Should You Be Following an Alkaline Diet?

Alkaline Foods: How Do They Work?

Our diet offers plenty of ways to boost fitness and well-being, and one of these is by following an alkaline diet. This approach is based on the idea that certain foods can influence our acid-base balance.

The acid-base balance is a physiological system that keeps the pH level of our blood relatively constant. If the pH level drops below 7.35, it results in acidosis (excess acidity). If it rises above 7.45, it leads to alkalosis (excess alkalinity). So, the ideal pH range is between 7.35 and 7.45, which is slightly alkaline.

Through our diet, the aim is to prevent the body from becoming too acidic and maintain this ideal balance. This, in turn, is believed to positively impact health and overall well-being by focusing on alkaline-forming foods.

Benefits of an Alkaline Diet

There are many potential benefits to following an alkaline diet. This is largely because it encourages the consumption of plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables. These foods are packed with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, which help to improve overall health. Alkaline foods are also typically easy to digest, making them ideal for preventing fatigue and helping you feel more energetic.

Specifically, an alkaline diet may improve bone health and digestion. You may also notice that it helps reduce inflammation and possibly enhances skin health. Since everyone reacts differently to an alkaline diet, it’s hard to make broad statements, but it’s always a good idea to consider your acid-base balance and ensure you’re consuming enough alkaline foods.

How Alkaline Foods Affect the Body

Many processes in the body depend on maintaining the pH level of the blood within a narrow range. By consuming alkaline-forming foods, you can support various aspects of your health. These include improved kidney function and relief for the metabolism. Essentially, an alkaline diet helps reduce excess acidity in the body and aids its elimination. There may also be benefits for bone health, as alkaline foods are believed to support cartilage and bone metabolism. As you can see, it’s worth regularly reviewing your diet to ensure you’re incorporating plenty of alkaline foods.

Which Foods Are Alkaline?

Choosing alkaline foods can be tricky because something that tastes sour doesn’t necessarily make the body more acidic. For example, lemons taste sour but are actually alkaline-forming. To make it easier, nutrition experts recommend focusing on certain food groups that are known to be strongly alkaline. These include fruits and vegetables, with potatoes being a prime example. Even drinking mineral water can help regulate your acid-base balance. If you’re looking to create a list of alkaline foods, here are some suggestions:

• Potatoes
• Vegetables like aubergines or kale
• Salads
• Herbs like parsley or chives
• Fruits like bananas, oranges, or grapes
• Dried fruits like raisins, figs, and dates
• Herbal tea
• Black coffee

It’s quite easy to create an alkaline meal plan without feeling restricted, allowing for a varied diet. With this approach, it should be simple to restore your acid-base balance.

Alkaline or Acid-Producing? How to Tell the Difference

Whether a food is alkaline or acid-producing depends on how the body processes it, not its taste. The classic example is the lemon—it tastes sour but has an alkaline effect! Other examples include limes, tomatoes, and grapefruits.

On the other hand, neutral foods include brown rice, margarine, asparagus, and oils like olive or sunflower oil. Acid-producing foods, which should be limited in an alkaline diet, include many meat products like sausages and bacon. Fish, cheese, soft drinks, alcohol, and sweets are also considered acid-producing and should be consumed sparingly.