base balance. 3. Good eating habits should be adopted and acidic foods should not be taken on improper time e.g. before bedtime. 4. The use of straw for drinking acidic drinks and juices can minimize the contact of such drinks with teeth, reducing the risk of acid erosion. 5. Considerable amount of water should be used while drinking; it helps the passage of food into the stomach and thus minimizes the unusual accumulation of acids in the various parts of the body. Consumption of acidic foods in the daily diet is a normal activity, however the excessive use of such food products results in various medical ailments sometimes as complicated as cancer. It is very important to consume acidic foods in the daily diet for maintaining the acid-base balance of the body and to keep the body in normal working condition because many acids are essential for human body and some have beneficial effects as well. The best practice is to adopt healthy eating habits and a balanced diet. Works Cited [1] Chang, Jae, and Sejoong Kim. "Role of Pendrin in Acid-Base Balance." Electrolyte Blood Press 7 (2009): 20 - 24. Print. [2] Bianchetti, Mario, Giacomo Simonetti, and Alberto Bettinelli. "Body Fluids and Salt Metabolism." Italian Journal of Pediatrics (2009): n. pag. Print. [3] McGuire, M A, and M K McGuire. "Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA): A ruminant fatty acid with beneficial effects on human health." Proceedings of American Society of Animal Science (1999): n. pag. Print. [4] Islam, Ejaz ul, et al. "Assessing potential dietary toxicity of heavy metals in selected vegetables and food crops." Journal of Zhejiang University Science B 8.1 (2007): 1 - 13. Print. [5] Hemingway, CA, et al. "Enamel erosion in dietary acids: inhibition by food proteins in vitro." University of Bristol 6.44 (2010): 525 - 530. Print. [6] Untersmayr, Eva, and Erika Jarolim. "The role of protein digestibility and antacids on food allergy outcomes." Medical University of Vienna 6.121 (2008): 1301 - 1310. Print. Read More