How to Increase Hydrochloric Acid Production
Acid has a bad rap right now but it is often misunderstood. Everyone is looking to alkaline their body and sometimes this mean they avoid acidic foods. However, it it not necessarily how the food tastes and its composition of the food, but how it reacts in the body to put our body in a more acidic or alkaline state.
The Standard American Diet (SAD) is very acidic in the sense that it is low in minerals. Minerals act as ions (charged particles) in the body to bind toxins and create balance to lead to more alkalinity overall. Sugars, processed foods and oxidized fats contain little to no minerals and therefore, lead the pH of the body to be more acidic. The acidic state of the body is linked to higher rate of disease, inflammation and aging.
Acidic foods however, are very important for digestion. Your stomach is at a very low pH level (very acidic) to ensure that pathogens from the environment and from food are killed before they do any harm. This acid is called hydrochloric acid (HCl) and it is also required for protein digestion. HCl converts inactive pepsinogen to pepsin, which is the enzyme that breaks amino acid chains in proteins so they can be absorbed. Many people today are deficient in HCl, which leads to improper digestion of proteins that can slip through the gut lining and lead to food allergies and sensitivities or leaky gut. The main reason that HCl is low is due to stress. In addition, eating while on the go, living with chronic stress, eating while distracted or having anxiety about food can inhibit the release of gastric juices required for digestion.
A deficiency in zinc will also inhibit HCl as it is required for the the production of this acid. Without the ability to make it, there is no ability to release it when food is ingested. This is a vicious cycle because HCl increases the absorption of zinc, so low levels can lead to lower and lower levels which will have negative effects all over the body. Other minerals like iron also rely on good HCl levels for optimal absorption. This is extremely important for plant-based eaters that may be at risk of low zinc and iron levels to begin with. Vitamin C is another important micronutrient that relies on an acidic medium for optimal absorption. Zinc and vitamin C are also two key players in immunity. People of the older population therefore may be at a higher risk of getting sick as they also do not produce as much HCl. Those over 65 years of age have lower digestion that increasingly gets worse as they age. For these reasons, it is very important to take care of your HCl levels to ensure optimal digestion of foods and absorption of vitamins, minerals and essential nutrient
Try these tips to boost HCl production and optimize digestion:
Eat in a relaxed state and chew food completely
Consume 2 tsp of apple cider vinegar or lemon juice before meals
Take a zinc supplement or include lots of foods high in zinc like eggs, yogurt, lentils, oysters, beans, nuts and poultry
Eat smaller portions of protein at meals and add protein in at snacks instead
Eat fermented food with your meals as they are also acidic. Try kombucha, kefir, yogurt, sauerkraut or kimchi
Set aside time to eat each day and eat around the same time. Your body will get use to when to expect food and therefore, be ready for gastric juices to be released
Find a way to deal with stress. Your body cannot digest food in the “flight or flight” state, so use mediation, breath work or journalling to help work through stressful times