There are literally thousands of diets out there that claim to help you avoid disease and improve your overall health. But perhaps no other diet works as well in this capacity as a high alkaline diet. This means eating foods that are rich in alkaline and that will, in turn, make your body more alkaline.
If you’re asking why you should be consuming foods that make your body more alkaline, we get it! The concept can be slightly confusing at first. At its core, however, an alkaline diet is simply meant to balance your body’s pH. Most of the time, your pH is determined by how many minerals are in the foods that you eat. A food with a high pH has a pH level above 7 on a general scale from 0 to 14. Consuming more alkaline in your food can help you avoid numerous chronic diseases like diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. Numerous studies have backed up this concept. Furthermore, a high alkaline diet is just a healthy way of eating! So it’s truly a win-win.
If you’re ready to start a high alkaline diet, here are the top 15 foods you should be consuming.
1. Wheatgrass
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Wheatgrass – http://therenegadepharmacist.com
Wheatgrass is an extremely detoxifying herb that is also chock-full of minerals and vitamins, phytonutrients, and antioxidants. Because of its high level of minerals, it has a high pH level and has been known to be an excellent detoxifier and anti-inflammatory for the body. It neutralizes toxins and can even stimulate thyroid hormone production.
2. Dark Leafy Greens
Dark Leafy Greens – http://www.superlife.com
When it comes to eating salads, reach for the dark leafy greens instead of that iceberg lettuce because this is where the high alkaline levels are. We’re talking about greens like kale, Swiss chard, dark romaine lettuce, and collard greens. Not only are these high alkaline vegetables, but they also have substantial amounts of vitamin K, vitamin C, and antioxidants.
3. Broccoli
Broccoli – https://addapinch.com/
In addition to being a high alkaline food, broccoli is also rich in folate, phytonutrients, fiber, potassium, and calcium. It even has a ton of vitamin C and antioxidants. These antioxidants are especially helpful at fighting diabetes, heart disease, cancer, and other serious and chronic diseases. This combined with the high alkaline levels in broccoli make it one of the absolute best vegetables out there.
4. Bell Peppers
Bell Peppers – http://www.medicalmedium.com/
One of the healthiest vegetables out there is the bell pepper. Available in green, red, yellow, orange, and purple, bell peppers are great in salads, on sandwiches, in stir frys, on salads, or alone as a healthy snack. In terms of nutrients and vitamins, bell peppers are not only high alkaline, but they also have essential carotenoids, flavonoids, and hydroxycinnamic acids.
5. Avocados
Avocados – http://www.specialtyproduce.com
The high-fat content in avocados makes them essential for those who are trying to maintain high levels of omega-3 fatty acids for heart health, eye health, and brain health. But avocados are also high alkaline, which makes them even more valuable. Eating avocados on a regular basis has been shown to lower blood cholesterol levels, which is a definite help for those who have a family history of heart disease.
6. Cucumbers
Cucumbers – https://makemysushi-makemysushi.netdna-ssl.com
Cucumbers are an excellent example of a high alkaline food that also won’t add unwanted calories to your meals. That’s because cucumbers are mostly made of water, so they’re good at hydrating you. And amazingly enough, despite their high water content (95%), they even have tons of nutrients, like antioxidants. In fact, the antioxidants in cucumbers include some particularly essential lignans, which are known to prevent various cancers.
7. Celery
Celery – https://draxe.com/
As with cucumbers, celery is also mostly made of water, and it also has high levels of vitamin C, which everyone needs in order to protect their immune system. Vitamin C is important at preventing osteoporosis, arthritis, asthma, and cardiovascular disease. If you’re trying to lose weight to avoid the onset of type II diabetes, celery can also be helpful because it has nearly zero calories.
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8. Seaweed
Seaweed – http://www.justseaweed.com
One of the most underrated foods available is seaweed. Eaten in high quantities in countries like Japan, seaweed is definitely high alkaline and has tons of other benefits, including ultra high levels of omega-3 fatty acids. In fact, seaweed usually beats high omega-3 fatty acid fish like salmon and halibut. That’s because those fish have their high levels of omega-3 fatty acids as a result of eating seaweed.
9. Mushrooms
Mushrooms – http://www.mushrooms.ca/
Mushrooms are often overlooked in the vegetable department, but they are an excellent example of a high alkaline food. Mushrooms also pack a lot of nutrients, and they’re especially good for those who are vegetarians or vegans. That’s because they can be a stand-in for meat in a hamburger or on a sandwich, and in doing this they can even slash 200 to 300 calories from a given meal.
10. Asparagus
Asparagus – http://assets.simplyrecipes.com/
When it’s asparagus season in June and July, make sure to eat as much of this healthy, dark green veggie as possible. There are a number of essential benefits included in asparagus in addition to the high alkaline it provides. These benefits include high levels of vitamins E, C, K, and A as well as fiber, chromium, and folate.
11. Artichokes
Artichokes – http://assets.simplyrecipes.com
One of the biggest sources of antioxidants, the artichoke is a must for anyone hoping to eat a high alkaline diet. Artichokes can be made from a full, fresh plant or eaten out of a can. Essentially, you’ll get the same amazing benefits. In addition to being high alkaline and having lots of antioxidants, artichokes have tons of dietary fiber, folic acid, and vitamin K. They’ve even been known to help lower cholesterol and blood pressure, increase the rate of your metabolism, and improve overall bone and joint health.
12. Bananas
Bananas – https://www.caloriesecrets.net
One of the softest and sweetest foods on this list is the banana. High in alkaline and potassium, bananas can also provide essential vitamin B6 to your diet. This has been known to help with energy levels and is a vitamin that is especially essential for those who are eating a vegetarian or vegan diet. In addition to all of these benefits, bananas have also been known to help people overcome depression because of the high levels of tryptophan that they carry. Tryptophan helps your body produce more serotonin.
13. Tomatoes
Tomatoes – http://cdn2.stylecraze.com/
In Western culture, one of the most commonly eaten vegetables is the tomato, and fortunately, this does us all good. The tomato has amazing benefits. It’s naturally high alkaline (that’s why it’s on this list), but it also has more lycopene than any other food. Lycopene has been linked to longevity and has even been shown to fight cancer.
14. Eggplant
Eggplant – https://www.organicfacts.net
Eggplants are not a traditionally eaten food in the West, but in many cultures, it is eaten regularly and even for breakfast. In Spain, it is common to see eggplant as a tapa centerpiece, and it’s also popular in Asian and Middle Eastern cuisine. These countries know that eggplant has multiple health benefits, including being high alkaline and packing a lot of vitamin B6, vitamin K, folic acid, and dietary fiber.
15. Alkaline water
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Alkaline water – http://assets.precisionnutrition.com/
Finally, when you drink water, try to drink high alkaline water. This is sold separately from regular water in bottles or jugs because it has additional nutrients and a higher number of minerals than regular water does. Drinking adequate amounts of water every day is good for your health anyway, so if you can, try to drink more alkaline water to benefit both your hydration levels and the pH of your body.
By consuming as many of these foods in your daily diet as possible, you can look forward to multiple health benefits. These include protected muscle mass and bone density, lower blood pressure, improvements with inflammation and chronic pain, loss of excess fat, and most importantly, protection against chronic diseases like cancer, heart disease, and diabetes. Try this diet today and look forward to all of these benefits and more!
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