Is the alkaline diet just another form of diet fraud?

[Terra Vegan]

Hello,



I wanted to see how many members of this forum are on a plant based (vegan) diet?



What are your thoughts on the extreme changes that will occur, within the medical field, and on pharmaceutical manufacturing, when an increasing number of people begin eating alkalizing diets, rather than acidic diets?

 

[jim mcnamara]

What research can you cite about long term trends in diet change to support your basic assumption: there will be a measurable dietary shift (in the US I presume)? Please give us something to go on - I found nothing in reputable journals, but maybe my search was misdirected.

 

[Evo]

We've had polls like this before, a huge percentage of members are meat eaters.

Here is a recent Gallup poll for the US. Vegetarianism has actually declined a bit.

July 26, 2012
In U.S., 5% Consider Themselves Vegetarians

Even smaller 2% say they are vegans

by Frank Newport
PRINCETON, NJ -- Five percent of American adults consider themselves to be vegetarians, largely unchanged (down)from the 6% who identified as vegetarians in 1999 and 2001.

http://www.gallup.com/poll/156215/consider-themselves-vegetarians.aspx

 

[Borek]

alkalizing diets, rather than acidic diets?

What are these?

 

[Evo]

Fraud

Alternative medicine practitioners have promoted a diet regimen which they call an "alkaline diet" as well, advocating its use in the treatment of various medical conditions including cancer.[12] These claims have been mainly promoted on websites, magazines, direct mail, and books, and have been mainly directed at a lay audience.[6] While it has been proposed that this diet can help increase energy, lose weight, and treat cancer and heart disease, there is no evidence to support any of these claims.[13] This version of the diet, in addition to avoiding meats and other proteins, also advocates avoiding processed foods, white sugar, white flour, and caffeine,[11] and can involve specific exercise and nutritional supplement regimens as well.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alkaline_diet#Alternative_medicine

Diet fraud

According to internet results for "alkaline diet" have characteristics of possible diet fraud. Signs of possible fraudulent promotion of this diet include subscription fees for information or advertisement of products sold only by that website. Other warning signs include severe restriction on the diet such as elimination of all fats or carbohydrates, as well as conspiracy theories alleging secrets kept from the public by the scientific community, or a secret or discovery known only to the operator of a website.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alkaline_diet#Diet_fraud