Protein is part of the picture
Acids are produced when certain sulfur-containing protein building blocks are broken down. In a small, controlled nutritional study, higher protein intake led to, among other things, increased acid excretion in the urine. This describes a metabolic response, not automatically a disease or damage caused by protein.
Protein fulfills important tasks. If you are physically active, you should therefore not avoid it across the board, but look at your diet as a whole: which protein sources are on your menu and what other foods complement them?
What vegetables and fruit contribute
Depending on the variety, vegetables and fruit provide minerals and organic compounds that can form bases during metabolism. Taste is not a reliable benchmark for this. "Sour on the tongue" and the subsequent acid balance are two different things.
A varied selection of plant-based foods also provides fiber, vitamins, and other nutrients. Therefore, it is not about having the longest possible list of prohibited items, but about the composition of your meals.
Your body responds to intake
Buffer systems, respiration, and kidneys work together. The kidneys can adjust their acid excretion while the pH value of the blood remains tightly regulated. The fact that this value is stable does not mean that your diet has no influence.
Urine can show significantly greater fluctuations. However, a single urine pH value does not describe the state of the entire body. If you have symptoms, you should not use this to derive a self-diagnosis.
Seeing minerals in context
Phosphate is a component of the body's own buffer systems. It can absorb and release hydrogen ions. Other mineral functions relate, for example, to electrolyte balance and energy metabolism.
In everyday life, it helps to keep both in mind: food choices and nutrient supply. Our page on acid-base balance shows how these tasks are related.
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