Why Lemon Juice is alkaline forming.

After I wrote my post on How to make water alkaline water at home I’ve received a few comments from friends where they suggested additions to the recipe. Some also asked me to explain how lemon juice makes water alkaline, when lemon juice itself is acidic.

Does lemon juice really makes the water alkaline? – No it doesn’t.

Whether a food has an acidic or alkaline effect on the body has little to do with that food’s pH before it is digested. Instead, it depends on whether acidic or alkaline byproducts are created once it is digested and processed by your body.

One method to estimate which type of byproduct a food will produce is  the PRAL Score.

Potential Renal Acid Load (PRAL) is used to calculate how much of an acid the foods you eat put on your kidneys. PRAL method takes into account the mineral and protein composition of foods and the average intestinal absorption rates of the nutrients. Foods that are acid forming have a positive PRAL score, they increase the amount of acid that your kidneys must process and discharge. Lemon juice is in a category of foods that have a negative PRAL score. Because of its high alkaline mineral content (calcium, magnesium, potassium, and phosphorus), lemons actually have an alkalizing effect on the body that exceeds it’s citric acid content. Lemon juice reduces your body acidity level with with a PRAL Score -2.5.

In regards to the recipe, if you would like to “spice up” your every day drink – adding a few slices of  fresh ginger will be a great contribution.

How to make alkaline water at home.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 Cucumber.
• 1-2 Lemons (2 if they’re small).
• Fresh mint leaves (about 10 leaves or so).
• Filtered or spring water.

Even though they taste acidic, lemons are alkaline when digested by the body. Water is also naturally alkaline (water only becomes acidic picking up mineral residue from old pipes or from being chemically altered by drinking water additives).

Instructions:

1. Slice about 1/2 a cucumber, do not remove the skin for added health benefits!
2. Cut 1-2 lemons into whole slices. If they’re small then use 2 whole lemons, skin and all.
3. Put all the ingredients (including mint) on the bottom of the pitcher. Fill the pitcher full using either spring or filtered water. Leave it in the refrigerator overnight to let all of the goodness infuse your water.

Total time 6 min.