Benefits Of An Alkaline Body
Eating an alkaline diet helps the blood pH level to stay in balance without as much effort. This does not mean we should eliminate acidic foods from our diet altogether; it simply means we need to shift the balance from the typically acidic diet to a more alkaline diet. Eating an alkaline diet is important because it helps our blood pH level to stay between 7.35 and 7.45, which is slightly alkaline. It takes work for our bodies to stay balanced within this small window, and the more acidic our diet, the more we work against our body’s efforts. In turn, we leave ourselves feeling tired, and our immune systems vulnerable to disease.
How the body reacts to certain foods is what determines what foods are alkaline for the body and what foods are acidic. For example lemons and limes are acidic in nature, yet they have an alkalizing effect on the body once they are digested. Acidity in the body has been linked to pain, excess weight and many other health issues.
What are alkaline foods?
In general, foods that are not processed and that are closest to their natural state tend to be alkaline. Most fast food, packaged foods, and processed grains (white rice, white flour, etc.) tend to be acidic. Pesticides tend to be acid-forming, so organic fruits and vegetables are best for an alkaline diet.
It is important to understand the benefits of eating alkaline foods, but to note that we should not eliminate acidic foods altogether. Instead, we should balance our diet by eating 60-80% alkaline foods and 20-40% acidic foods.
Alkaline food chart by degree
High | Moderate | Low | Very Low |
---|---|---|---|
baking soda | apples | almonds | alfalfa sprouts |
chlorella | apricots | apple cider vinegar | avocado oil |
dulce | arugula | apples (sour) | banana |
lemons | asparagus | artichokes (jerusalem) | beet |
lentils | banchi tea | avocado | blueberry |
limes | beans (fresh green) | bell pepper | brussel sprouts |
lotus root | broccoli | blackberry | celery |
mineral water | cantaloupe | brown rice vinegar | chive |
nectarine | carob | cabbage | cilantro |
onion | carrots | cauliflower | coconut oil |
persimmon | cashews | cherry | cucumber |
pineapple | cayenne | cod liver oil | currant |
pumpkin seed | chestnuts | collard green | duck eggs |
raspberry | citrus | egg yolks | fermented veggies |
sea salt | dandelion | eggplant | flax oil |
sea vegetables | dandelion tea | ginseng | ghee |
seaweed | dewberry | green tea | ginger tea |
spirulina | edible flowers | herbs | grain coffee |
sweet potato | endive | honey (raw) | grapes |
tangerine | garlic | leeks | hemp seed oil |
taro root | ginger (fresh) | mushrooms | japonica rice |
umeboshi plums | ginseng tea | nutritional yeast | lettuces |
vegetable juices | grapefruit | papaya | oats |
watermelon | herbal tea | peach | okra |
herbs (leafy green) | pear | olive oil | |
honeydew | pickles (homemade) | orange | |
kale | potato | quinoa | |
kambucha | primrose oil | raisin | |
kelp | pumpkin | sprouted seeds | |
kiwifruit | quail eggs | squashes | |
kohlrabi | radishes | strawberry | |
loganberry | rice syrup | sunflower seeds | |
mango | rutabaga | tahini | |
molasses | sake | tempeh | |
mustard green | sesame seed | turnip greens | |
olive | sprouts | umeboshi vinegar | |
parsley | watercress | wild rice | |
parsnip | |||
passion fruit | |||
peas | |||
pepper | |||
raspberries | |||
soy sauce | |||
spices | |||
sweet corn (fresh) | |||
turnip |
—————————————————————————————————————————
Acidic food chart by degree
Very | Low | Moderate | Highly Acidic |
---|---|---|---|
amaranth | adzuki beans | barley groats | artificial sweeteners |
black-eyed peas | aged cheese | basmati rice | barley |
brown rice | alcohol | bear | beef |
butter | almond oil | casein | beer |
canola oil | balsamic vinegar | chestnut oil | brazil nuts |
chutney | black tea | chicken | breads |
coconut | boar | coffee | brown sugar |
cream | buckwheat | corn | cocoa |
curry | chard | cottage cheese | cottonseed oil |
dates | cow milk | cranberry | deer |
dry fruit | elk | egg whites | flour (white) |
fava beans | farina | fructose | fried foods |
figs | game meat | garbanzo beans | fruit juices with sugar |
fish | goat milk | green peas | hazelnuts |
gelatin | goose | honey (pasteurized) | hops |
goat cheese | kamut | ketchup | ice cream |
grape seed oil | kidney beans | lard | jam |
guava | lamb | maize | jelly |
honey | lima beans | mussels | liquor |
kasha | milk | mustard | lobster |
koma coffee | mollusks | nutmeg | malt |
maple syrup | mutton | oat bran | pasta (white) |
millet | navy beans | olives (pickled) | pheasant |
organs | pinto beans | other legumes | pickles (commercial) |
pine nuts | plum | palm kernel oil | poultry |
pumpkin seed oil | red beans | pasta (whole grain) | processed cheese |
rhubarb | safflower oil | pastry | seafood |
sheep cheese | seitan | peanuts | soft drinks |
spinach | semolina | pecans | soybean |
string beans | sesame oil | pistachio seeds | sugar |
sunflower oil | shell fish | pomegranate | table salt |
triticale | soy cheese | popcorn | tea (black) |
venison | spelt | pork | walnuts |
vinegar | tapioca | prunes | white bread |
wax beans | teff | rye | white vinegar |
wild duck | tofu | snow peas | whole wheat foods |
zucchini | tomatoes | soy milk | wine |
turkey | squid | yeast | |
vanilla | veal | yogurt (sweetened) | |
wheat | |||
white beans | |||
white rice |