Foods for Alkaline Diet

The alkali diet is based on the principle that negatively charged particles (or anions) such as chlorides, phosphates and sulfates form acids and positively charged particles (or cations) such as calcium, magnesium and potassium form the bases or alkali.

Therefore, the diet basically includes fresh fruits and vegetables, nuts, whole grains and legumes that are alkaline yielding. Herbal teas are also favored in alkaline diet. Foods to be avoided altogether are processed foods, coffee and alcohol. Consuming acid ash forming substances such as dairy products, meat, fish and poultry is not recommended on a regular basis.

Based on their pH value, the best alkaline ash producing foods are as follows -

• Most vegetables, especially broccoli, kale, collard green, cucumber, onion, cabbage, cauliflower, asparagus, aubergine (eggplant), bok choy, spinach, zucchini and sprouts
• Roots such as yams, red beets and radish
• Fruits such as avocado, ripe banana, fresh lemon and limes, orange, tomato, watermelon, cherries, coconut, acai berry, black berry, blue berry, and figs; (It may seem confusing as to how acidic foods such as limes, lemon and tomato are included in the alkaline diet. The point is, the acidity or alkalinity of the food is not important in its basic state. The important thing is, once these foods are metabolized, they have an alkalizing effect.)
• Grains and legumes such as soybean and soy products, white beans (navy beans), lima beans, buckwheat, millets; couscous and basmati rice too are alkaline yielding but not as much as the other grains mentioned
• Most herbs and spices
• Seeds and nuts such as caraway seeds, cumin seeds, fennel seeds, sesame seeds, pine nuts, almond and almond butter
• Oils such as sesame oil, olive oil, evening primrose oil, borage oil and coconut oil (unprocessed) are also alkaline yielding.

Although promoters of alkaline diet advocate avoiding dairy products because they are detrimental to bone health, scientific evidence does not support these claims. Researchers from University of Calgary, Canada stated that dairy product consumption does not make the body acidic.

Actually, there is no need to go extreme with alkaline diet. Try to balance your diet with 70 / 30 ratio of alkaline forming foods to acid foods.

Secondly, drink lots of water. Apart from being neutral, it aids digestion and other metabolic actions.