Too much acid in the body affects the organs, tissues, and cells, which have dire effects on their proper functioning, as they are vital to the body’s existence. However, being the exact opposite of acidic, alkaline can also prove detrimental. As such, the only way for the human body to remain healthy is by maintaining a balance between acid and alkaline levels. For us to be able to know what that balance is, we must be able to measure acidity.
Have you ever heard of the pH value before? Well, understanding the pH value is the first step to measuring the acidity in one’s body. PH, which stands for the ‘power of Hydrogen,’ simply means the number value of hydrogen ions in a liquid. Since most if not all of the foods we consume contain liquid, we can also find out the number value of hydrogen ions in our foods, or the pH value of our foods. Ideally, this helps in determining the pH value of our bodies, thus knowing our acid numerical content. Did I lose you there? Well, let me tackle it from another point of view. Acidity in the body is measured by the pH value.
Importantly, there is a pH scale that runs from 1 to 14. This pH scale is divided between acids and alkaline, of which the mid-point is neutral, 7.0. So, from 1 to 6.9 is acidic and from 7.1 to 14 is alkaline. Whilst it is ideal for the body to be neutral, the food we consume on a daily basis makes this impossible, but the optimal level is between 7.35 and 7.45 pH! With that being said, the lower the pH value, the more acidic the substance is, and that is exactly how you measure acidity.
