Alkaline diets are not a new concept but it’s only in the past few years that eating an alkaline diet has really taken off.
What is an alkaline diet? Essentially, it’s a diet that consists of eating foods that balances the body’s pH level, since the majority of the foods we eat has an acidic effect on the body. Dr. Theodore A. Baroody says in his book, “Alkalize or Die”, that much of the disease our bodies encounter is due to the high acidic foods we consume.
Going back to high school chemistry, pH has a range of 0 to 14, with 7 being pH neutral. 0-6.9 on the pH scale is acidic while 7.1-14 is a base. Moving our body’s pH from an acidic level closer to neutral is done by eating foods that are alkalizing.
What foods are alkalizing?
Most vegetables are alkalizing, but the best for you and most alkalizing are broccoli, asparagus, onions and lettuce. Raw spinach is another excellent alkaline food; but it must be raw! When you cook spinach, the heat changes the spinach’s chemistry and it becomes acidic. Another good alkalizing veggie is the sweet potato!
If you’re on the Paleo diet, you can skip this part. When it comes to beans and legumes, which Paleo dieters can’t eat, soybeans, peas and green beans are best. The more commonly consumed beans like kidney and black beans are more acidic.
Quinoa is called a superfood for a reason, not only does it have all 9 essential amino acids, it’s also an alkaline food! Other grains and carb-heavy foods that are alkaline are wild rice and millet.
Nuts! If you’re into fitness and eating right, you know the importance of snacks during the day to keep the body fueled. Most people’s preferred snack are nuts! But not all nuts are created equal. Almonds and chestnuts are the most alkalizing while peanuts (not good for you anyway!), walnuts and cashews are very acidic.
Fruits like watermelon, mangos, papayas, apples, grapes and blueberries are all excellent foods to eat. But do some research on the sugar content, for example, mangos are incredibly high in sugar while watermelon also is 92% water and 8% sugar but it’s also a good source of fibre and floods your body with electrolytes (sodium and potassium).
I’ve saved the best category for last! Oranges and other citrus foods are acidic, right? Yes and no. They are acidic in their nature state but when consumed in the body, oranges, lemons and especially limes have an alkalizing effect! So feel free to add an extra lime wedge to your water…or homemade sangria! ;)
That, my friends, is what an alkaline diet might comprise of! Take this info and incorporate it into your life if you want a balanced, clean diet.
Balanced being the operative word. Like all things in life, we shouldn’t overdo anything. Like the old saying goes, everything in moderation.
Eat a few extra grapes, switch out the walnuts you bring to work/school as a snack for almonds or eat a raw spinach salad with grilled chicken and sliced avocado. But don’t let this diet ,or any, take over your life.