With so much conflicting information about what to eat for maximum energy, a pain free body, maintaining muscle mass, and enhanced mental clarity, we do always have the option of giving an alkaline diet a try. Alkaline forming foods are mostly vegan, low in sugars, and high in minerals, and some of the cleanest and greenest foods available.
When we begin eating foods that are highly alkaline in place of foods that are highly acidic we begin to have more energy, ease of movement, fewer runny noses, and a sense of well being that is so empowering it makes us wonder why we ever ate the highly acidic foods in the first place.
The top foods for increasing the alkalinity of the body are:
Grasses (think Wheat Grass juice, Barley, Oat, and Kamut Grass Powder)
Cucumbers
Kale
Kelp and other Sea Vegetables
Spinach
Parsley
Broccoli
Sprouts
Fresh juices made with some of the above foods, cucumber, kale, parsley, and spinach, can help the body go from tired and achy to vibrant and flexible very quickly.
Foods that are moderately alkaline include:
Avocado
Beets
Basil
Celery
Chives
Cilantro
Collards
Endive
Fennel
Ginger
Green Beans
Lettuce
Mustard Greens
Okra
Onions
Radishes
Tomatoes
Lemon
Lime
Chia Seeds
Quinoa
Instead of engaging in an intense cleanse, choosing foods listed above may be an easier way to restore balance and vitality to the body.
Foods to round out the above, to make it all very tasty, that are mildly alkaline are:
Artichokes
Asparagus
Brussels Sprouts
Cauliflower
Carrot
Leeks
Peas
Potatoes (new, fresh, baby potatoes)
Pumpkin
Squash (both winter and summer varieties)
Zucchini
Grapefruit
Coconut
Pomegranate
Rhubarb
Buckwheat (soaked and rinsed well)
Lentils (try sprouting them and eating raw or cooking the lentil sprouts)
Tofu
Goat and Almond Milk
Many Beans and Legumes
Most Herbs and Spices
Avocado Oil
Olive Oil
Coconut Oil
Flax Oil
Hemp Seed Oil
In reviewing the above list, you may have noticed that there are very few grains, (Quinoa is actually a seed, not a grain) and that there are no animal products. Also, no sweet fruits are considered alkaline because, even though high in potassium, the sugar content makes most fruit highly acidic once we consume that fruit.
This is not to say one should never have sweet fruit. Some schools of thought will list fruits as being alkaline, but again, to feel our very best, many people have great success eating primarily from the foods listed at the top of this post.
If 80% of the food eaten each day comes from the above lists, the other 20% of all food eaten can come from the following lists, the lists of foods that are acidic.
Those which are the least acidic, only mildly acidic to the body are:
Black Beans
Chick Peas
Kidney Beans
Seitan (a wheat gluten often found in meat substitutes in natural foods stores)
Cantaloupe
Currants
Fresh Dates
Nectarines
Plums
Sweet Cherries
Watermelon
Amaranth
Millet
Oats/Oatmeal
Spelt
Soybeans
Buckwheat Pasta
Cous Cous
Rice Protein Powders
Hemp Protein Powders
Freshwater Wild Fish
Rice and Soy Milk
Brazil Nuts
Pecan Nuts
Hazel Nuts
Sunflower Oil
Grapeseed Oil
The following list is foods that are moderately acidic, best eaten in small amounts:
Ketchup
Mayonnaise
Butter
Apple
Apricot
Banana
Blackberry
Blueberry
Cranberry
Grapes
Mango
Orange
Peach
Papaya
Pineapple
Strawberry
Goat Cheese
Soy or Rice Cheese
Brown Rice
Rye Bread
Wheat
Ocean Caught Fish -- even if Wild
The following are the foods that are Highly Acidic to the body, mind, and bloodstream:
Alcohol
Coffee and Black Tea
Sweetened Fruit Juice
Cocoa
Honey
Jams and Jelly
Mustard
Rice Syrup
Soy Sauce
Vinegar
Yeast
Dried Fruit
Beef
Chicken
Eggs
Farmed Fish
Pork
Shellfish
Cheese
Dairy
Artificial Sweeteners
Syrups and Sugars
Eating this way does not result in lost muscle tissue from the lack of animal foods -- if anything muscle tissue can be gained from the increased chlorophyll in the green foods and it's ability to nourish all the cells of the body.
Weight loss, depending on the individual, may occur simply because the alkaline diet is so clean, green, and chemical free. Fat tends to cling to toxins and once we get the toxins flushing out of the system, excess fat tends to slip away too.
The reason for eating an alkaline diet are many. The increased flexibility means it becomes easier to exercise, enjoy yoga, and movement of any kind. The body begins to feel more youthful.
Keeping the sugars in our diet extremely low helps to prevent many chronic diseases, and, in the case or preexisting conditions, a low sugar highly alkaline approach often reduces symptoms.
As we get older, sugar is no longer a fun friend. Sugar usually accelerates aging, causing many to get thick around the middle and to wrinkle prematurely.
To age gracefully, a diet high in alkaline minerals that is hydrating due to the high water content, can keep us energized, flexible, and feeling fantastic!
Best of luck to you!
Susan "Yogi Suzi" Grimes
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