Include These 74 Alkaline Foods Into Your Diet To Lead a Healthy Life!

61. Sesame Seeds

When it comes to sesame seeds, make sure that you are not getting your intake from sesame seed bun in the burger. It is not going to help you with alkalization to counter a large amount of acid-forming foods. It will be best to sprinkle sesame seeds on a salad of alkaline veggies. You can also add them when blending green smoothies. They have lots of iron and also supply significant amount of proteins for such a small seed.

A cup of sesame seeds has 25g proteins, 65% iron and 20% calcium.

62. Soybeans

Soybeans have been considered to be very healthy for a good number of reasons. For one, they are alkaline forming foods. Vegetarians have long been using them, as they are a rich non-meat source of iron. Soybeans have also been an alternative to dairy as a rich source of calcium. You could add them to your plate when you want to reduce your intake of meat and dairy or you want to avoid them altogether while remaining alkaline.

A cup of soybeans has 162% iron, 52% calcium and 19% vitamin C.

63. Spinach

Spinach is another amazing alkaline-food, and you must already be consuming it.  This leafy green has amazing health benefits. You could consume it any way you want, it will help your body become alkaline. For best results, get baby spinach. It can be used as a base for your salads.

Now that you know about different types of alkalizing veggies, you could easily make a salad that gives a big boost to your pH levels.

A cup of spinach has 56% vitamin A, 14% vitamin C, and 4% iron.

64. Sprouts

You may not be able to prepare a side dish using nothing else but sprouts. However, you could also add them as a wonderful sidekick to other vegetables. Add them into a stir fry or simply blend them.

Their amazing alkalizing benefits cannot be ignored. Then sprouts are full of so many nutrients, proteins and enzymes. Sprouts are readily available, as you could find them in almost all supermarkets and grocery stores.

A cup of sprouts has 3% iron, 10% vitamin C and 1% calcium.

65. Squash

There are different types of squash and each one has its own set of nutrients. All this means unique health benefits too. But all of them help in adding up to the body’s alkaline state. Squash can be used to prepare wonderful side dishes. There are so many vegetarian recipes that can be made with squash, where they can be the main entre. You could use other veggies as side dishes.  Butternut squash has a staggering amount of vitamin A, and good amount of vitamin C.

A cup of butternut squash has 298% of vitamin A, 49% vitamin C and 7% calcium.

66. Sunflower Seeds

Avoid dry roasted sunflower seeds and the ones which high amount of added salt. Sunflower seeds are naturally alkaline foods, and should be taken without any additives. The additives can increase sodium and fat levels. These seeds contain good amount of healthy fats, iron and proteins. You can consume them to reduce your intake of acid-forming meats.

An ounce of shelled sunflower seeds have 11% iron, 6g proteins and 1% vitamin C.

67. Sweet Potato

There is a widespread misconception that starchy foods form acid. This is the reason you should be a little surprised to see both new potatoes and sweet potatoes on this list. The fact is that the acid-forming and alkaline-forming property of a food depends on how it gets broken down in the body after you have consumed it. Therefore, sweet potato is alkaline.

There are many other health benefits of sweet potatoes. It has an amazing taste, is loaded with fiber, and is rich in vitamin A, which is a powerful antioxidant.

100g of sweet potatoes contain 369% vitamin A, 4% iron, 4% calcium, and 5% vitamin C.

68. Swiss Chard

This is a leafy green that’s not been so popular. Swiss chard is also an alkalizing leafy green. You may have had it as part of a mix of greens in garden salads in restaurants. You may also have enjoyed it at your home. It is known for its unique bitter taste. You may not find it to be appealing initially, but you are likely to crave it after trying just few times. You can also enjoy it with other green leafy veggies like kale and spinach.

100g of Swiss chard has 18% vitamin C, 2% calcium and 4% iron.

69. Thyme

Thyme is an amazing spice that can be added when cooking. Along with all its health benefits, it’s also alkaline-forming. It is the primary seasoning with various dishes in certain cultures. Among its main health benefits includes positive effects for the respiratory system. It is now increasingly considered as a superspice. Thyme is believed to have its own set of antioxidants. It is also rich in so many nutrients which is surprising considering that it is such a small herb.

A teaspoon of thyme has 1% iron, 1% of vitamin A and 2% vitamin C.

70. Tofu

Tofu has been the meat replacement for vegetarians for many years. If you had been consuming it, you must have been helping with the creation of alkaline state in your body without knowing it.

This could be the reason for the documented health benefits of vegetarian lifestyle, as it involves cutting down or removing acid-forming meats and replacing them with alkaline-forming foods such as vegetables and tofu. It is not essential to become fully vegetarian to enjoy these benefits. A typical alkaline diet allows consumption of some acidic foods too.

A slice of tofu has 5% iron, 5g proteins, and 3% calcium.

71. Tomato

Tomatoes are rich in lycopene and antioxidants. They are also great for heart health and contribute to longer and happier lifespan. Tomatoes are also alkaline-forming foods. So you should consume more tomatoes. The sour taste of tomato, just like in the case of lemon, may make you think that it is also acidic. However, it is not acid forming and will work by raising the pH level of your body.

A med. Tomato has 26% vitamin C, 2% iron and 1% calcium.

72. Watercress

Watercress is also a leafy green that contributes to keeping your body alkaline. It is also rich in so many vitamins, which means you will get a wide range of nutrients for your body. Thanks to its unique flavor, you may also like it compared to some other leafy greens. When it comes to its alkaline benefits, it also ranks high for its effects on your body. Studies show that watercress is also beneficial in repairing damages caused to the DNA, which can be of great benefit in the prevention and reversal of cancer.

A cup of watercress has 32% vitamin A, 24% vitamin C and 4% calcium.

73. Wheatgrass

More recently, the popularity of wheatgrass has increased significantly. This has especially been due to the increased popularity of the green smoothie. But “health nuts” have known about wheatgrass for some time now. It has amazingly strong alkaline effects on the body. It is usually available in supplemental form. You could consume it by just mixing in water and drinking it. Many like to take a glass of wheatgrass juice everyday to ensure that they are getting adequate amount of alkaline-forming food.

3g of wheatgrass has 44% iron, 12% vitamin C and 30% vitamin A.

74. Zucchini

You can find this veggie almost at all grocery stores. Thus, you can easily begin using zucchini and include it into your comprehensive approach towards keeping your body alkaline. You can make various zucchini recipes. You may also simply steam and eat them to get all the benefits. It is also beneficial in lowering cholesterol levels. In men, it has been found to be helpful in preventing prostate cancer.

A cup of zucchini has 35% vitamin C, 2% iron and 5% of vitamin A.

It is not essential that you should be restricted to just these alkaline-foods. However, they can work as the perfect alkaline-base to your diet plan. You could consume as much of them to ensure that your body remains more alkaline. It is important to maintain a balance, and there are other foods that have lots of nutrients and vitamins. So you shouldn’t avoid them from your diet. Make sure to add variety to the healthy foods you take. Your diet should include the alkaline-foods given here, and eventually you will be giving lots of benefits to your body.

FAQs Related to Alkaline Foods

Can alkaline foods support acid reflux?

When you consume alkaline foods, it directly helps in the reduction of stomach acid. It is considered to help in reducing or preventing symptoms of acid reflux. You must have already identified some foods that cause acid reflux when you consume them. You must be avoiding them now. There is a good chance that those foods belong to the acidic foods list.

If you check the alkaline-foods list, you will realize that none contributes to acid reflux. You should ask your doctor about the right diet plan for reducing your acid reflux. There’s a good chance that such a diet plan will match an alkaline diet.

What do you mean by “alkaline-forming” foods?

It refers to foods which may not be alkaline in nature, they produce alkaline effect when your body breaks them down. This is the opposite of acidic-effect due to acid-forming foods.

Citrus fruits such as lemons and grapefruits are excellent examples. They may have citric acid, but they are alkalizing when you consume them. This is the reason you must differentiate between foods which are acidic when outside, but turn alkaline when digested and processed in your body.

You will come across so many alkaline and acidic foods-lists. They can have variations with different foods. Some lists may show some foods to be alkaline, while others may show the same foods to be acidic. That can confuse you, but we have made our best efforts to deliver highly accurate information.

What are the functions of alkaline foods?

When you consume alkaline foods, they might be helpful in raising your body’s pH levels to a stage where they support your overall wellbeing and health. Alkaline foods may also be beneficial in neutralizing extra amounts of acid that could cause inflammation and various chronic conditions.

There is debate in some circles if such foods are capable of bringing change to the pH levels of blood, thus causing changes in the way the body manages different diseases and conditions.

The answer you get can vary from one to another, if you ask them whether alkaline foods can help with reversing cancer, preventing heart disease, or reduce inflammation in your body. At the same time you must keep in mind that all alkaline foods will feature their own set of health benefits. So eventually it may come down to eating better and reducing the intake of foods which are unhealthy. Following both the paths can give positive health results for most people.

Can alkaline foods be helpful in losing weight?

It is highly likely that when you change your diet by including more amounts of alkaline-forming foods, you end up losing more weight. The reason is that the foods offer various types of health benefits. Most of these foods are believed to be superfoods. If you replace your acidic foods or highly processed foods with alkaline foods, you are highly likely to lose weight. Interestingly, most of the alkaline foods listed here can also been seen in weight loss and healthy diet plans. All diets which advocate the consumption of leafy greens including spinach and are considered to be healthy are also found to be alkaline.

What is the taste of alkaline foods?

Because there are different types of alkaline foods, there is no fixed answer to what the typical taste is. Many are veggies, others are fruits, nuts and grains. At the same time, you should know that acidic foods will not always taste like acid. Don’t expect all of them to burn the tongue. What they do is create acidic effects in your body.

Similarly, alkaline foods don’t feature any particular taste. The flavor cannot tell you if you are eating acidic or alkaline food. Oranges may have citric acid, but they are actually alkaline-forming. So taste is not a determining factor for alkaline foods.

Can cooking alkaline foods turn them into acidic?

It is not essential that they turn into acidic. But when you cook your food, you could be cooking the essential minerals and vitamins which are beneficial for your body. You don’t have to consume raw diet to be able to consume alkaline foods. However, you should try to eat them fresher for best results. When cooking is unavoidable, you should use methods such as steaming to ensure that the nutrients remain intact.

Role of Alkaline Foods Against Cancer

You must have often come across the information that consumption of alkaline foods can be helpful in preventing cancer. You must have also heard that it can help in reversing cancer. One thing you must know is that hospitals provide special diets to their cancer patients. These diets are loaded with alkaline foods. But they never specifically refer to these diets as alkaline diets.

According to others, an alkaline environment destroys cancer and doesn’t allow it to thrive. They claim that consumption of acidic foods causes cancer. They also believe that acidic environment also causes cancer to thrive and spread out in a patient’s body.

Some scientists and doctors claim that your body maintains blood at pH levels without concern what you consume. They also say that eating any food doesn’t have any impact on your pH level.

Thus, you would question why consume alkaline diet if it is not going to have an impact on your body’s pH? Those supporting alkaline diets might be just getting you to consume healthy diet due to the reason that they have found a way to differentiate between healthy and unhealthy foods. This diet is mostly vegetarian. It is something that certainly helps in improving health when taken for long term.

One of the best answers on this topic is that the list of alkaline foods comprises of all-healthy foods. All have their unique set of side benefits which means they are beneficial for your body. When you look at the basic level, it become apparent that foods from the Earth are helpful for your body. But heavily processed or manmade foods are not. You should consume foods which have been grown naturally. They absorb sun’s energy and transfer the energy to your body. If you consume dead food or something loaded with chemical, will only make you ill.

Gout & Alkaline Foods

Gout results from excess amount of uric acid in your system. It is believed that if you consume more alkaline foods, it will help in reducing the levels. This can help prevent gout attacks. When you consume alkaline foods, they create an alkalizing effect. Thus, they are helpful in neutralizing certain acidic foods you have eaten.

The special diets made for people suffering from gout are found to be similar to alkaline diet. When you take alkaline foods, you will thus avoid the foods which are known to cause gout attacks.

Acne & Alkaline Foods

Alkaline diet promoters say that these foods are also beneficial with acne. They claim that acne is most likely caused by acidic environment. It has also been believed for a long time that taking improper diet that has greasy fried foods, could contribute to more acne. It is now believed that it is the acidic effect and not the specific food type that leads to these breakouts.

When you consume alkaline, you get lots of minerals, vitamins and antioxidants in the form of whole food. This helps in making your skin healthier and eliminates all the blemishes.

Allergies & Alkaline Foods

The benefits of alkaline also include allergy relief. But it is not yet clear the way alkaline diets can help in the prevention of allergic reaction towards pollen, pet dander and dust. In fact, alkaline diet is mostly considered as a cure-all for all types of things ailing humans. Although there is no damage to consuming more alkaline foods, as many are superfoods and loaded with minerals and vitamins, there is no clinical research yet that points out a connection between alkaline food consumption and reduced allergic outbreaks.

Diabetes & Alkaline Foods

There are so many alkaline foods that have been found to be helpful with maintenance of blood glucose levels. They don’t cause the kind of spikes that come with consumption of high-sugar foods. It has been found that different diabetic diets that doctors prescribe are similar to alkaline diets. They mostly have veggies and beans.

Even the likeliness of developing diabetes when consume alkaline diet also get reduced. It is also believed that your diabetes can become more manageable when you take this diet. You should consult your doctor before you start consuming an alkaline diet. Chances are your doctor may recommend even an improved eating plan.

Other Conditions & Diseases

When you come across a site that attempts to sell you alkaline diets, you will notice many claims about the benefits of alkaline foods. This can include claims like preventing different conditions and diseases. The underlying concept is that when the body has alkaline state, it is least likely to develop some diseases and illnesses. These conditions affect only those who have acidic body.

It is not clear what is actually meant when they claim that your body is acidic or alkaline. The fact is that certain parts of your body have to be acidic for working effectively. You stomach is a good example because it has to break down foods. Your body also has a self system of regulating the blood’s pH levels. This works similar to your lungs that have to breathe, your heart that beats, and some organs and body parts that require certain temperatures.

Make sure to do your own research and consult your doctor before you chose any diet plan.

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Source: Bembu