Considering that pH plays a major role in teeth health and acid-reflux, two things that a significant portion of the population suffers from and can dramatically reduce quality of life, shouldn’t the pH of a food item be just as important as nutritional values?
I don’t think it’s necessary. Generally people who get acid reflux know exactly which foods exacerbate it. And i don’t believe it causes the level of effect on teeth health as you imply.
In other words just like with all the other values that already got added to the nutrition labeling, you’d have to make a strong science-evidence-based case demonstrating that it would be meaningfully helpful to add it to the listings.
It is very scientifically based that people who often drink sodas have higher levels of cavities. Because the high pH dissolves small layers of the enamal which over time and with consistent use leads to weaker teeth.
You can find plenty of studies to support this.
Also how do you think people learn which foods give them acid reflux? Usually a combo of a well know list from the doctor or the internet, and then trial and error which is not fun or healthy.
High pH is basic btw. I’m assuming you meant low pH with the reference to soda
My acid reflux has nothing to do with acidic or basic foods, and everything to do with the ratio of fat I’ve eaten or how many alcoholic drinks I’ve had in an evening. Beer is about a hundred times less acidic than soda (for reference) and soda doesn’t set my reflux off
My point is that human bodies are weird and we react in weird ways to food. That’s why we have to trial foods
Sure, it won’t be a straight and simple indicator, but it helps. Like how you could probably read the fat content on a snack to know if it might trigger it.
You’re misunderstanding. Yes there’s plenty of scientific evidence that excessive soda drinking harms your teeth, but that’s a totally different topic than whether listing pH level on nutrition labels would have any effect on public health.