An alkaline diet put emphasis on alkaline foods as fruits and vegetables and some whole grains that are low in caloric density.
Our body includes a great number of organ systems which are proficient at neutralizing and removing excess acid, but there are limits to how much acid even a healthy body could cope with efficiently. Our body is capable of keeping an acid-alkaline balance provided which the organs are functioning correctly, that a healthy alkaline diet is being consumed, and that certain other acid-producing factors, as the use of tobacco, are avoided.
Health Benefits of Alkaline Diet
An alkaline diet can result in numerous health benefits. Here are the most impressive ones:
- Increased fruits and vegetables in alkaline diets can improve the K/Na ratio, may reduce muscle wasting and mitigate other chronic diseases such as strokes and hypertension.
- The subsequent increase in growth hormone with a well-balanced alkaline diet can improve numerous outcomes from cardiovascular health to cognition and memory.
- An increase in magnesium that is required for the function of various enzyme systems, is another added incredible benefit of the alkaline diets. Available magnesium that is needed to activate vitamin D, could result in many added benefits in the vitamin D exocrine/apocrine systems.
- Alkalinity can result in numerous added benefit for certain chemotherapeutic agents, which require a higher ph.
List of Alkaline Foods
Your Health Tubers offer you a list of the best alkaline foods for an ideal alkaline diet.
- Alkalizing Fruits
1. Banana
Bananas are high in the alkaline. Usually, ripe fruits are alkaline-forming. So, simply eat fruits that are ripe! Bananas are also a great source of vitamin B6 and a good source of Vitamin C, manganese, copper, potassium, biotin, and dietary fiber.
2. Apple
They are a tasty alkaline treat, giving the body plenty of anti-bacterial and antioxidant compounds for abundant energy and better health. Studies have shown that an apple can wake you up far better than a coffee can, which makes it a great idea for swapping the acid fix to this alkaline one.
3. Berries
Berries have been proven to be some of the healthiest foods in the world. They are high alkaline foods full of vitamins and minerals. A handful of berries mixed with cereals can be a perfect breakfast choice for you.
4. Cantaloupe
Cantaloupe is another greatly alkaline-forming, low-calorie, low-oxalate, nutrient-dense food — just 1 cup contains about 57 calories, 128% of the recommended daily allowance of vitamin B6 and 90% of the recommended daily allowance of vitamin C. This fruit is also an amazing source of potassium and carotenes. The nutritional profiles, alkalizing effects, and low oxalate levels of watermelon and honeydew melon are comparable to cantaloupe. A simple cantaloupe smoothie in the morning is an excellent choice for starting the day.
Here you can find a recipe for a delicious cantaloupe smoothie: LINK
5. Lemon
Lemons are well-known to be highly acidic, but it is interesting to note that these fruits are the planet’s most alkalizing food sources due to their great effect on our body after digestion. Lemons have a major effect on our bodies’ pH, fluctuating it to alkalinity instantly that makes them an excellent addition to salads, drinks, and meals. Orange is also a great example of alkaline foods that you can add to your diet.
6. Pear
They are alkaline food that is rich in significant antioxidants, dietary fiber, and flavonoids and packs all of those nutrients in a cholesterol-free, fat-free, 100-calorie package. Eating pears can reduce the risk of developing diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease. They can also help with weight loss.
7. Grapes
Grapes contain potent antioxidants, called polyphenols, which can prevent or slow many types of cancer, including lung, esophageal, pancreatic, mouth, pharynx, colon, endometrial, and prostate. The resveratrol from the red wine is popular for heart health, which is a type of polyphenol found in the skin of the red grape.
8. Watermelon
Watermelon as well as other melons is a highly alkaline food. This fruit is mostly water — about 93 percent — but this juicy fruit is soaked with many nutrients. Watermelon can help prevent many health conditions and it can be an ideal food for weight loss. Find more about the impressive health benefits of watermelon: http://yourhealthtube.com/watermelon-greatest-health-benefits/
- Alkalizing Vegetables
1. Broccoli
Broccoli is a must, especially if you are really serious about healthy living, vitality, and energy- then you simply have to consume broccoli, at least four times a week.
Broccoli has been proven to be extremely powerful in supporting the cardiovascular system, the digestive system, inhibiting cancers, the detoxification processes in your body and also supporting the metabolism, skin, immune system, providing ample antioxidants, and being an anti-inflammatory.
2. Spinach
All leafy greens need to be eaten in abundance. However, spinach is our absolute favorite because it is very easy to buy and use in salads and recipes. Fully grown spinach or baby spinach are nutritional powerhouses and are extremely alkaline. Spinach is very rich in chlorophyll, a powerful blood builder, and alkaliser. It’s also really high in vitamin A, vitamin K, folate, iron, calcium, vitamin C, magnesium, manganese, vitamin B2, vitamin E, potassium, dietary fiber, calcium…should we go on?
3. Cucumbers
Both the flesh and the skin of cucumbers are highly alkalizing, as well as containing fiber, water, vitamin C and various essential minerals. These veggies can help you rejuvenate the skin and boost the vitality of each living cell in the body, making you feel and look younger.
4. Carrots
Carrots are great for your eyes, offering an incredible dose of beta-carotene as well as anti-ageing antioxidants for your body. They have a pH of 8.1 that helps to neutralize every acidic food that it’s combined with.
5. Kale
Kale is a green leafy vegetable with amazing health benefits, as preventing heart disease and cancer. It is also very alkalizing that makes it an ideal addition to smoothies, soups, salads and your favorite meals. Other green vegetables that are also incredibly alkalizing are lettuce and celery.
6. Beets
Beets are really high in fiber, vitamin C, and essential minerals like manganese (that is good for the liver, pancreas, bones and kidneys) and potassium (vital for muscle function and healthy nerve). These highly alkalizing vegetables also contain the B vitamin folate that helps decrease the risk of birth defects.
7. Cauliflower
Cauliflower is another excellent alkaline food and an amazing source of vitamin K, vitamin B6, vitamin C, pantothenic acid, and folate. It’s a very good source of omega-3 fatty acids, choline, manganese, dietary fiber, biotin, and phosphorus. Additionally, it’s a good source of protein, magnesium, vitamin B1, vitamin B2, and niacin.
8. Onions
Onions are a powerful alkaline food with great health benefits. Onion is a nutrient-dense food, which is low in calories and high in beneficial nutrients like antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. Onions also contain small amounts of folate, calcium, magnesium, iron, potassium, and phosphorus and the antioxidants sulfur and quercetin.
9. Peppers
Peppers are great alkaline food with the highest amount of Vitamin C. Red bell peppers contain carotenoids and phytochemicals and carotenoids, especially beta-carotene that lavishes you with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant benefits. The capsaicin in bell peppers has numerous health benefits.
- Alkalizing Protein
1. Almonds
Almonds are a high alkaline food. They contain lots of fiber, healthy fats, vitamin E, protein, and magnesium. The health benefits of these nuts include reduced blood pressure, lower blood sugar levels, and lower cholesterol levels. Almonds can also promote weight loss by reducing hunger.
See Also: Go Totally Nuts for Nuts!
2. Chestnuts
Chestnuts are also on the list of high alkaline foods. They are relatively low in calories and carry less fat, but are rich sources of phytonutrients, vitamins, and minerals that immensely benefit our health.
3. Tofu
Tofu is a great source of calcium and a good source of phosphorus, copper, manganese, protein, selenium, and copper. In addition, tofu is a good source of omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin B1, zinc, iron, and magnesium. Tofu from soybean curds doesn’t contain cholesterol and is naturally gluten-free and very low calorie, which makes it a great choice for well-balanced alkaline diet.
- Alkalizing Spices
1. Ginger
The health benefits of ginger are plentiful. It is one of the best alkaline foods that every person should include in their alkaline diet. Ginger root has a really long history of use for healing digestive problems such as motion sickness, nausea, pain, and loss of appetite.
2. Cinnamon
Cinnamon is also a high alkaline food. It is one of the healthiest spices in the world. This super tasty spice can reduce the risk of heart disease, lower blood sugar levels, and has numerous other extraordinary health benefits.
3. Curry
Curry is a popular spice mix that has various valuable health benefits. It can prevent cancer, reduce Alzheimer’s disease symptoms, protect against heart disease, ease inflammation, and pain, boost bone health, increase the ability of the liver to remove toxins from the body, and protect the immune system from different bacterial infections.
4. Mustard
This spice is a high alkaline food that you should include in your healthy diet. Seeds of mustard plant are an amazing source of minerals such as magnesium, potassium, calcium, and phosphorous. Along with this, it’s a great source of vitamin A and dietary folate. Leaves of mustard plants or mustard greens plants are a good source of essential minerals including calcium, phosphorus, and potassium.
5. Sea Salt
Apart from being high alkaline food, sea salt is an excellent source of sodium who is the main mineral of every salt. Sea salt can contain iron, iodine, zinc, potassium, magnesium, and calcium -elements that are essential for good health.
References: Acidalkalinediet.net Ncbi.nlm.nih.gov Wikipedia.org
This article originally appeared on yourhealthtube.com
Update: Added more references