Sugar solutions have a neutral pH in themselves, but it makes your body acidic. Why?
up vote
3
down vote
favorite
I'm not an expert, but as far as I understood a sugar solution is completely neutral since sugar can't take hydrogen ions out of the water or donate them in. Sugar is a non ionic compound, so it does not release H and OH ions in the water so it will not make the solution acidic or alkaline.
I keep on reading and seeing charts of how sugars make your body acidic, like this one:
What process makes a neutral pH solution into an acidic one?
I'm not into chemistry at all and therefore the simpler the answer the better.
everyday-chemistry ph food-chemistry
New contributor
|
show 3 more comments
up vote
3
down vote
favorite
I'm not an expert, but as far as I understood a sugar solution is completely neutral since sugar can't take hydrogen ions out of the water or donate them in. Sugar is a non ionic compound, so it does not release H and OH ions in the water so it will not make the solution acidic or alkaline.
I keep on reading and seeing charts of how sugars make your body acidic, like this one:
What process makes a neutral pH solution into an acidic one?
I'm not into chemistry at all and therefore the simpler the answer the better.
everyday-chemistry ph food-chemistry
New contributor
43
Charts like these are unscientific nonsense, ignore them.
– Waylander
yesterday
12
@Mr.Web the opposite is proven - these foods (and any other foods) do not acidify the body. Science formed the hypothesis in the 19th century and disprove it in the early 20th century. People keep making these charts, but they are simply wrong.
– rumtscho
yesterday
38
You've got to love the sheer gumption of putting citrus fruits in a column headed 'Alkaline'...
– AakashM
yesterday
5
@AakashM Oh, but you see the citrus fruits make your body produce bases to neutralise them and when you stop eating them your body doesn't react fast enough to stop making them and makes too much base (/s, just in case)
– Richard Ward
yesterday
6
@Mr.Web In general, if you see a chart alleging anything about food without citing at least one scientific study in a journal which, when Googled, doesn't turn up on any predatory journal lists, it's a steaming pile of bullshit. Especially about which foods are "healthy". (That's not always the case, of course -- for example, the charts found in those studies -- but if people are stealing those charts without citation they're plagiarizing and probably leaving out important context.)
– Nic Hartley
yesterday
|
show 3 more comments
up vote
3
down vote
favorite
up vote
3
down vote
favorite
I'm not an expert, but as far as I understood a sugar solution is completely neutral since sugar can't take hydrogen ions out of the water or donate them in. Sugar is a non ionic compound, so it does not release H and OH ions in the water so it will not make the solution acidic or alkaline.
I keep on reading and seeing charts of how sugars make your body acidic, like this one:
What process makes a neutral pH solution into an acidic one?
I'm not into chemistry at all and therefore the simpler the answer the better.
everyday-chemistry ph food-chemistry
New contributor
I'm not an expert, but as far as I understood a sugar solution is completely neutral since sugar can't take hydrogen ions out of the water or donate them in. Sugar is a non ionic compound, so it does not release H and OH ions in the water so it will not make the solution acidic or alkaline.
I keep on reading and seeing charts of how sugars make your body acidic, like this one:
What process makes a neutral pH solution into an acidic one?
I'm not into chemistry at all and therefore the simpler the answer the better.
everyday-chemistry ph food-chemistry
everyday-chemistry ph food-chemistry
New contributor
New contributor
edited 9 hours ago
Loong♦
32.2k881162
32.2k881162
New contributor
asked yesterday
Mr.Web
13015
13015
New contributor
New contributor
43
Charts like these are unscientific nonsense, ignore them.
– Waylander
yesterday
12
@Mr.Web the opposite is proven - these foods (and any other foods) do not acidify the body. Science formed the hypothesis in the 19th century and disprove it in the early 20th century. People keep making these charts, but they are simply wrong.
– rumtscho
yesterday
38
You've got to love the sheer gumption of putting citrus fruits in a column headed 'Alkaline'...
– AakashM
yesterday
5
@AakashM Oh, but you see the citrus fruits make your body produce bases to neutralise them and when you stop eating them your body doesn't react fast enough to stop making them and makes too much base (/s, just in case)
– Richard Ward
yesterday
6
@Mr.Web In general, if you see a chart alleging anything about food without citing at least one scientific study in a journal which, when Googled, doesn't turn up on any predatory journal lists, it's a steaming pile of bullshit. Especially about which foods are "healthy". (That's not always the case, of course -- for example, the charts found in those studies -- but if people are stealing those charts without citation they're plagiarizing and probably leaving out important context.)
– Nic Hartley
yesterday
|
show 3 more comments
43
Charts like these are unscientific nonsense, ignore them.
– Waylander
yesterday
12
@Mr.Web the opposite is proven - these foods (and any other foods) do not acidify the body. Science formed the hypothesis in the 19th century and disprove it in the early 20th century. People keep making these charts, but they are simply wrong.
– rumtscho
yesterday
38
You've got to love the sheer gumption of putting citrus fruits in a column headed 'Alkaline'...
– AakashM
yesterday
5
@AakashM Oh, but you see the citrus fruits make your body produce bases to neutralise them and when you stop eating them your body doesn't react fast enough to stop making them and makes too much base (/s, just in case)
– Richard Ward
yesterday
6
@Mr.Web In general, if you see a chart alleging anything about food without citing at least one scientific study in a journal which, when Googled, doesn't turn up on any predatory journal lists, it's a steaming pile of bullshit. Especially about which foods are "healthy". (That's not always the case, of course -- for example, the charts found in those studies -- but if people are stealing those charts without citation they're plagiarizing and probably leaving out important context.)
– Nic Hartley
yesterday
43
43
Charts like these are unscientific nonsense, ignore them.
– Waylander
yesterday
Charts like these are unscientific nonsense, ignore them.
– Waylander
yesterday
12
12
@Mr.Web the opposite is proven - these foods (and any other foods) do not acidify the body. Science formed the hypothesis in the 19th century and disprove it in the early 20th century. People keep making these charts, but they are simply wrong.
– rumtscho
yesterday
@Mr.Web the opposite is proven - these foods (and any other foods) do not acidify the body. Science formed the hypothesis in the 19th century and disprove it in the early 20th century. People keep making these charts, but they are simply wrong.
– rumtscho
yesterday
38
38
You've got to love the sheer gumption of putting citrus fruits in a column headed 'Alkaline'...
– AakashM
yesterday
You've got to love the sheer gumption of putting citrus fruits in a column headed 'Alkaline'...
– AakashM
yesterday
5
5
@AakashM Oh, but you see the citrus fruits make your body produce bases to neutralise them and when you stop eating them your body doesn't react fast enough to stop making them and makes too much base (/s, just in case)
– Richard Ward
yesterday
@AakashM Oh, but you see the citrus fruits make your body produce bases to neutralise them and when you stop eating them your body doesn't react fast enough to stop making them and makes too much base (/s, just in case)
– Richard Ward
yesterday
6
6
@Mr.Web In general, if you see a chart alleging anything about food without citing at least one scientific study in a journal which, when Googled, doesn't turn up on any predatory journal lists, it's a steaming pile of bullshit. Especially about which foods are "healthy". (That's not always the case, of course -- for example, the charts found in those studies -- but if people are stealing those charts without citation they're plagiarizing and probably leaving out important context.)
– Nic Hartley
yesterday
@Mr.Web In general, if you see a chart alleging anything about food without citing at least one scientific study in a journal which, when Googled, doesn't turn up on any predatory journal lists, it's a steaming pile of bullshit. Especially about which foods are "healthy". (That's not always the case, of course -- for example, the charts found in those studies -- but if people are stealing those charts without citation they're plagiarizing and probably leaving out important context.)
– Nic Hartley
yesterday
|
show 3 more comments
3 Answers
3
active
oldest
votes
up vote
31
down vote
accepted
It is not proven that "sugar makes your body acidic"!
Your body's pH is very tightly regulated by the body's internal systems; it is also different in different parts of the body - the stomach is acidic (1.0-2.5), the intestine are mildly basic (jejunem 7-9) terminal ileum 7.5 reference here. Blood pH is 7.35, and any deviation from this is indicative of serious illness.
4
It is almost impossible to "make the body" acidic while keeping it alive and functioning. Diets that advertise "acidic" or "alkaline" do little (nothing) to change the body PH. Instead they focus on other properties. ref
– Mindwin
yesterday
3
It is perfectly true that the "alkaline" foods recommended above will do you little harm, and some good if you replace the "acid forming foods" with them - just not for the reasons advanced.
– Waylander
yesterday
4
in the end they are just (wrongly used) marketing buzzwords (lies).
– Mindwin
yesterday
1
@Mindwin While it is correct that there is a lot of quackery around using diet to alter "the body's pH", you will find that your counter is completely false. The existence of a physiological buffer does not mean the pH doesn't change in disease states. It often does. There is an entire chapter in Cecil Medicine on the topic (Ch 120). Yes, alkaline diets are quackery. But no, it's not because your physiologic buffer is inviolable. Various pathophysiologic processes of varying severity can cause disturbances in the buffer system.
– De Novo
yesterday
2
@Mindwin don't counter quackery with false simplifications. Counter it with facts. Absent some pre-existing disease process, alkaline diets don't substantially change the pH of any body compartment (other than urine), and they aren't shown to be any more effective than any other kind of diet. (vs. "it is almost impossible to make the body acidic while keeping it alive and functioning")
– De Novo
yesterday
|
show 3 more comments
up vote
9
down vote
One place where sugar does cause acidity is your mouth. The bacteria living in your mouth feed on sugar and excrete lactic acid. It's part of their metabolism. Wikipedia has more details about dietary sugars and acidity in mouth.
It's not clear from the chart what part of the body it refers to, or what it claims the acidity to cause. But it does sound similar to the alkaline diet advice. It was originally related to acid ash hypothesis, which claimed acidic diets to cause osteoporosis. However, scientific research has not found evidence for the hypothesis. There is also a significant difference: the original acid ash hypothesis classified foods based on the pH of the ash left when burned - not the sugar content (all sugar will burn away).
In conclusion, there is no general link between sugar and acidity in body, but in some very specific cases such as caries bacteria in mouth, there is a connection.
add a comment |
up vote
8
down vote
On the point of ‘makes your body acidic’ you already have an answer to which I have nothing to add.
However, you also claim that sugar be completely neutral—at which point I must intervene.
A lot more compounds can act as acids and bases than the shortlist of common acids you probably had in chemistry class. Most things with a lone pair can be a base and practically any $ce{X-H}$ bond where $ce{X}$ has a higher electronegativity than hydrogen can be an acid. In $95~%$ of cases, these compounds are probably still not acidic or basic though.
And then there is the (much smaller, but still vast) class of compounds that can act as acids or bases in standard aquaeous solutions but usually do not. In sugar’s case, it has a lot of $ce{O-H}$ bonds and a lot of oxygen atoms. All oxygen atoms can be protonated if a strong acid is introduced to the mixture so sugar is a base about as strong as water. On the other hand, the hydrogen of the $ce{O-H}$ bonds can also depart as a proton if a strong enough base is in solution. This means sugar’s hydroxy groups are also weak acids—again, about as strong as water.
Then there is a final convoluting factor. One of these hydroxy groups in glucose is attached to a carbon that is bound to a second oxygen ($ce{R-O-CHR'-O-H}$). Here, the electronegative oxygen exercises a negative inductive effect, i.e. draws electron density away from the hydroxy group. Therefore, this one proton is slightly more acidic than all others. It is also ever so slightly more acidic than water so it acidifies the solution ever so slightly.
For all practical intents and purposes, this effect can be fully neglected, however, as it is so minor.
Ok so, to keep it easy, pouring pure sugar into a stomach, doesn't it make it more alkaline? Or does it change the ph in any way?
– Mr.Web
yesterday
3
@Mr.Web: The initial effect will be to dilute your natural stomach acids, making it less acid. But the acidity of the stomach is regulated by the body, producing more acid to digest consumed food.
– MSalters
yesterday
1
@MSalters and, as the stomach produces more acid, the blood becomes more alkaline for a period of time (an effect known as the alkaline tide). There is no "keeping it easy" when it comes to acid base physiology.
– De Novo
yesterday
add a comment |
3 Answers
3
active
oldest
votes
3 Answers
3
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
up vote
31
down vote
accepted
It is not proven that "sugar makes your body acidic"!
Your body's pH is very tightly regulated by the body's internal systems; it is also different in different parts of the body - the stomach is acidic (1.0-2.5), the intestine are mildly basic (jejunem 7-9) terminal ileum 7.5 reference here. Blood pH is 7.35, and any deviation from this is indicative of serious illness.
4
It is almost impossible to "make the body" acidic while keeping it alive and functioning. Diets that advertise "acidic" or "alkaline" do little (nothing) to change the body PH. Instead they focus on other properties. ref
– Mindwin
yesterday
3
It is perfectly true that the "alkaline" foods recommended above will do you little harm, and some good if you replace the "acid forming foods" with them - just not for the reasons advanced.
– Waylander
yesterday
4
in the end they are just (wrongly used) marketing buzzwords (lies).
– Mindwin
yesterday
1
@Mindwin While it is correct that there is a lot of quackery around using diet to alter "the body's pH", you will find that your counter is completely false. The existence of a physiological buffer does not mean the pH doesn't change in disease states. It often does. There is an entire chapter in Cecil Medicine on the topic (Ch 120). Yes, alkaline diets are quackery. But no, it's not because your physiologic buffer is inviolable. Various pathophysiologic processes of varying severity can cause disturbances in the buffer system.
– De Novo
yesterday
2
@Mindwin don't counter quackery with false simplifications. Counter it with facts. Absent some pre-existing disease process, alkaline diets don't substantially change the pH of any body compartment (other than urine), and they aren't shown to be any more effective than any other kind of diet. (vs. "it is almost impossible to make the body acidic while keeping it alive and functioning")
– De Novo
yesterday
|
show 3 more comments
up vote
31
down vote
accepted
It is not proven that "sugar makes your body acidic"!
Your body's pH is very tightly regulated by the body's internal systems; it is also different in different parts of the body - the stomach is acidic (1.0-2.5), the intestine are mildly basic (jejunem 7-9) terminal ileum 7.5 reference here. Blood pH is 7.35, and any deviation from this is indicative of serious illness.
4
It is almost impossible to "make the body" acidic while keeping it alive and functioning. Diets that advertise "acidic" or "alkaline" do little (nothing) to change the body PH. Instead they focus on other properties. ref
– Mindwin
yesterday
3
It is perfectly true that the "alkaline" foods recommended above will do you little harm, and some good if you replace the "acid forming foods" with them - just not for the reasons advanced.
– Waylander
yesterday
4
in the end they are just (wrongly used) marketing buzzwords (lies).
– Mindwin
yesterday
1
@Mindwin While it is correct that there is a lot of quackery around using diet to alter "the body's pH", you will find that your counter is completely false. The existence of a physiological buffer does not mean the pH doesn't change in disease states. It often does. There is an entire chapter in Cecil Medicine on the topic (Ch 120). Yes, alkaline diets are quackery. But no, it's not because your physiologic buffer is inviolable. Various pathophysiologic processes of varying severity can cause disturbances in the buffer system.
– De Novo
yesterday
2
@Mindwin don't counter quackery with false simplifications. Counter it with facts. Absent some pre-existing disease process, alkaline diets don't substantially change the pH of any body compartment (other than urine), and they aren't shown to be any more effective than any other kind of diet. (vs. "it is almost impossible to make the body acidic while keeping it alive and functioning")
– De Novo
yesterday
|
show 3 more comments
up vote
31
down vote
accepted
up vote
31
down vote
accepted
It is not proven that "sugar makes your body acidic"!
Your body's pH is very tightly regulated by the body's internal systems; it is also different in different parts of the body - the stomach is acidic (1.0-2.5), the intestine are mildly basic (jejunem 7-9) terminal ileum 7.5 reference here. Blood pH is 7.35, and any deviation from this is indicative of serious illness.
It is not proven that "sugar makes your body acidic"!
Your body's pH is very tightly regulated by the body's internal systems; it is also different in different parts of the body - the stomach is acidic (1.0-2.5), the intestine are mildly basic (jejunem 7-9) terminal ileum 7.5 reference here. Blood pH is 7.35, and any deviation from this is indicative of serious illness.
answered yesterday
Waylander
5,5941921
5,5941921
4
It is almost impossible to "make the body" acidic while keeping it alive and functioning. Diets that advertise "acidic" or "alkaline" do little (nothing) to change the body PH. Instead they focus on other properties. ref
– Mindwin
yesterday
3
It is perfectly true that the "alkaline" foods recommended above will do you little harm, and some good if you replace the "acid forming foods" with them - just not for the reasons advanced.
– Waylander
yesterday
4
in the end they are just (wrongly used) marketing buzzwords (lies).
– Mindwin
yesterday
1
@Mindwin While it is correct that there is a lot of quackery around using diet to alter "the body's pH", you will find that your counter is completely false. The existence of a physiological buffer does not mean the pH doesn't change in disease states. It often does. There is an entire chapter in Cecil Medicine on the topic (Ch 120). Yes, alkaline diets are quackery. But no, it's not because your physiologic buffer is inviolable. Various pathophysiologic processes of varying severity can cause disturbances in the buffer system.
– De Novo
yesterday
2
@Mindwin don't counter quackery with false simplifications. Counter it with facts. Absent some pre-existing disease process, alkaline diets don't substantially change the pH of any body compartment (other than urine), and they aren't shown to be any more effective than any other kind of diet. (vs. "it is almost impossible to make the body acidic while keeping it alive and functioning")
– De Novo
yesterday
|
show 3 more comments
4
It is almost impossible to "make the body" acidic while keeping it alive and functioning. Diets that advertise "acidic" or "alkaline" do little (nothing) to change the body PH. Instead they focus on other properties. ref
– Mindwin
yesterday
3
It is perfectly true that the "alkaline" foods recommended above will do you little harm, and some good if you replace the "acid forming foods" with them - just not for the reasons advanced.
– Waylander
yesterday
4
in the end they are just (wrongly used) marketing buzzwords (lies).
– Mindwin
yesterday
1
@Mindwin While it is correct that there is a lot of quackery around using diet to alter "the body's pH", you will find that your counter is completely false. The existence of a physiological buffer does not mean the pH doesn't change in disease states. It often does. There is an entire chapter in Cecil Medicine on the topic (Ch 120). Yes, alkaline diets are quackery. But no, it's not because your physiologic buffer is inviolable. Various pathophysiologic processes of varying severity can cause disturbances in the buffer system.
– De Novo
yesterday
2
@Mindwin don't counter quackery with false simplifications. Counter it with facts. Absent some pre-existing disease process, alkaline diets don't substantially change the pH of any body compartment (other than urine), and they aren't shown to be any more effective than any other kind of diet. (vs. "it is almost impossible to make the body acidic while keeping it alive and functioning")
– De Novo
yesterday
4
4
It is almost impossible to "make the body" acidic while keeping it alive and functioning. Diets that advertise "acidic" or "alkaline" do little (nothing) to change the body PH. Instead they focus on other properties. ref
– Mindwin
yesterday
It is almost impossible to "make the body" acidic while keeping it alive and functioning. Diets that advertise "acidic" or "alkaline" do little (nothing) to change the body PH. Instead they focus on other properties. ref
– Mindwin
yesterday
3
3
It is perfectly true that the "alkaline" foods recommended above will do you little harm, and some good if you replace the "acid forming foods" with them - just not for the reasons advanced.
– Waylander
yesterday
It is perfectly true that the "alkaline" foods recommended above will do you little harm, and some good if you replace the "acid forming foods" with them - just not for the reasons advanced.
– Waylander
yesterday
4
4
in the end they are just (wrongly used) marketing buzzwords (lies).
– Mindwin
yesterday
in the end they are just (wrongly used) marketing buzzwords (lies).
– Mindwin
yesterday
1
1
@Mindwin While it is correct that there is a lot of quackery around using diet to alter "the body's pH", you will find that your counter is completely false. The existence of a physiological buffer does not mean the pH doesn't change in disease states. It often does. There is an entire chapter in Cecil Medicine on the topic (Ch 120). Yes, alkaline diets are quackery. But no, it's not because your physiologic buffer is inviolable. Various pathophysiologic processes of varying severity can cause disturbances in the buffer system.
– De Novo
yesterday
@Mindwin While it is correct that there is a lot of quackery around using diet to alter "the body's pH", you will find that your counter is completely false. The existence of a physiological buffer does not mean the pH doesn't change in disease states. It often does. There is an entire chapter in Cecil Medicine on the topic (Ch 120). Yes, alkaline diets are quackery. But no, it's not because your physiologic buffer is inviolable. Various pathophysiologic processes of varying severity can cause disturbances in the buffer system.
– De Novo
yesterday
2
2
@Mindwin don't counter quackery with false simplifications. Counter it with facts. Absent some pre-existing disease process, alkaline diets don't substantially change the pH of any body compartment (other than urine), and they aren't shown to be any more effective than any other kind of diet. (vs. "it is almost impossible to make the body acidic while keeping it alive and functioning")
– De Novo
yesterday
@Mindwin don't counter quackery with false simplifications. Counter it with facts. Absent some pre-existing disease process, alkaline diets don't substantially change the pH of any body compartment (other than urine), and they aren't shown to be any more effective than any other kind of diet. (vs. "it is almost impossible to make the body acidic while keeping it alive and functioning")
– De Novo
yesterday
|
show 3 more comments
up vote
9
down vote
One place where sugar does cause acidity is your mouth. The bacteria living in your mouth feed on sugar and excrete lactic acid. It's part of their metabolism. Wikipedia has more details about dietary sugars and acidity in mouth.
It's not clear from the chart what part of the body it refers to, or what it claims the acidity to cause. But it does sound similar to the alkaline diet advice. It was originally related to acid ash hypothesis, which claimed acidic diets to cause osteoporosis. However, scientific research has not found evidence for the hypothesis. There is also a significant difference: the original acid ash hypothesis classified foods based on the pH of the ash left when burned - not the sugar content (all sugar will burn away).
In conclusion, there is no general link between sugar and acidity in body, but in some very specific cases such as caries bacteria in mouth, there is a connection.
add a comment |
up vote
9
down vote
One place where sugar does cause acidity is your mouth. The bacteria living in your mouth feed on sugar and excrete lactic acid. It's part of their metabolism. Wikipedia has more details about dietary sugars and acidity in mouth.
It's not clear from the chart what part of the body it refers to, or what it claims the acidity to cause. But it does sound similar to the alkaline diet advice. It was originally related to acid ash hypothesis, which claimed acidic diets to cause osteoporosis. However, scientific research has not found evidence for the hypothesis. There is also a significant difference: the original acid ash hypothesis classified foods based on the pH of the ash left when burned - not the sugar content (all sugar will burn away).
In conclusion, there is no general link between sugar and acidity in body, but in some very specific cases such as caries bacteria in mouth, there is a connection.
add a comment |
up vote
9
down vote
up vote
9
down vote
One place where sugar does cause acidity is your mouth. The bacteria living in your mouth feed on sugar and excrete lactic acid. It's part of their metabolism. Wikipedia has more details about dietary sugars and acidity in mouth.
It's not clear from the chart what part of the body it refers to, or what it claims the acidity to cause. But it does sound similar to the alkaline diet advice. It was originally related to acid ash hypothesis, which claimed acidic diets to cause osteoporosis. However, scientific research has not found evidence for the hypothesis. There is also a significant difference: the original acid ash hypothesis classified foods based on the pH of the ash left when burned - not the sugar content (all sugar will burn away).
In conclusion, there is no general link between sugar and acidity in body, but in some very specific cases such as caries bacteria in mouth, there is a connection.
One place where sugar does cause acidity is your mouth. The bacteria living in your mouth feed on sugar and excrete lactic acid. It's part of their metabolism. Wikipedia has more details about dietary sugars and acidity in mouth.
It's not clear from the chart what part of the body it refers to, or what it claims the acidity to cause. But it does sound similar to the alkaline diet advice. It was originally related to acid ash hypothesis, which claimed acidic diets to cause osteoporosis. However, scientific research has not found evidence for the hypothesis. There is also a significant difference: the original acid ash hypothesis classified foods based on the pH of the ash left when burned - not the sugar content (all sugar will burn away).
In conclusion, there is no general link between sugar and acidity in body, but in some very specific cases such as caries bacteria in mouth, there is a connection.
answered yesterday
jpa
23914
23914
add a comment |
add a comment |
up vote
8
down vote
On the point of ‘makes your body acidic’ you already have an answer to which I have nothing to add.
However, you also claim that sugar be completely neutral—at which point I must intervene.
A lot more compounds can act as acids and bases than the shortlist of common acids you probably had in chemistry class. Most things with a lone pair can be a base and practically any $ce{X-H}$ bond where $ce{X}$ has a higher electronegativity than hydrogen can be an acid. In $95~%$ of cases, these compounds are probably still not acidic or basic though.
And then there is the (much smaller, but still vast) class of compounds that can act as acids or bases in standard aquaeous solutions but usually do not. In sugar’s case, it has a lot of $ce{O-H}$ bonds and a lot of oxygen atoms. All oxygen atoms can be protonated if a strong acid is introduced to the mixture so sugar is a base about as strong as water. On the other hand, the hydrogen of the $ce{O-H}$ bonds can also depart as a proton if a strong enough base is in solution. This means sugar’s hydroxy groups are also weak acids—again, about as strong as water.
Then there is a final convoluting factor. One of these hydroxy groups in glucose is attached to a carbon that is bound to a second oxygen ($ce{R-O-CHR'-O-H}$). Here, the electronegative oxygen exercises a negative inductive effect, i.e. draws electron density away from the hydroxy group. Therefore, this one proton is slightly more acidic than all others. It is also ever so slightly more acidic than water so it acidifies the solution ever so slightly.
For all practical intents and purposes, this effect can be fully neglected, however, as it is so minor.
Ok so, to keep it easy, pouring pure sugar into a stomach, doesn't it make it more alkaline? Or does it change the ph in any way?
– Mr.Web
yesterday
3
@Mr.Web: The initial effect will be to dilute your natural stomach acids, making it less acid. But the acidity of the stomach is regulated by the body, producing more acid to digest consumed food.
– MSalters
yesterday
1
@MSalters and, as the stomach produces more acid, the blood becomes more alkaline for a period of time (an effect known as the alkaline tide). There is no "keeping it easy" when it comes to acid base physiology.
– De Novo
yesterday
add a comment |
up vote
8
down vote
On the point of ‘makes your body acidic’ you already have an answer to which I have nothing to add.
However, you also claim that sugar be completely neutral—at which point I must intervene.
A lot more compounds can act as acids and bases than the shortlist of common acids you probably had in chemistry class. Most things with a lone pair can be a base and practically any $ce{X-H}$ bond where $ce{X}$ has a higher electronegativity than hydrogen can be an acid. In $95~%$ of cases, these compounds are probably still not acidic or basic though.
And then there is the (much smaller, but still vast) class of compounds that can act as acids or bases in standard aquaeous solutions but usually do not. In sugar’s case, it has a lot of $ce{O-H}$ bonds and a lot of oxygen atoms. All oxygen atoms can be protonated if a strong acid is introduced to the mixture so sugar is a base about as strong as water. On the other hand, the hydrogen of the $ce{O-H}$ bonds can also depart as a proton if a strong enough base is in solution. This means sugar’s hydroxy groups are also weak acids—again, about as strong as water.
Then there is a final convoluting factor. One of these hydroxy groups in glucose is attached to a carbon that is bound to a second oxygen ($ce{R-O-CHR'-O-H}$). Here, the electronegative oxygen exercises a negative inductive effect, i.e. draws electron density away from the hydroxy group. Therefore, this one proton is slightly more acidic than all others. It is also ever so slightly more acidic than water so it acidifies the solution ever so slightly.
For all practical intents and purposes, this effect can be fully neglected, however, as it is so minor.
Ok so, to keep it easy, pouring pure sugar into a stomach, doesn't it make it more alkaline? Or does it change the ph in any way?
– Mr.Web
yesterday
3
@Mr.Web: The initial effect will be to dilute your natural stomach acids, making it less acid. But the acidity of the stomach is regulated by the body, producing more acid to digest consumed food.
– MSalters
yesterday
1
@MSalters and, as the stomach produces more acid, the blood becomes more alkaline for a period of time (an effect known as the alkaline tide). There is no "keeping it easy" when it comes to acid base physiology.
– De Novo
yesterday
add a comment |
up vote
8
down vote
up vote
8
down vote
On the point of ‘makes your body acidic’ you already have an answer to which I have nothing to add.
However, you also claim that sugar be completely neutral—at which point I must intervene.
A lot more compounds can act as acids and bases than the shortlist of common acids you probably had in chemistry class. Most things with a lone pair can be a base and practically any $ce{X-H}$ bond where $ce{X}$ has a higher electronegativity than hydrogen can be an acid. In $95~%$ of cases, these compounds are probably still not acidic or basic though.
And then there is the (much smaller, but still vast) class of compounds that can act as acids or bases in standard aquaeous solutions but usually do not. In sugar’s case, it has a lot of $ce{O-H}$ bonds and a lot of oxygen atoms. All oxygen atoms can be protonated if a strong acid is introduced to the mixture so sugar is a base about as strong as water. On the other hand, the hydrogen of the $ce{O-H}$ bonds can also depart as a proton if a strong enough base is in solution. This means sugar’s hydroxy groups are also weak acids—again, about as strong as water.
Then there is a final convoluting factor. One of these hydroxy groups in glucose is attached to a carbon that is bound to a second oxygen ($ce{R-O-CHR'-O-H}$). Here, the electronegative oxygen exercises a negative inductive effect, i.e. draws electron density away from the hydroxy group. Therefore, this one proton is slightly more acidic than all others. It is also ever so slightly more acidic than water so it acidifies the solution ever so slightly.
For all practical intents and purposes, this effect can be fully neglected, however, as it is so minor.
On the point of ‘makes your body acidic’ you already have an answer to which I have nothing to add.
However, you also claim that sugar be completely neutral—at which point I must intervene.
A lot more compounds can act as acids and bases than the shortlist of common acids you probably had in chemistry class. Most things with a lone pair can be a base and practically any $ce{X-H}$ bond where $ce{X}$ has a higher electronegativity than hydrogen can be an acid. In $95~%$ of cases, these compounds are probably still not acidic or basic though.
And then there is the (much smaller, but still vast) class of compounds that can act as acids or bases in standard aquaeous solutions but usually do not. In sugar’s case, it has a lot of $ce{O-H}$ bonds and a lot of oxygen atoms. All oxygen atoms can be protonated if a strong acid is introduced to the mixture so sugar is a base about as strong as water. On the other hand, the hydrogen of the $ce{O-H}$ bonds can also depart as a proton if a strong enough base is in solution. This means sugar’s hydroxy groups are also weak acids—again, about as strong as water.
Then there is a final convoluting factor. One of these hydroxy groups in glucose is attached to a carbon that is bound to a second oxygen ($ce{R-O-CHR'-O-H}$). Here, the electronegative oxygen exercises a negative inductive effect, i.e. draws electron density away from the hydroxy group. Therefore, this one proton is slightly more acidic than all others. It is also ever so slightly more acidic than water so it acidifies the solution ever so slightly.
For all practical intents and purposes, this effect can be fully neglected, however, as it is so minor.
answered yesterday
Jan
48.5k7114254
48.5k7114254
Ok so, to keep it easy, pouring pure sugar into a stomach, doesn't it make it more alkaline? Or does it change the ph in any way?
– Mr.Web
yesterday
3
@Mr.Web: The initial effect will be to dilute your natural stomach acids, making it less acid. But the acidity of the stomach is regulated by the body, producing more acid to digest consumed food.
– MSalters
yesterday
1
@MSalters and, as the stomach produces more acid, the blood becomes more alkaline for a period of time (an effect known as the alkaline tide). There is no "keeping it easy" when it comes to acid base physiology.
– De Novo
yesterday
add a comment |
Ok so, to keep it easy, pouring pure sugar into a stomach, doesn't it make it more alkaline? Or does it change the ph in any way?
– Mr.Web
yesterday
3
@Mr.Web: The initial effect will be to dilute your natural stomach acids, making it less acid. But the acidity of the stomach is regulated by the body, producing more acid to digest consumed food.
– MSalters
yesterday
1
@MSalters and, as the stomach produces more acid, the blood becomes more alkaline for a period of time (an effect known as the alkaline tide). There is no "keeping it easy" when it comes to acid base physiology.
– De Novo
yesterday
Ok so, to keep it easy, pouring pure sugar into a stomach, doesn't it make it more alkaline? Or does it change the ph in any way?
– Mr.Web
yesterday
Ok so, to keep it easy, pouring pure sugar into a stomach, doesn't it make it more alkaline? Or does it change the ph in any way?
– Mr.Web
yesterday
3
3
@Mr.Web: The initial effect will be to dilute your natural stomach acids, making it less acid. But the acidity of the stomach is regulated by the body, producing more acid to digest consumed food.
– MSalters
yesterday
@Mr.Web: The initial effect will be to dilute your natural stomach acids, making it less acid. But the acidity of the stomach is regulated by the body, producing more acid to digest consumed food.
– MSalters
yesterday
1
1
@MSalters and, as the stomach produces more acid, the blood becomes more alkaline for a period of time (an effect known as the alkaline tide). There is no "keeping it easy" when it comes to acid base physiology.
– De Novo
yesterday
@MSalters and, as the stomach produces more acid, the blood becomes more alkaline for a period of time (an effect known as the alkaline tide). There is no "keeping it easy" when it comes to acid base physiology.
– De Novo
yesterday
add a comment |
Mr.Web is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
Mr.Web is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
Mr.Web is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
Mr.Web is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
Thanks for contributing an answer to Chemistry Stack Exchange!
- Please be sure to answer the question. Provide details and share your research!
But avoid …
- Asking for help, clarification, or responding to other answers.
- Making statements based on opinion; back them up with references or personal experience.
Use MathJax to format equations. MathJax reference.
To learn more, see our tips on writing great answers.
Some of your past answers have not been well-received, and you're in danger of being blocked from answering.
Please pay close attention to the following guidance:
- Please be sure to answer the question. Provide details and share your research!
But avoid …
- Asking for help, clarification, or responding to other answers.
- Making statements based on opinion; back them up with references or personal experience.
To learn more, see our tips on writing great answers.
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
StackExchange.ready(
function () {
StackExchange.openid.initPostLogin('.new-post-login', 'https%3a%2f%2fchemistry.stackexchange.com%2fquestions%2f105503%2fsugar-solutions-have-a-neutral-ph-in-themselves-but-it-makes-your-body-acidic%23new-answer', 'question_page');
}
);
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
43
Charts like these are unscientific nonsense, ignore them.
– Waylander
yesterday
12
@Mr.Web the opposite is proven - these foods (and any other foods) do not acidify the body. Science formed the hypothesis in the 19th century and disprove it in the early 20th century. People keep making these charts, but they are simply wrong.
– rumtscho
yesterday
38
You've got to love the sheer gumption of putting citrus fruits in a column headed 'Alkaline'...
– AakashM
yesterday
5
@AakashM Oh, but you see the citrus fruits make your body produce bases to neutralise them and when you stop eating them your body doesn't react fast enough to stop making them and makes too much base (/s, just in case)
– Richard Ward
yesterday
6
@Mr.Web In general, if you see a chart alleging anything about food without citing at least one scientific study in a journal which, when Googled, doesn't turn up on any predatory journal lists, it's a steaming pile of bullshit. Especially about which foods are "healthy". (That's not always the case, of course -- for example, the charts found in those studies -- but if people are stealing those charts without citation they're plagiarizing and probably leaving out important context.)
– Nic Hartley
yesterday