The Alkaline Diet

Basically, the alkaline diet is opposite the high protein, high fat, low carb diets that are currently in vogue. Most people have never heard of alkaline-acid balance, but many holistic doctors and nutritionists consider a properly balanced diet to be important to optimal health and preventing diseases such as cancer. The theory behind an alkaline diet is that because our body's pH level is slightly alkaline, with a normal range of 7.36 to 7.44, our diet should reflect this and also be slightly alkaline. An imbalanced diet high in acidic foods such as animal protein, sugar, caffeine, and processed foods tends to disrupt this balance. It can deplete the body of alkaline minerals such as sodium, potassium, magnesium, and calcium, making people prone to chronic and degenerative disease. Thorough scientific studies are lacking on the alkaline diet. Many conventional doctors do not believe in the alkaline diet. Who is this diet for? Try this diet if you feel unwell on a high fat, low carb diet. It may also aid people who lead stressful lives and or those who consume large amounts of acidifying foods such as protein, sugar, processed food, cereals, starches, and caffeine, with little alkalinizing vegetables. What are the symptoms of excess acidity?

  • Low energy, chronic fatigue
  • Excess mucous production
  • Nasal congestion
  • Frequent colds, flues, and infections
  • Nervous, stressed, irritable, anxious, agitated
  • Weak nails, dry hair, dry skin
  • Formation of cysts, such as ovarian cysts, polycystic ovaries, benign breast cysts (fibrocystic breasts)
  • Headaches
  • Joint pain or arthritis
  • Neuritis
  • Muscle pain
  • Hives
  • Leg cramps and spasms
  • Gastritis, acid indigestion

Medical doctors try to test the acidity or alkalinity of the body tissues and cells by analyzing the blood. Harold Hawkins, developed methods to measure urine pH and other factors such as saliva pH. Modern proponents of the alkaline diet look at the pH of blood, saliva, and urine, in addition to health symptoms and other factors. What are the guidelines of this diet? An alkaline diet is composed of approximately 75% alkaline foods and 25% acid foods. The foods listed below are in descending order of alkalinity and acidity.

  • Alkaline Foods -- 75% of diet
    • Vegetables -- Sea vegetables, burdock, lentils, onion, taro, sweet potato, kohlrabi, parsnip, garlic, kale, endive, mustard greens, ginger root, broccoli, potato, bell pepper, mushrooms, cauliflower, eggplant, pumpkin, collard greens, Brussels sprouts, chives, cilantro, okra, squash, lettuce
    • Fruit -- Limes, nectarines, persimmons, raspberries, watermelon, tangerines, grapefruit, cantaloupe, honeydew, citrus, olives, loganberries, mango, lemons, pears, avocado, pineapple, apples, blackberries, cherries, peaches, papaya, oranges, apricots, bananas, blueberries, currants, raisins, grapes, strawberries
    • Nuts, seeds, oils -- Pumpkin seeds, poppy seeds, chestnuts, pepper, primrose oil, sesame seeds, almonds, sprouts, avocado oil, flaxseed oil, coconut oil, olive oil, other seeds
    • Grains -- Oats, grain coffee, quinoa, wild rice
    • Condiments -- Baking soda, sea salt, mineral water, spices, cinnamon, molasses, soy sauce, herbs, green tea, rice syrup, apple cider vinegar, ginger tea, ghee
    • Dairy -- Buttermilk, cheeses and yoghurt.
  • Acidifying Foods -- 25% of diet
    • Dairy -- Processed cheese, ice cream, soymilk, cow's milk, aged cheese, soy cheese, cream
    • Animal meat -- All meat, poultry, eggs, and seafood. Beef, pheasant, pork, veal, squid, lobster, chicken, lamb, boar, shellfish, goose, turkey, eggs, gelatin, organs, venison, duck
    • Grains -- All foods made from cereal grains including breads, breakfast cereals, crackers, pasta and rice. Barley, barley, corn, rye, oat bran, buckwheat, wheat, spelt, semolina, white rice, millet, kasha, amaranth, brown rice. Avoid all refined flour products such as white bread, pasta, cakes, pies, cookies.
    • Legumes -- Legumes including beans, peas, lentils and peanuts.
    • Nuts, seeds -- All nuts. Hazelnuts, walnuts, Brazil nuts, pistachio seeds, pecans, palm kernel oil, almond oil, sesame oil, safflower oil, pumpkinseed oil, grapeseed oil, sunflower oil, pine nuts, canola oil
    • Vegetables -- Soybeans, carob, green peas, peanuts, snow peas, carrots, chickpeas, tofu, pinto beans, white or red beans, azuki beans, lima beans, kidney beans, string beans, rhubarb
    • Fruit -- Fruits containing benzoic or oxalic acid including prunes, plums, cranberries, rhubarb and sour cherries.
    • Condiments -- Jam, jelly, table salt, yeast, sugar, chocolate, cocoa, white vinegar, nutmeg, coffee, saccharin, vanilla, black tea, alcohol, balsamic vinegar, curry, honey, maple syrup, rice vinegar. Also avoid chocolate milk, sodas, wine, alcohol.