Everything You Want to Know About Alkaline Diet

You can follow various types of diet to keep yourself healthy as well as fit. All the diet comes with their own benefits as well as limitations. But some diets are highly helpful for your health. Alkaline diet consisting high alkaline foods is a great diet for you if you are exploring for healthy diet plan. You can follow various types of diet to keep yourself healthy as well as fit. All the diet comes with their own benefits as well as limitations. But some diets are highly helpful for your health. Alkaline diet consisting high alkaline foods is a great diet for you if you are exploring for healthy diet plan.

Here we have tried to provide all the important information about alkaline diets as well as alkaline foods. Read on to get details about the various benefits as well as precautions of the alkaline diet along with alkaline foods.

What is alkaline diet?

To explain in brief, the diet which helps in balancing the pH levels of the fluids in your body is knows as alkaline diet. The pH level of the body is measured by the density of minerals of the foods which you consume. It is important for all the living things on the planet to maintain their pH levels as well-maintained pH levels helps in keeping the diseases as well as infections away.

Even though many will not agree with this fact, according various studies it is important for the body to keep pH level at around 7.36-7.40 for better health. Consuming too many acid foods results into electrolyte imbalances and may affect the pH levels of the body. Too much acidity is known as increased acidosis. Consumption of alkaline foods keeps the pH level of the body maintained and therefore high alkaline diet is highly important.

● Knowing what exactly pH level is

PH level basically mean the potential of hydrogen level in the body. It is used to measure the alkalinity as well as acidity of the fluids in your body. The pH level is measured on the scale from 0 to 14. If you consume more acidic solution then your pH level be low. If your body contains high alkaline solution then the pH of the body will be higher. It is considered neutral to have pH of 7, although the best pH level is considered in between the range of 7.35-7.45. It is also important to note that the pH level in your body may vary according to the acidity of the region.

So if you are thinking about what does it mean to be alkaline? Then the answer is keeping your body maintained with best pH levels as well as reducing the acidity in the body.

Even a small organism may affect the pH level of the body and may cause serious problems. Having maintained pH level is also good for the growth of plants and it also affect the mineral effect in the plant and the foods which we consume. Minerals are helpful in knowing about the amount of pH level. If your acidity is rising, then the amount of minerals in the body will fall rapidly.

You can easily measure your pH level to begin with consumption of alkaline diet. Get some pH strips from the pharmacy and measure the pH with saliva as well as urine. It is recommended to check with your second urine of the day as it will provide the best results. You can then compare the results with the chart which is available with the packag. You can check your pH level by measuring one hour before having meal in the day a well as two hours after having the meal. It is important to stay between 6.8 to 7.2 while checking your pH level with saliva.

Does and alkaline diet work?

If you are wondering about is the alkaline diet works? Then you should read on the following points why it is highly beneficial in maintaining good pH levels in the body.

● According to various studies it has been proved that the diet of man since last 200 years has been changed rapidly. There are various factors responsible for this change such as industrialization of the food as well as its supply. Our foods has become less in the amount of potassium, chloride as well as magnesium and the sodium amount has been raised rapidly compared to diet of old days.

● Usually, the electrolyte levels in the kidneys or the amount of calcium, potassium, magnesium and sodium are balanced by the kidneys and whenever the the acidity rises, these electrolytes help in countering it.

● Another study has found that the people are eating more sodium than other important minerals such as potassium through their diets. Children also are consuming high sodium diet which is also low in antioxidants, essential vitamins as well as fiber.

● All these changes have resulted into the increasing of acidosis in the body and removing the balance of the pH level in the body. People are also facing the problem of low nutrient intake as well as the deficiencies of potassium and magnesium.

● All these changes triggers the aging process in the body as well as loss of functions in the organ. It also causes degeneration of the tissue as well as bone mass.

● Having alkaline diet is helpful in balancing the pH level by maintaining the amount of electrolytes in the body. Through the benefits of alkaline diet we can also get various other benefits such as eliminating excess salt as well as removing the deficiencies of the important minerals.

Alkaline diet benefits

There are lot of benefits of alkaline diet which you get by the consumption of high alkaline foods. Some of the major alkaline diet benefits are listed below.

● Protects muscle mass and bone density

Consumption of important minerals is highly important in developing as well as maintaining the structure of bones. According to the studies, consuming alkalizing fruits as well as vegetables helps in protecting decreased bone health along with wasting of muscle which may trigger due to aging. This condition is normally known sarcopenia.

Along with this, alkaline diet is also important in balancing the ratios of the important minerals which are required by the body, such as calcium, phosphate as well as magnesium, to maintain lean muscle mass as well as building bones.  Alkaline diet also provides vitamin D and growth hormones to the body, which is required to prevent various chronic diseases.

● Decreases risk of stroke and hypertension

Another major benefit of consumption of alkaline diet is that it helps in decreasing the inflammation and helps in increasing the hormone production. This has been found highly helpful in cardiovascular health as well as protecting from common illnesses such as cholesterol, high blood pressure or hypertension, stroke, kidney stones as well as memory loss.

● Reduces inflammation and chronic pain

It has been scientifically proved that alkaline diet is highly helpful in reducing the risk of chronic pain. The problem of chronic acidosis may trigger the chronic back pain, headaches, muscle spasm, inflammation, joint pain as well as harmful symptoms of menstruation.

In fact, in a study patients suffering with chronic back pain were given alkaline supplements for the period of four weeks. It has been found that 76 of 82 participants experienced significant decrease in the pain caused by various problems.

● Prevents magnesium deficiency and boosts absorption of vitamin

The consumption of magnesium in required amounts is essential for the body to carry out important function of large number of enzymes as well as the body. Deficiency of magnesium may trigger headaches, muscle pain, difficulty in sleeping and anxiety. Magnesium also helpful in activating vitamin D along with the prevention of vitamin D deficiency, which is beneficial for endocrine functioning as well as overall immunity .

● Provides cancer protection and improvement in immune functions

Lack of oxygenation of the complete body as well as disposal of waste with the help of cells causes various problems in the body. Your immune system may turn weak due to the accumulation of waste as well as toxins. You may also face loss of minerals due to the lack of vitamin absorption.

In a study published by an organization has found that the process of elimination cancerous cells or apoptosis appears effectively in the alkaline body. pH level maintenance also results in cancer prevention due to electric charge alteration as well as releasing of proteins’ basic components. Alkaline body is also helpful in reducing inflammation as well as cancer risks. Consumption of alkaline diet is also good of certain agents of chemotherapy which required high levels of pH.

● Helps in maintaining healthy weight

Consuming alkaline diet is helpful in decreasing obesity by reducing leptin levels along with the inflammation linked to the ineffectiveness of fat burning abilities in the body. It also helps the body to increase its leptin levels and promoted the feeling of fullness which is required to maintain the hunger as well as calorie intake.

How to eat alkaline foods?

It is recommended to eat alkaline foods which are organic. According to the experts, to consume alkaline foods which are good for health you also need to get enough knowledge about the soil on which the food has been produced. Fruits as well as vegetables which grows in soil with lot of minerals are more alkaline in nature. It has been proved through various studies that foods gets influenced by the soil in which they produced.

The best pH level for the soil to produce fruits and vegetables which are high in alkaline amount is 6-7. Soil which is lower than 6 may contain negligible amount of calcium, while pH more than 7 means that the amount of iron, copper, zinc and magnesium is not present in the soil. According to the experts soil which is well rotated, exposed to wildlife cattle tends as well as organically sustained is considered as healthiest.

● Best healthy alkaline foods

The list of high alkaline foods is given below. ○ Fruits and vegetables are considered as the most important alkaline foods. The alkaline food list in the category includes, mushrooms, dates, citrus, raisins, grapefruits, spinach, tomatoes, summer black radish, alfalfa grass, avocado, cucumber, barley grass, kale, jicama, broccoli, wheat grass, organo, ginger, garlic, green beans, cabbage, endive, celery, watermelon, red beet, ripe bananas as well as figs. ○ Almost all raw foods are also high in alkalinity. It is recommended to consume  uncooked fruits as well as vegetables as they are biogenic. Increase the consumption of raw fruits and vegetables. You can also consume them in juice form as cooking of foods removes their alkaline properties. ○ Beans such as navy, lima as well as other plant proteins including almonds are also beneficial. ○ Drinks which prepared with green vegetables as well as grasses in powder form are highly loaded with chlorophyll as well as alkaline food products. Chlorophyll, which looks similar to our own blood, is helpful in alkalizing the blood.○ Distilled water or alkaline water with the pH of 9-11 is recommended to drink. Drinking purified water as well as bottled water increases acidity in the body. However, you can increase the alkalinity of the body by adding pH drops, lime juice as well as baking soda in the water.

● Some food are considered as highly anti-alkaline. These foods are listed below.

• High sodium foods or processed foods which contains high amount of table salt which is not beneficial for the body.
• Conventional meats○ Eggs○ Lentils
• Processed cereals○ Alcohol or caffeinated drinks
• Peanuts, walnuts○ Rice, pasta, packaged grain products
• Whole wheat products or oats, almost wheat products or grains are considered as increasing the acidity in the body.
• Milk. The foods which are rich in calcium creates acidity in the body and causes osteoporosis. This occurs because your body takes out calcium from the bones to balance the calcium in the body. Hence, it is recommended to consume green leafy vegetables which are alkaline in nature to prevent osteoporosis.

Alkaline diet recipes

Some of the best alkaline diet recipes made with the help of some of the helpful alkaline diet foods are given below.

● Alkalizing juice recipe

Ingredients

• Cucumber, 1
• Carrots, 2
• Cabbage head, ¼
• Kale or spinach, 1 cup
• Lemon, ½
• Ginger, 1 knob

Directions

• Take all the ingredients and into the blender.
• Make juice by mixing all the ingredients properly.
• Consume it immediately.
• Black bean burger recipe

Ingredients

• Drained black beans, 2 cans
• Sliced red onion, ½ ○ Chopped carrots, 2
• Chopped red bell pepper, 1
• Jalapeno peppers, 2
• Chopped cilantro, 1 cup
• Sea salt, 1 teaspoon
• Pepper, 1 teaspoon
• Chilli powder, ½ teaspoon
• Cumin, ½ teaspoon
• Smoked paprika, ¼ teaspoon
• Ground flaxseed meal, ¼ cup
• Coconut flour, ½ cup
• Quinoa flour, ½ cup
• Coconut oil, ½ tablespoon
• Almond flour, ½ cup

Directions

• Blend onion, bell pepper, carrots, jalapenos as well as cilantros in a food processor on high intensity for 2-3 minutes.
• Now add black beans, pepper, salt, spices, flax seed meal as well as all the flours and blend for another 2-3 minutes on high intensity.
• Pour all the mixture in a large bowl for mixing.
• Using your hand prepare patties of 3-4 inches wide and ½ inches thick.
• You can add more almond powder to it for thickening it if necessary.
• Put a pan on medium heat and add coconut oil on it.
• Start to cook the made patties on both the sides until they turn brown.
• Then cook the burgers again for few minutes after adding them on parchment paper in the oven.
• You can add your favorite burger toppings on it and enjoy it with the gluten-free bun or lettuce wrap.

● Almond butter cookie recipe

Ingredients 

• Sprouted almond butter, 1 cup
• Almond flour, ½ cup
• Maple syrup, ⅓ cup
• Egg, 1
• Vanilla extract, 1 tablespoon
• Sea salt, ½ teaspoon
• Baking soda, ½ teaspoon
• Baking powder, ¼ teaspoon
• Cacao nibs, ½ cup
• Dark chocolate chips with minimum of 70% cacao, ½ cup

Directions

• Add almond butter, almond flour, maple syrup, egg, sea salt, vanilla extract, baking soda along with baking powder in a food processor.
• Mix and stir dark chocolate chips along with cacao nibs.
• Let the dough chill for 20 minutes.
• With the help of your hands prepare some cookies of the dough and place them on baking sheet along with parchment paper.
• Bake the cookies in the oven for 10-12 minutes on 350 F.

Precautions to take while alkaline diet

While the foods such as eggs or walnuts are considered not good for alkaline diet, you can consume them in limited amounts as they contain various important food products which are helpful for your health such as omega 3 fatty acids as well as various important antioxidants which are considered as highly beneficial for your health.

It is important to make perfect balance between turning your body fully into alkaline or acidic in nature. It is not beneficial to turn your body fully alkaline and it is recommended to consume some acidic foods too.

You should more concentrate on consuming whole foods, such as fruits as well as vegetables, and limit the consumption of packaged items to lead a healthy life.

Final views on alkaline diet

So it is important to note that alkaline diet basically is a diet which helps in keeping the pH levels of the body in check. You can better heart health, stronger bones as well as decreased pain and removal of nutrients deficiencies through regular consumption of alkaline diet.

You should always consume whole foods in alkaline diet such as fruits and vegetables, green juices, raw foods along with beans as well as nuts.

Foods which are considered high in acids contains high-sodium foods, processed grains as well as excess meat and animal protein, conventional milk along with added sugars.

By Prajakt K.