Have you noticed the increasing buzz circling the benefits of eating an alkaline diet lately? There certainly are health benefits, but what is an alkaline diet? What foods promote an alkaline diet? Here are some tips on what you need to know about an alkaline diet.
The Science of Acid-base Balance
An alkaline diet is based on the concept of manipulating your body’s pH balance by filtering what type of food you ingest. According to The Merk Manuals, the degree of acidity or alkalinity is a fundamental property in blood. The scale ranges from 0-14, with zero being acidic and 14 having high alkalinity. Therefore, having a ph balance of 7.0 is neutral.
The standard diet in the U.S. is high in acidity. Common foods high in this category are meat, dairy, corn, wheat, and refined sugars. Herbalist and holistic views agree that having an acidic diet increases the likelihood of suffering from chronic health conditions.
Certain organs help control the acid-base balance. These include the:
- lungs
- kidneys
- buffer systems.
However, when our diets consist of high acid foods over many years, our bodies’ ability to fight becomes weakened. To combat these results, many are turning towards a diet that consists of higher alkalinity.
What Foods Are High in Alkaline?
If meat, dairy, corn, wheat, and refined sugars contribute to high acidity, then the opposite will be true for alkalinity. Therefore, eating more plant-based foods will help to reduce the risk of health disorders.
Select foods from these categories:
- Vegetables
- Fruits
- Proteins (Hint: pumpkin, sesame, flax, sunflower, pine nuts, almonds)
- Fats & Oils (Hint: avocado, coconut oil, & hemp seeds are good sources)
- Spices
- Drinks (Hint: springwater, herbal teas, vegetable smoothies)
The Bottom Line
At the basic level, adjusting your eating habits helps to reinforce a healthy environment for your internal body. The alkaline diet reduces the risk of heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, and other chronic disorders.
