What is An Alkaline Diet?
Our bodies operate at slightly alkaline chemistry at 7.35-7.45 pH, meaning that our internal fluids such as the blood, the lymphatic and cerebral fluids, and urine need to be kept slightly alkaline in order for the body to function at ideal homeostasis that keeps us disease-free. An alkaline food list can help guide you on that journey!
The body functions ideally at the 80 alkaline/20 acidic ratio, but because of the sheer nature of our toxic modern world, most of us are already more acidic than alkaline just by interacting with our environments, leading fast-paced lifestyles, and consuming chemistry that may not be optimal.
This is exactly why diet is of essential importance, given that it is one key component that we can control most in terms of our internal chemistry and health!
Indeed, when we eat acid-ash foods – which include grains, wheat, animal products, and certain starches – we create more acidic output that the body must eliminate effectively, or else it will fester in the body and degenerate cells and tissues.
An alkaline diet, also known as a mucusless diet, helps to hydrate the body, move the lymphatic system (the body’s sewage system), and improve cellular function. It not only cools down inflammation, but also starts the process of detoxification, giving the kidneys, the liver, the bowels, and the skin a jolt to purge and regenerate. The more we can commit to eating alkaline foods, the greater the effects of regeneration we will experience.
So, what do you eat on an alkaline diet? An effective 80/20 alkaline diet consists of a high degree of organic and raw fruits and vegetables. And since fruit is the most astringent and electrical food found in nature (it is the nervous system tonic, after all), it is essential to eat plenty of organic fruit (at least 50%) during an alkaline food cleanse.
Fruit, The Most Alkaline Food in Nature
Fruits consist of simple sugars (very different chemistry from complex sugars found in processed foods) that are the fuel source for all the cells in the body; they also don’t require much time to digest and don’t necessitate insulin or much energy to be digested, absorbed, and assimilated. Therefore, they provide more energy to the body than they consume in terms of metabolism, while their hydrating nature is ideal for detoxification and regeneration.
Although vegetables are alkaline and very nutritious, they are better for building up the body after detoxification, as the plant matter builds tissues and muscles. Just look at all the herbivores in nature – the elephants, cows, hippopotamuses, and buffalo. They are all very bulky and strong. And that’s why veggies are better for building up the body after proper detoxification with herbs and fruit.
However, I would say that bitter greens are the happy medium that can complement the detox process wonderfully by stimulating liver, pancreatic, and gallbladder cleansing!
How An Alkaline Diet Can Improve Health
The lymphatic system is the largest fluid system in our bodies that is twice as long as the blood system and which is responsible for carrying waste from all cells and tissues to the kidneys for elimination.
It is the body’s sewage system that is composed of the spleen, thymus, lymph nodes (which denature acids), tonsils, and vessels, and which circulates optimally when interfaced with alkaline chemistry. The lymph system can become congested under an acidic body terrain as well as a sedentary lifestyle and has to work harder to circulate waste efficiently to the kidneys.
In addition to the lymphatic system, the kidneys have to be strong and be able to filter acids, toxins, and metabolic waste effectively, or the waste will circulate in the body longer and be dealt with in other ways – through skin eruptions (such as eczema and psoriasis), tumors, and other means of compensation. When left unchecked, this chronic inflammation has nowhere to go but co-mingle with cells and tissues, causing what we term “disease” – or localized tissue degeneration.
Indeed, the nature and locality of the disease expression of acidosis are always correlated to the weakest areas of the body, mostly due to genetics, diet, and lifestyle.
Unfortunately, most of us have weak kidneys due to a stressful lifestyle and overexertion (kidney function is impacted by the function of the adrenal glands that sit right on top of the kidneys), as well as highly acidic and protein-rich diets.
Overall, acidic food intake causes the lymphatic system to lag and become sluggish and weakens kidney function (as well as the function of other organs). These two important body systems are essential for waste removal from the body, and if they don’t function properly, waste accumulates as the body’s intelligence looks for ways to compensate by stealing alkalinity from “non-essential” tissues and bones.
An additional tip is that it’s not just what you eat but also how you eat that matters! Essentially, a breakfast that is very cleansing and which breaks-the-fast of the night’s regeneration is a must, and fruit is the most optimal food to eat and clean the body and energize the cells for the day!
Likewise, food combination is very important when it comes to avoiding fermentation and poor digestion. Knowing which fruits to combine with which fruits, knowing not to combine starch with protein, and which foods to eat separately.
Lastly, eating simply and having small meals (while chewing foods properly and taking time to eat) are powerful habits when it comes to helping the body heal from acidosis. Not only will your digestion improve, but many of your gut problems will reverse with time.
A Comprehensive Alkaline Food List: Fruits, Veggies, and More
The following foods are alkaline pH-forming foods, meaning that they only generate hydrating electrolytes such as calcium, magnesium, sodium, and potassium in their ash after they have been digested.
These electrolytes are key to bringing “electricity” to the body and enabling all systems to run smoothly. And when in doubt about what to eat, just know that the simpler you eat, the better. You can still get nutritional diversity from only a few meals a day, but always ensure that they are made of a few ingredients and are easy to digest!
The following list of highly alkaline diet foods is reproduced (and updated/altered) from Dr. Robert Morse’s The Miracle Detox Sourcebook:
ALKALINE FRUITS
Apples
Apricots
Bananas
Berries
Cherries
Coconut, fresh
Currants
Dates
Figs
Grapefruit
Grapes
Guava
Kiwi fruit
Kumquats
Lemons, ripe
Limes
Loquats
Mangoes
Melons, all
Mulberries
Nectarines
Oranges
Passion Fruit
Papaya
Pears
Peaches
Pineapple, fresh
Pomegranates
Prickly Pear
Raisins
Red and Black Currents
Sapotes
Strawberries
Tamarind
Tangerines
Tropical fruits
ALKALINE VEGETABLES, BEANS, AND NUTS
Alfalfa
Almonds
Artichokes
Asparagus
Avocados
Bamboo shoots
Beans—green, string
Lima beans
Beets
Bell Peppers, all colors
Broccoli
Brussels Sprouts
Cabbage, red and white
Carrots
Celery
Cauliflower
Chard
Chestnuts
Chicory
Chives
Collards
Cucumber
Dandelion
Dill Dock, green
Escarole
Garlic (in moderation)
Horseradish
Kale
Kohlrabi
Leeks
Lettuce
Mung beans
Microgreens
Okra
Olives (without preservatives)
Onions
Parsley
Parsnips
Peas
Pumpkin
Radish
Rhubarb
Sauerkraut (in moderation)
Sorrel
Spinach
Sprouts
Squash
Sweet potatoes
Tomatoes, orange only
Turnips
Watercress
Zucchini
OTHER ALKALINE FOODS
Olive oil
Coconut oil
Flex seed oil
Hemp oil
Avocado oil
Spices
Herbal Tea
Dulse and Kelp
Amaranth, Millet, Quinoa (semi-alkaline grains, in moderation)
Herbs
Acidic Foods to Avoid
Photo by Vidal Balielo from Pexels
Here is a list of foods to fully avoid when looking to reverse disease symptoms and regenerate the body:
Processed foods
Meat
Butter and margarine
Most grains
Flour products
Dressings
Cornmeal
Granola
Pistachios
Lentils
Prunes
Rice cakes
Soy products
Processed sugar
Preservatives and additives
Refined oils
Rice, white and brown
Canned vegetables
Cashews
Cranberries
Yogurt
Vinegar, conventional
Pasta
Peanuts
Oatmeal
Processed oils (Canola, Vegetable, and Seed)
Eggs
Canned fruits
Grits
Gravy
Nuts
Artichokes
Barley
Jams
Condiments, all
Black pepper
Tapioca
Soda water
Garbanzo beans
Custards
Dairy products
Breakfast cereals
Bread (and wheat products)
Gelatin
Cheeses, all
Coffee and alcohol
Final Thoughts
An alkaline food list is quintessentially a repertoire of mother nature – fruits and veggies that grow organically and seasonally (preferably). It is important to dispel the myth that eating fruits and veggies solely is somehow deficient in all the proper nutrients. In fact, fruits, veggies, and greens contain all the phytonutrients, enzymes, amino acids, and electrolytes that our bodies need to thrive.
Since cooking at high temperatures changes a food’s chemistry and denatures vital enzyme bonds, a healing diet is always predicated on the electrical power of raw foods.
댓글