Alkaline Foods: What Are They And How They Benefit The Human Body

In the average American diet, many consume foods which are too acidic to effectively promote and maintain a healthy body.

Some examples of these acidic sources we consume are refined sugars, dairy products, and meat, such as, beef and pork.

There are different side effects that result from a high-acid diet, such as, a diminished immune system and lethargy.

A sugar high can feel good every once in a while when eating rocky road ice cream, but remember that unless you attempt to alkalize your body, you run the risk of a crash as a result.

Alkalizing the body is not difficult, but, in order to understand the benefits of doing so, one must first understand the definition of alkaline foods, how they work with the body, and which foods in particular will counteract the effects of their acidic counterparts.

What Is Alkaline?

Alkaline is defined as that which has a pH greater than 7. Because the body functions best at a pH level of about 7.4, it is important to consume foods which will bring those levels up to an appropriate level.

This is especially crucial when consuming foods which are acidic, and, which, will bring those levels lower than they should be.

Pure, distilled water sits at almost exactly 7 on the pH scale. Foods with a higher number are alkaline, while anything that is lower than 7 is considered acidic.

Benefits Of An Alkaline Diet

As a general rule, foods can be classified as either acid-forming or alkaline forming.

The human body‘s pH is 7.35, or slightly alkaline. The body is always seeking a state of homeostasis (balance) and it works hard to maintain the healthy neutral alkaline zone.

Now, keep in mind that foods in in of themselves cannot change this zone in the body, but, the body does have to work extra hard to compensate for the intake of acid-forming foods that are ingested in excess.

This happens because when your diet is highly acidic the body has to leech calcium from the bones, as calcium is an alkalizing mineral. Over time this can lead to bone mineral loss, which, can result in osteoporosis.

Additionally, as a stressor it can lead to inflammation along with increased cortisol levels, and this can impact overall health in the long term.

Conversely, those foods that are alkaline forming are typically plant based and highly nutrient dense, and also loaded with antioxidants.

Including a variety of alkaline-forming foods in your diet allows the slowing of leech of calcium from the bones, and this results in improved bone health.

These foods also support healthy cell regeneration and fights the effects of free-radicals on the body.

Since it is the pH level of blood which concerns us, putting additional acidic foods into our diets actually works against the human system.

When more strain is put on the body to fight sickness and disease, it is no wonder a highly acidic diet might make one feel tired and lethargic.

Benefits Of Alkaline Forming Foods For Athletes And Exercise

There is more goods news and that is the major benefits that alkalizing foods have on athletes and for the human body during exercise in general.

A diet high in acid forming foods results in reduction of muscle efficiency, so more energy expenditure is needed for each and every muscle contraction. Now, during a race or intense activity, this means a lot of extra work for the body.

Since alkaline-forming foods greatly reduce inflammation, the muscles work at more functional levels, and they also require less force to move.

This allows endurance athletes, such as, those who run marathons and participate in triathlons to push harder for longer.

For those who do strength training, and bodybuilders, alkalizing foods will allow you to lift heavier weights with less negative stress on the body.

How To Eat An Alkaline Diet

Increasing the alkaline intake does not have to be extraordinarily difficult, and one must not cut acidic foods entirely from his or her diet.

It is recommended that your diet consist of around 80% alkaline food sources while acidic foods make up the remaining 20%.

This contrasts the average diet in America, which often flips that ratio around. There are some changes in the diet which can be made quickly and easily in order to alter your pH level.

Swap Coffee For Green Tea

For example, you might switch from coffee to green tea in order to bring your blood’s pH level higher. Green tea is alkaline while coffee is acidic, so the substitution might make a drastic change especially if you consume coffee quite often.

This is a change which any Zen master will definitely approve of, and green tea contains many antioxidants as well.

Alkalizing Vegetables

Always eat your vegetables, the best choice in alkalizing varieties, are broccoli, celery, chard greens, collard greens, cucumber, cauliflower, and mushrooms, just to name a few.

These foods are alkaline and will not only help reduce stress on the body in fighting acid, but are also highly nutrient dense and plain good for you!

Alkalizing Fruits

Some of the best fruits are also alkalizing ones, including, melons, lemons, oranges, peaches, pears, apples, bananas, berries, cantaloupe and grapes.

Remember, you do not have to eliminate dairy products, rice, and all protein from animal sources in order to maintain a healthy pH level.

However, it might benefit you to substitute your refined sugars with healthy fruits and vegetables more often than not.

Doing that, along with drinking plenty of green tea, will increase pH levels and your chances of finding health-nirvana naturally and easily!

Learn more here in my section about How to learn healthy cooking without having to spend a fortune to keep your family healthy from your kitchen.

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