Submitted by Ann Curcio, RN
ARE YOU GETTING ENOUGH ALKALINE FOODS IN YOUR DIET?
Your health depends on an alkaline environment, created by eating foods such as tomatoes, avocados and green vegetables...striking the optimum 80/20 balance and regulating your body's acid/alkaline chemistry through simple changes in diet can result in weight loss, increased stamina and strength, a stronger immune system and a greater sense of wellbeing.
HOW DID WE BECOME SO OUT OF BALANCE?
After years of societal changes, millions of dollars of marketing spent and technological advances, we, as a race, are now facing more dietary based health challenges than ever before. It is no coincidence that the rapidly growing numbers of cancer, cardiovascular disease and diabetes correlate almost exactly with the rise in consumption of acid forming foods such as sugars, saturated fats, and white breads. At the same time our consumption of fresh vegetables and essential fatty acids has decreased dramatically, making way for convenience and a generation hooked on sugary treats. BECOMING ALKALINE WITH A SIMPLE AND HEALTHY DIET
This is not as difficult or as technical as it sounds. When we talk about eating alkaline foods or starting an alkaline diet we are referring to consuming those foods and drink which have an alkaline effect on the body. This effect is based upon the ash residue that remains after our foods are consumed. Some foods leave an acid ash, whereas others leave an alkaline ash. Conveniently for us, our bodies have been designed to categorize which foods leave which kind of ash into neat and easy to remember groups.
Of course, everybody is different - but most of us should aim to eat 75-80% alkaline foods and a maximum of 20-25% acid forming foods. MILDLY ALKALINE
Almond Milk Distilled Water Artichokes Asparagus Brussels Srpouts Cauliflower Comfrey Kohlrabi Lamb's Lettuce Leeks New Baby Potatoes Peas Pumpkin Onion Rutabaga Swede
Squash (Butternut, Summer, etc.) Watercress White Cabbage
Coconut Grapefruit Pomegranate Almonds Fennel Seeds Lentils Tofu Sesame Seeds Herbs & Spices Avocado Oil Olive Oil Coconut Oil Flax Oil Grapeseed Oil Hemp Oil pH Miracle Omega 3-6-9 Oil
MODERATELY ALKALINE
Fresh Coconut Water Arugula Beets Basil Capsicum/Pepper Cabbage Lettuce Carrot Chives Collard/Spring Greens Coriander Endive Ginger Green Beans Leeks Lettuce Mustard Greens Okra Radish Red Cabbage Red Onion Turnip Zucchini Lemon Lime Rhubarb Butter Beans Lima Beans Soy Beans (fresh) White (Navy) Beans Chia/Salba Seeds Hemp Seeds Quinoa
HIGHLY ALKALINE
pH 9.5 Water Green Drinks Himalayan Salt Real Salt Avocado Broccoli Cabbage Celery Cucumber Endive Garlic Grasses (alfalfa, kamut, straw, shave, wheatgrass, etc.) Kale Parsley Sprouts (alfalfa, bean, pea, soy, etc.) Spinach Tomato Soy Nuts (soaked soybeans, then air-dried) Soy lecithin, pure
HIGHLY ACIDIC
Alcohol Coffee & Black Tea Fruit Juice (sweetened) Cocoa Honey Jam Jelly Mustard Miso Rice Syrup Vinegar Yeast Dried Fruit Beef Chicken Eggs Farmed Fish Pork Shellfish White Rice Cheese Dairy Artificial Sweeteners Syrup Mushroom
MODERATELY ACIDIC
Fresh, Natural Juice Ketchup Mayonnaise Butter Apple Apricot Banana Blackberry Blueberry Cranberry Grapes Guava Mango Mangosteen Orange Peach Papaya Pineapple Strawberry Goat's Cheese Vegan Cheese Brown Rice Rye Bread Wheat Wholemeal Bread
Wild Rice Wholemeal Pasta Walnuts Ocean Fish
MILDLY ACIDIC
Rice, Soy, & Coconut Milk Cantaloupe Fresh Dates Nectarine Plum Sweet Cherry Watermelon Black Beans Garbanzo Beans Kidney Beans Seitan
Amaranth Buckwheat Groats Buckwheat Pasta Millet Oats/Oatmeal Soybeans Spelt Couscous Rice/Soy/Hemp Protein Freshwater Wild Fish Brazil Nuts Flax Seeds Hazelnuts Macadamia Nuts Pecans Pumpkin Seeds Sunflower Seeds Sunflower Oil
ALKALINE FOODS at a Glance
VEGETABLES
Artichokes Arugula Asparagus Avocado Basil Beets Broccoli Brussels Srpouts Cabbage Cabbage Lettuce Capsicum/Pepper Carrot Cauliflower Celery Chives Collard/Spring Greens Comfrey Coriander Cucumber Endive Endive Garlic Ginger Grasses Green Beans Kale Kohlrabi Lamb's Lettuce Leeks Leeks Lettuce Mustard Greens New Baby Potatoes Okra Onion Parsley Peas Pumpkin Radish Red Cabbage Red Onion Rutabaga Spinach Sprouts Squash
FRUITS
Avocado Coconut Grapefruit Lemon Lime Pomegranate Rhubarb Tomato
DRINKS
Almond Milk Fresh Vegetable Juice Green Drinks Herbal Tea Lemon Water (pure water + fresh lemon or lime) Non-sweetened Soy Milk Pure Water (distilled, reverse osmosis, ionized) Vegetable Broth
SEEDS, NUTS & GRAINS
Almonds Any Sprouted Seed Buckwheat Groats Caraway Seeds Cumin Seeds Fennel Seeds Hemp Seeds Lentils Sesame Seeds Spelt
FATS & OILS
Flax Hemp Avocado Olive Evening Primrose Borage Oil Blends
OTHERS
Sprouts (soy, alfalfa, mung bean, wheat, little radish, chickpea, broccoli, etc.) Hummus Tahini
General Guidance: Stick to salads, fresh vegetables and healthy nuts and oils. Try to consume plenty of raw foods and at least 2-3 liters of clean, pure water daily. ACIDIC FOODS AT A GLANCE
MEATS
Pork Lamb Beef Chicken Turkey Custaceans Other Seafood (apart from occasional oily fish such as salmon)
DAIRY PRODUCTS
Milk Eggs Cheese Cream Yogurt Ice Cream
OTHERS
Vinegar White Pasta White Bread Wholemeal Bread Biscuits Soy Sauce Tamari Condiments (Tomato Sauce, Mayonnaise etc.) Artificial Sweeteners Honey
DRINKS
Fizzy Drinks Coffee Tea Beers Spirits Fruit Juice Dairy Smoothies Milk Traditional Tea
CONVENIENCE FOODS
Sweets Chocolate Microwave Meals Tinned Foods Powdered Soups Instant Meals Fast Food
FATS & OILS
Saturated Fats Hydrogenated Oils Margarine (worse than butter) Corn Oil Vegetable Oil Sunflower Oil
FRUITS
All fruits, aside from those listed in the alkaline column.
SEEDS & NUTS
Peanuts Cashew Nuts Pistachio Nuts
General Guidance: Steer clear of fatty meats, dairy, cheese, sweets, chocolates, alcohol and tobacco. Packaged foods are often full of hidden offenders and microwaved meals are full of sugars and salts. Over cooking also removes all of the nutrition from a meal.
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