By: Rashmi S
May 11 2020
False: The pH level of coronavirus varies from 5.5 to 8.5 and we need to take more of alkaline foods that are above the above pH level of the virus.
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Fact-Check
The Verdict False
The inconsistencies in the claim and medical evidence prove that the message about the effect of alkaline foods on coronavirus has no basis.
Claim ID 252f74ee
The inconsistencies in the claim and medical evidence prove that the message about the effect of alkaline foods on coronavirus has no basis.A viral message lists the pH values of different foods such as lemon, orange, garlic, avocado which can "beat" the new coronavirus. The report refers to a research study published in the Journal of Virology in 1991. However, the study published in the Journal of Virology & Antiviral Research is related to a completely different coronavirus and not the novel Coronavirus that the world is encountering in 2020. The message claims that pH values of avocado and dandelion are 15.6 and 22.7 respectively. But upon checking, we find that nothing has a pH value above 14. It states that lemon has a pH level of 9.9, but it has a pH level of 2, making it acidic. The pH of garlic is 5.8 and it says 13.2. Further, the World Health Organisation (WHO) hasn’t said anything about the pH level of the coronavirus. There is no medical basis that alkaline foods which are above the pH level of the virus help to prevent its spread and hence, cannot be authenticated. The COVID-19 pandemic has given rise to a lot of potentially dangerous misinformation. For reliable advice on COVID-19 including symptoms, prevention and available treatment, please refer to the World Health Organisation or your national healthcare authority.
