Alkaline Foods to Include in Your Diet

By CH Woods 

Alkaline foods are very important for maintaining a good chemical balance in your body. Alkaline is essential for making sure that your body does not become too acidic. If your body is considered too acidic, then this means that your cells are not getting sufficient levels of oxygen. When this occurs, it reduces the energy of the cells. Eventually health problems such as diabetes, indigestion, weight gain, and even cancer can develop is left untreated for a long period of time. 


An acidic body ensures that your natural immune system is vulnerable, in addition to your body’s overall ability to function normally. This problem is very common in modern society. In fact, more people are considered acidic than alkaline! The reason for that is our poor eating habit such as reliance on fast food and pre-packaged snacks. When your body is weakened due to acidity, the chance of any type of disease increases significantly. Additionally, your strength and energy will be reduced as well. 

 About Your pH Level 
The two letter abbreviation that most of us have heard before, pH, is short for "potential hydrogen." Your pH level can be anywhere from 0 to 14, though you never want to be close to either end. When your blood pH drops below 7, then this indicates that your body is acidic, which means it will be much more vulnerable to illness and disease. When your pH level is above 7 then you are considered alkaline which is best for optimal health. Preferably, you should stay at a pH of around 7.3. Though this number is only a bit greater than the middle, it is viewed as well-balanced. 

 Factors Behind Acidity in Food
One of the main reasons for being overly acidic in most people is due to their daily intake of food. Most people do not get enough alkaline-based foods like dark green vegetables; instead they eat meats and junk food which are both loaded with acid content. Acidic foods such as eggs, dairy, and meats are consumed on a regular basis by the majority of people. Along with these foods, most people also take in large amounts of other acidic products such as white grains, coffee, alcohol, sugar, artificial sweeteners, soda, and white flour. 

Symptoms of High Acidity
The symptoms below may be the result of a pH imbalance in your body, so watch out for:

• Irritability
• Joint Inflammation
• Herpes - a viral infection causing small painful blisters and inflammation, most commonly at the junction of skin and mucous membrane in the mouth or nose or in the genitals.
• Headaches
• Heart Disease
• Appendicitis
• Diabetes
• Depression
• Restless Leg Syndrome
• Cancer
• Nervousness
• Osteoporosis
• Leg Cramps
• Excessive Sweating
• Mucous Buildup
• Asthma
• Weakened Muscles
• Rheumatism
• Fatigue
• Blurred Vision

Alkaline Foods to Eat Well before participating in a pH diet, you should understand that the foods that we eat have their very own pH levels before they are consumed, but as they are digested their pH level may be the exact opposite of what they were originally. One primary example of such a food is the lemon, which is loaded with acid before you eat it. Nevertheless, after it is consumed and digested, it causes your urine to become alkaline. 

Many alkaline foods that you should add to your diet include:

• Ginger
• Carrots
• Onions
• Tomatoes
• Raisins
• Mangoes
• Celery
• Almonds
• Garlic
• Chili Peppers
• Broccoli
• Cantaloupes
• 100% Fruit Juices
• Peaches
• Oranges
• Cabbage
• Watermelon
• Lemons
• Pineapples
• Apple Cider Vinegar
• Cucumbers
• Beets
• Tangerines
• Garlic
• Chestnuts
• Limes
• Cinnamon
• Figs

The minerals below are also considered alkaline and can be taken in supplement form:

• Sodium
• Magnesium
• Potassium
• Calcium

Everything mentioned above are great to add to your diet, but only after advice from your doctor or dietitian just to make sure your dietary changes do not cause any unexpected problems.

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CH Woods is the Executive Director of Organic and Environmental Products. We provide organic and natural products with informative articles on health and environmental solutions.