When it comes to diets, we’ve heard of pretty much everything by now: paleo, the 5:2, fasting, Atkins… It’s no wonder that diets have long been linked to restriction and feelings of misery and despair! What many people don’t realise that committing to a “diet” doesn’t necessarily have to mean cutting out all the foods that you enjoy in the name of losing weight. The best diets are the ones that still allow you to eat delicious foods, but help you to stay healthier while doing so. A good example of such a diet is the alkaline diet.
You might not have heard too much about the alkaline diet, as it never really made it “big” in the health and fitness world in the same way that some other diets did. Actually, though, it’s one of the healthiest and more varied diets you might come across, and offers a far more realistic chance of you actually sticking with it in the long run.
So, what actually is the alkaline diet? In short, it involves including foods with a higher alkaline content in your daily meals, which is thought to raise the body's pH to make it less acidic and more alkaline. A more alkaline pH promotes weight loss, without the need for cutting food out, and fights disease. Because the diet generally encourages you to increase your intake of healthier, plant-based sources, your food choices alone will help you to live more healthily and benefit from the nutritional value of the foods you’re eating.
So what are the issues with our bodies being too acidic
While certain acids aren’t a problem for our overall health, an excessive acidity in the body can lead to a number of disorders and diseases, including a breakdown of healthy cells, muscle wasting, anxiety and depression, digestive issues such as bloating and constipation, and increased fatigue. Balancing out the body’s acid levels with an alkaline diet is the easiest way to avoid these symptoms.
If you’re convinced to give the alkaline diet a go, you’re probably wondering which foods have a higher alkaline content. Stay tuned to discover the top 16 alkaline foods for a healthy body:
No1 Tomatoes
Like many plant foods, you’ll find that tomatoes have their highest alkaline content when they are eaten raw. Either way, they contain many nutrients that you can benefit from no matter how you include them in your diet. They contain a high content of vitamin C, which is important for bone and cell health over our whole body. They’re also a great source of digestive enzymes and vitamin B6, an important vitamin that isn’t found in many food sources. Try adding tomatoes to omelettes, salads or curry dishes, or using them to make your own paste or passata.
No2 Red onion
Interestingly, onions are a vegetable which have an alkaline content you can increase by lightly cooking them in a healthy fat or oil. If you’d rather eat them raw, that’s fine too – just try and avoid frying them in unhealthy oils. Onions boast a huge number of nutritional benefits as well as being a good source of alkaline. You’ll find that onions contain a good amount of vitamin C for cell health, and may even have anti-inflammatory effects on the body.
No3 Avocado
There’s a reason why avocados are one of the biggest modern superfoods of all time: they’re not only delicious, but packed with nutrients to make you feel your best every day. Not only are avocados a fantastic source of healthy fats, which are said to be good for preventing cardiovascular disease, they’re also anti-inflammatory and one of the best alkalizing plant sources around.
No4 Basil
Is there really a more underrated herb than basil? If you’re not so familiar with it, you definitely will have tried it before – it’s found in many pizza and pasta dishes, and is incredibly flavourful. Flavour aside, basil really scores points for its nutrient content. It’s a great alkaline source, and high in vitamin A, K and calcium. Basil is also high in flavonoids, which have antioxidant effects on the body, and have been linked to reduced risk of cancer, heart disease, asthma and stroke.
No 5 Apples
There are so many benefits of apples, aside from their high alkaline content. Apples contain an impressive amount of fibre, which regulates the digestive system. They also contain a whole host of antioxidants, including vitamin C, and flavonoids for protecting against common health problems. Including apples in your diet is a great way to stay healthier overall in the long term.
No 6 Carrots
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