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.
“The First wealth is health.” ― Ralph Waldo Emerson 