Many celebrities have recently joined in on the alkaline diet trend. It might sound overly scientific. But it just means consuming more alkaline-forming foods to achieve weight loss.
For Best Results Get The The Alkaline Diet: What to Consider? Workbook
What is an Alkaline Diet?
An alkaline diet boasts the promise of improving your health by consuming only alkaline foods. It is also known as the alkaline ash diet and alkaline acid diet.
It's helpful to be familiar with the pH levels measurement scale to understand the alkaline diet. pH levels are the measurement of how alkaline or acidic something is. It starts at 0 for the most acidic and ends at 14 for the most alkaline.
- Acidic: 0 to 6 pH
- Neutral: 7 pH
- Alkaline (or basic): 8 to 14 pH
More alkaline foods can improve the human body's pH levels and chemistry. That is because certain body parts are normally very acidic. An example is the stomach. It produces stomach acid when digesting food.
On the other hand, human blood pH is usually between 7.2 to 7.4, making it slightly more alkaline than acidic. Thus, people believe that ingesting alkaline-promoting foods can maintain that slightly alkaline level of blood pH. It also provides health benefits.
High Alkaline Foods
A standard alkaline diet consists of mostly fruits and vegetables, along with fish and plant-based protein. The main idea is to consume unprocessed foods and fresh foods only, fairly similar to a paleo diet.
What are the great inclusions for an alkaline diet? Non-starchy vegetables, sugar-free juices, and low carbohydrate foods. This is because carbohydrates are known to be very acidic. That means sugar and starch are highly acid-forming foods. They contradict the concept of an alkaline diet.
Alkaline-forming foods to include in an alkaline diet are:
- Fresh fruits
- Unsweetened fruit juice
- Whole grains such as quinoa, wild rice, and oats
- Tofu
- Soy
- Avocado
- Nuts
- Olive oil
- Legumes
- Seeds
- Beans
- Fish, occasionally and in moderation
- Leafy greens
- Cabbage
- Carrots
- Broccoli
- Other non-starchy fruits and vegetables
Non-Alkaline or Acid-Forming Foods
As mentioned, sugar and starch contribute to an acidic environment in the body. When following an alkaline diet, it's best to avoid food groups that are high in those components. These certain acidic foods to avoid when doing an alkaline diet are:
- Milk
- Carbonated drinks and carbonated water
- Alcohol
- Meat
- Cheese
- Chocolate
- Yogurt
- Eggs, especially the yolk
- Butter
- Soda
- Starchy vegetables (like potatoes)
- Processed grains (like white rice, cornflakes, and spaghetti pasta)
- Poultry
- Ice cream
- Processed foods
What You Should Know About an Alkaline Diet
What exactly does following an alkaline diet do to the human body? It's important to remember that the alkaline diet is still a very new way to lose weight with. Thorough and conclusive research on the alkaline diet claim still doesn't exist.
Health Benefits of an Alkaline Diet
From initial research done on the alkaline diet, it was found that it:
- Improves bone health, bone density, and overall bone mineral density
- Helps preserve muscle mass
- Prevents chronic kidney disease which causes kidney stones and other issues
- Prevents all other chronic diseases
- Decreases swelling and inflammation
- Fights against the formation of cancer cells
- Aids in weight loss
- Strengthens the immune system
- Prevents vitamin D deficiency
- Promotes better vitamin and calcium balance absorption
Disadvantages of an Alkaline Diet
While the health benefits of an alkaline diet look promising, there still are disadvantages to it.
Eating foods that are more alkaline than acidic, can cause a significant imbalance in the body. This diet is essentially low-carb, Mediterranean, vegetarian, and plant-based diets rolled into one.
What can cause vitamin deficiencies? Avoiding certain food groups like animal protein, starchy fruits and vegetables, eggs, and dairy. The body becomes unable to meet all its nutritional needs. That happens despite a seemingly "healthy diet" of only alkaline foods.
A strictly alkaline diet can be expensive. As mentioned, alkaline diets are much like the plant-based diet, Mediterranean diet, and paleo diet. Certain foods that replace acidic foods will cost much more than typical processed foods.
Should You Try an Alkaline Diet?
An alkaline diet promotes a healthy eating pattern and could aid in weight loss. But it's not recommended to switch to it on a whim. If you're interested in the acid-alkaline diet, make sure to consult a health professional first.
Too much of a drastic change to one's diet can cause complications and side effects. The alkaline diet is not really for everyone. This is especially if you have allergies or issues when you eat foods low in sugar and starch.
Is the sole reason you're planning to do an alkaline diet to lose weight? Then you might want to consider other options first. Weight loss can always be achieved in healthier ways.
Consider the Organic Greens 365 Superfood Powder Over an Alkaline Diet
Stick to nutritious foods and incorporate a trusted superfood powder into your diet. Do these instead of impulsively switching to an alkaline diet.
The Organic Greens 365 Superfood Powder is a known supplement for maintaining a healthy weight. It contains all the needed nutrients for the body. The formula is a mixture of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, fiber, and probiotics.
With regular intake, you get improved bone health, better muscle mass, and enhanced cardiovascular health. You won't have to choose between a solely alkaline environment or an acidic environment. This concoction gives the best of both options.
Make sure to take this powder with healthy foods and proper exercise to reap all its great benefits!
For Best Results Get The The Alkaline Diet: What to Consider? Workbook