What Is The Dr. Sebi Alkaline Diet, and Is It Beneficial?: Healthline Diet Score: 1.21 Out of 5

What Is the Dr.
Sebi
Alkaline Diet, and Is It
Beneficial?
Healthline Diet Score: 1.21 out of
5
The Dr. Sebi diet, also called the Dr. Sebi alkaline diet, is a plant-based diet
developed by the late Dr. Sebi.
It’s claimed to rejuvenate your cells by eliminating toxic waste through

alkalizing your blood.
The diet relies on eating a short list of approved foods along with many
supplements.
This article reviews the benefits and downsides of the Dr. Sebi diet and
whether scientific evidence backs up its health claims.
What is the Dr. Sebi diet?

This diet is based on the African Bio-Mineral Balance theory and was
developed by the self-educated herbalist Alfredo Darrington Bowman — better
known as Dr. Sebi. Despite his name, Dr. Sebi was not a medical doctor and
did not hold a PhD.
He designed this diet for anyone who wishes to naturally cure or prevent
disease and improve their overall health without relying on conventional
Western medicine.
According to Dr. Sebi, disease is a result of mucus build-up in an area of your

body. For example, a build-up of mucus in the lungs is pneumonia, while
excess mucus in the pancreas is diabetes.
He argues that diseases cannot exist in an alkaline environment and begin to

occur when your body becomes too acidic.
By strictly following his diet and using his proprietary costly supplements, he
promises to restore your body’s natural alkaline state and detoxify your
diseased body.
Originally, Dr. Sebi claimed that this diet could cure conditions like AIDS,
sickle cell anemia, leukemia, and lupus. However, after a 1993 lawsuit, he
was ordered to discontinue making such claims.
The diet consists of a specific list of approved vegetables, fruits, grains, nuts,
seeds, oils, and herbs. As animal products are not permitted, the Dr. Sebi diet
is considered a vegan diet.
Sebi claimed that for your body to heal itself, you must follow the diet
consistently for the rest of your life.
Finally, while many people insist that the program has healed them, no
scientific studies support these claims.
How to follow the Dr. Sebi diet

The rules of the Dr. Sebi diet are very strict and outlined on his website.
According to Dr. Sebi’s nutritional guide, you must follow these key rules:
 Rule 1. You must only eat foods listed in the nutritional guide.
 Rule 2. Drink 1 gallon (3.8 liters) of water every day.
 Rule 3. Take Dr. Sebi’s supplements an hour before medications.
 Rule 4. No animal products are permitted.
 Rule 5. No alcohol is allowed.
 Rule 6. Avoid wheat products and only consume the “natural-growing

grains” listed in the guide.
 Rule 7. Avoid using a microwave to prevent killing your food.
 Rule 8. Avoid canned or seedless fruits.
There are no specific nutrient guidelines. However, this diet is low in protein,
as it prohibits beans, lentils, and animal and soy products. Protein is an
important nutrient needed for strong muscles, skin, and joints (1Trusted
Source, 2Trusted Source).
Additionally, you’re expected to purchase Dr. Sebi’s cell food products, which
are supplements that promise to cleanse your body and nourish your cells.
It’s recommended to buy the “all-inclusive” package, which contains 20

different products that are claimed to cleanse and restore your entire body at
the fastest rate possible.
Besides this, no specific supplement recommendations are provided. Instead,

you’re expected to order any supplement that matches your health concerns.
For example, the “Bio Ferro” capsules claim to treat liver issues, cleanse your
blood, boost immunity, promote weight loss, aid digestive issues, and
increase overall well-being.
Furthermore, the supplements don’t contain a complete list of nutrients or their

quantities, making it difficult to know whether they will meet your daily needs.
Can it help you lose weight?

While Dr. Sebi’s diet is not designed for weight loss, you may lose weight if
you follow it.
The diet discourages eating a Western diet, which is high in ultra-processed

foods and loaded with salt, sugar, fat, and calories (3Trusted Source).
Instead, it promotes an unprocessed, plant-based diet. Compared with the

Western diet, those who follow a plant-based diet tend to have lower rates of
obesity and heart disease (4Trusted Source).
A 12-month study in 65 people found that those who followed an unlimited

whole-food, low-fat, plant-based diet lost significantly more weight than people
who did not follow the diet (5Trusted Source).
At the 6-month mark, those on the diet had lost an average of 26.6 pounds
(12.1 kg), compared with 3.5 pounds (1.6 kg) in the control group (5Trusted
Source).
Furthermore, most foods on this diet are low in calories, except for nuts,
seeds, avocados, and oils. Therefore, even if you ate a large volume of
approved foods, it’s unlikely that it would result in a surplus of calories and
lead to weight gain.
However, very-low-calorie diets usually cannot be maintained long term. Most
people who follow these diets regain the weight once they resume a normal
eating pattern (6Trusted Source).
Since this diet does not specify quantities and portions, it’s difficult to say
whether it will provide enough calories for sustainable weight loss.
Potential benefits of the Dr. Sebi

diet
One benefit of the Dr. Sebi diet is its strong emphasis on plant-based foods.
The diet promotes eating a large number of vegetables and fruit, which are
high in fiber, vitamins, minerals, and plant compounds.
Diets rich in vegetables and fruit have been associated with reduced

inflammation and oxidative stress, as well as protection against many
diseases (7Trusted Source, 8Trusted Source).
In a study in 65,226 people, those who ate 7 or more servings of

vegetables and fruit per day had a 25% and 31% lower incidence of cancer
and heart disease, respectively (9Trusted Source).
Furthermore, most people are not eating enough produce. In a 2017 report,
9.3% and 12.2% of people met the recommendations for vegetables and fruit,
respectively (10Trusted Source).
Moreover, the Dr. Sebi diet promotes eating fiber-rich whole grains and
healthy fats, such as nuts, seeds, and plant oils. These foods have been
linked to a lower risk of heart disease (11Trusted Source).
Finally, diets that limit ultra-processed foods are associated with better overall
diet quality (12Trusted Source)
Downsides of the Dr. Sebi diet

Keep in mind that there are several drawbacks to this diet.
Highly restrictive
A major downside of Dr. Sebi’s diet is that it restricts large groups of food,
such as all animal products, wheat, beans, lentils, and many types of
vegetables and fruit.
In fact, it’s so strict that it only allows specific types of fruit. For example,
you’re allowed to eat cherry or plum tomatoes but not other varieties like
beefsteak or roma tomatoes.
Moreover, following such a restrictive diet is not enjoyable and may lead to a
negative relationship with food, especially since this diet vilifies foods that are
not listed in the nutrition guide (13Trusted Source).
Finally, this diet encourages other negative behaviors, such as using

supplements to achieve fullness. Given that supplements are not a major
source of calories, this claim further drives unhealthy eating patterns
(13Trusted Source).
Lacks protein and other essential nutrients
The foods listed in Dr. Sebi’s nutrition guide can be an excellent source of
nutrition.
However, none of the permitted foods are good sources of protein, an
essential nutrient for skin structure, muscle growth, and the production of
enzymes and hormones (2Trusted Source, 14Trusted Source, 15Trusted
Source).
Only walnuts, Brazil nuts, sesame seeds, and hemp seeds are permitted,
which aren’t great sources of protein. For example, 1/4 cup (25 grams) of
walnuts and 3 tbsp (30 grams) of hemp seeds provide 4 grams and 9 grams
of protein, respectively (16Trusted Source, 17Trusted Source).
To meet your daily protein needs, you would need to eat extremely large
portions of these foods.
Though foods in this diet are high in certain nutrients, such as beta carotene,
potassium, and vitamins C and E, they’re low in omega-3, iron, calcium, and
vitamins D and B12, which are common nutrients of concern for those
following a strictly plant-based diet (18Trusted Source).
Dr. Sebi’s website states that certain ingredients in his supplements are
proprietary and not listed. This is concerning, as it’s unclear which nutrients
you’re getting and how much, making it difficult to know whether you’ll meet
your daily nutrient needs.
Not based on real science
One of the biggest concerns with Dr. Sebi’s diet approach is the lack of
scientific evidence to support it.
He states that the foods and supplements in his diet control acid production in
your body. However, the human body strictly regulates acid-base balance to
keep blood pH levels between 7.36 and 7.44, naturally making your body
slightly alkaline (19Trusted Source).
In rare cases, such as ketoacidosis from diabetes, blood pH can go out of this
range. This can be fatal without immediate medical attention (20Trusted
Source).
Finally, research has shown that your diet may slightly and temporarily
change your urine pH but not blood pH. Therefore, following Dr. Sebi’s diet
will not make your body more alkaline
Foods to eat
Dr. Sebi’s nutrition guide details specific foods allowed on the diet, including:
 Fruits: apples, cantaloupe, currants, dates, figs, elderberries, papayas,

berries, peaches, soft jelly coconuts, pears, plums, seeded key limes,
mangoes, prickly pears, seeded melons, Latin or West Indies soursop,
tamarind
 Vegetables: avocado, bell peppers, cactus flower, chickpeas,

cucumber, dandelion greens, kale, lettuce (except iceberg), mushrooms
(except shiitake), okra, olives, sea vegetables, squash, tomatoes (only
cherry and plum), zucchini
 Grains: fonio, amaranth, Khorasan wheat (kamut), rye, wild rice, spelt,

teff, quinoa
 Nuts and Seeds: Brazil nuts, hemp seeds, raw sesame seeds, raw
tahini butter, walnuts
 Oils: avocado oil, coconut oil (uncooked), grapeseed oil, hempseed oil,

olive oil (uncooked), sesame oil
 Herbal teas: elderberry, chamomile, fennel, tila, burdock, ginger,

raspberry
 Spices: oregano, basil, cloves, bay leaf, dill, sweet basil, achiote,
cayenne, habanero, tarragon, onion powder, sage, pure sea salt, thyme,
powdered granulated seaweed, pure agave syrup, date sugar
In addition to tea, you are allowed to drink water.
Plus, you may eat permitted grains in the form of pasta, cereal, bread, or flour.
However, any food leavened with yeast or baking powder is banned.
Foods to avoid
Any foods that are not included in the Dr. Sebi nutrition guide are not
permitted, such as:
 canned fruit or vegetables

 seedless fruit
 eggs
 dairy
 fish
 red meat
 poultry
 soy products
 processed food, including take-out or restaurant food
 fortified foods
 wheat
 sugar (besides date sugar and agave syrup)
 alcohol
 yeast or foods risen with yeast
 foods made with baking powder
Furthermore, many vegetables, fruits, grains, nuts, and seeds are banned on
the diet.
Only foods listed in the guide may be eaten.
Reference: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/dr-sebi-diet#bottom-line

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What Is the Dr.

It’s claimed to rejuvenate your cells by eliminating toxic waste through

What is the Dr. Sebi diet?

According to Dr. Sebi, disease is a result of mucus build-up in an area of your

He argues that diseases cannot exist in an alkaline environment and begin to

How to follow the Dr. Sebi diet

 Rule 2. Drink 1 gallon (3.8 liters) of water every day.

 Rule 3. Take Dr. Sebi’s supplements an hour before medications.

 Rule 4. No animal products are permitted.

 Rule 5. No alcohol is allowed.

 Rule 6. Avoid wheat products and only consume the “natural-growing

 Rule 7. Avoid using a microwave to prevent killing your food.

 Rule 8. Avoid canned or seedless fruits.

It’s recommended to buy the “all-inclusive” package, which contains 20

Besides this, no specific supplement recommendations are provided. Instead,

Furthermore, the supplements don’t contain a complete list of nutrients or their

Can it help you lose weight?

The diet discourages eating a Western diet, which is high in ultra-processed

Instead, it promotes an unprocessed, plant-based diet. Compared with the

A 12-month study in 65 people found that those who followed an unlimited

Potential benefits of the Dr. Sebi

Diets rich in vegetables and fruit have been associated with reduced

In a study in 65,226 people, those who ate 7 or more servings of

Downsides of the Dr. Sebi diet

Finally, this diet encourages other negative behaviors, such as using

Lacks protein and other essential nutrients

Not based on real science

 Fruits: apples, cantaloupe, currants, dates, figs, elderberries, papayas,

 Vegetables: avocado, bell peppers, cactus flower, chickpeas,

 Grains: fonio, amaranth, Khorasan wheat (kamut), rye, wild rice, spelt,

 Oils: avocado oil, coconut oil (uncooked), grapeseed oil, hempseed oil,

 Herbal teas: elderberry, chamomile, fennel, tila, burdock, ginger,

In addition to tea, you are allowed to drink water.

 canned fruit or vegetables

Only foods listed in the guide may be eaten.

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