Is Honey Acidic Or Alkaline?

Honey is acidic in nature as the pH of honey ranges from 3.4 to 6.1. The average pH of honey is 3.9, and we know that on the pH scale, anything below 7 is acidic, 7 is neutral, and above 7 is basic. However, when honey is consumed it becomes alkaline. Honey contains different types of acids such as aromatic acids, aliphatic acids, amino acids, and organic acids.

What is alkaline?

The idea behind this popular diet trend is that if you eat less acidic foods, then you can change your body's pH levels. This change then leads to a decreased chance of getting many types of cancers. Sounds great, right?! Well... unfortunately it's not that simple. See, food really doesn't actually change the pH level of blood in a healthy body, whose kidney as well as lungs are functioning as they should.

Then why do some people following this diet feel better?? That's a great question, and an easy one to answer. Most of the foods that are recommended in an alkaline diet are fruits and vegetables... so once you start eating more plants, you probably gain more energy, sleep better, maybe lose weight, have better skin, and so on.

I'm all for eating more plants (have you met me?), yet I'm also for a balanced diet. Focusing on a limited number of foods isn't the healthiest (or most manageable) approach to a healthy body. So look at these alkaline recipes as a great way to incorporate more fruits and veggies into your meal times, not a new strict diet to adhere to until you fall off the bandwagon again.

A NOTE FOR CANCER FIGHTERS

One reason alkaline foods are so trendy, is the cancer fighting claim. Yes alkaline foods often have cancer fighting properties, and it's not really because they're alkaline. It's because they are nutrient dense foods loaded with vitamins + minerals to help the body fight as well as heal. So definitely consult with your physician about adding these nutritious foods to your diet, yet make sure they are part of a balanced diet, and not the only foods you're eating.

Is Honey Acidic Or Alkaline? 

Many people seeking to improve their health with nutrition and diet, have become concerned about the ratio of acidic or alkaline foods they consume.

So is honey acidic or alkaline?

Short Answer:

Yes, honey is acidic - that is, honey has an acidic pH that is at a level considered low enough to prevent growth of micro-organisms. For this reason, honey has sometimes been used as a natural anti-bacterial agent.

Explanation - How honey is measured as acidic'

The pH scale ranges from 0 to 14, where anything with a pH of less than 7 is considered acidic. A pH of 7 is neutral. A pH greater than 7 is considered akaline. Pure water has a neutral pH, however, the pH of water will change if any other substance or solution is added to it.

Is the acid level in honey safe for human stomachs? 

Yes, certainly - as long as there are no other reasons why removing honey from your diet would be a good idea - for example, it's a good idea to refrain from eating honey if you are diabetic. 

Which acids are present in honey?
Where do the acids in honey come from? 

There are many acids found in honey, most of which fall into the category of organic acids or amino acids.  

Organic acids in honey: 

Organic acids contribute to the overall level of acidity in honey. Although they make up only a tiny amount of the solid component of honey (0.5%) organic acids in honey are very important for:  

• honey preservation
• taste
• aroma
• color.

Gluconic acid is the main organic acid in honey, representing 70–90% of the total (Bogdanov).

Organic acids are likely to come directly from nectar or honeydew (citric, malic and oxalic), but the vast majority of them are produced from nectar and honeydew sugars by the action of enzymes secreted by bees during ripening and storage.

Free Amino acids in honey:

Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins (think of the way in which bricks are the building blocks of a wall). These proteins are important for all kinds of things, such as the structure of cells, which in turn are important for maintaining physical health - hence one of the reasons honey is also very important for bees!

Over 20 amino acids have been detected in honey, including:

• proline
• glutamic acid
• aspartic acid
• glutamine
• glutamic acid
• trypsin
• threonine
• serine
• tyrosine
• histidine
• glycine
• alanine
• arginine
• valine
• methionine
• asparagine
• cysteine
• isoleucine
• leucine
• tryptophan
• phenylalanine
• ornithine
• lysine

The main source of amino acids is pollen.