With an alkaline diet, most people want to know which foods are alkaline and which are acidic to help them make the right food choices.
Many research studies and books have been written on alkaline diets and alkaline foods, but is there a correct guideline for alkaline foods?
Well the simple answer is no…
There are many lists of alkaline foods, all of which vary slightly or greatly. This is because over the years and as alkaline health research has developed, the definitions of “alkaline foods” have changed.
For example, a list of alkaline foods can simply classify foods by their pH in full physical form as they are in the refrigerator. This is how most people would see food — with things like lemons and limes considered acidic, and milk, cheese, and chicken considered basic.
That seems logical and obvious. However, it is an inaccurate way of looking at it, as it does not take into account the effects that this food has on our own bodies.
We aim for a mostly alkaline diet to balance the pH of the blood to its slightly alkaline set point, so we need to look at the effect a food has on the body when consumed.
Incidentally, when processed by the body, limes and lemons are actually highly alkaline foods, and thongs like cheese, milk, and meat are highly acidic foods.
Research from the early 20th century to recently classified acidic and alkaline foods by burning them and then measuring the pH of the resulting ash residue when dissolved in water (i.e. what remains after undergoing metabolism).
However, later research revealed that it was not the isolated ash residue that was important, but the chemical compounds that the food introduced into the body after being metabolized.
Our metabolic system is a wonderfully complex and intricate system, so determining how acidic or alkaline-forming food is in this way is a slow and steady task, a task that scientists are only now beginning to complete.
A food that is basic in its physical form can often have an acidifying effect on the body when consumed (and vice versa), so keep that in mind.
Here are some foods that commonly appear on the “Alkaline Foods List” – regardless of how it was compiled or by whom…
Broccoli, Spinach, Arugula, Lettuce, Cucumber, Avocado, Kale, Kale, Lemon, Lime, Tomato, Green Beans, Wheatgrass, Barley Grass, Leeks, Watercress, Omega-3 Oils.
Similarly, here are some commonly classified acidic foods/drinks – no surprises here, really:
Cake, chocolate, fizzy drinks, burgers and other fast food, ice cream, cookies, donuts, fried foods, alcohol.
Thanks to Laura A Wilson
