An alkaline diet is considered to be one of the healthiest diets. In this article we want to explain what it is all about and why alkaline nutrition is supposed to be so healthy.
Anyone who has heard the word alkaline has probably also heard PH values in this context. Because that’s what it’s all about: an alkaline diet protects the body from acidification and supports it in maintaining and regulating the optimal pH value. When we talk about an optimal value, that means a PH value between 7.35 – 7.4. This is the value that the body is constantly trying to maintain. In addition to environmental influences and cosmetics, nutrition has the greatest influence on this value. Non-alkaline products, i.e. highly acidic products, throw the body out of balance. The body reacts to hyperacidity with different symptoms.
Symptoms of acidosis in the body can be:
- chronic fatigue, sluggishness
- blemished skin
- dental problems
- gastrointestinal complaints
- gas
- overweight or a tendency to gain weight quickly
- muscle tension
- headache
- cellulite
Long-term hyperacidity can also cause major illnesses such as: gout, rheumatism, asthma or cancer. Since nutrition has the greatest influence on our acid-base balance, there is a lot you can do here and take action in advance. First of all, it is good to know which foods are more acidic:
Acidic foods to avoid in large amounts:
- meat and sausages
- fish and seafood
- eggs
- cheese and dairy products
- grain products made from white flour
- pasta
- legumes, except green beans
- alcohol
- refined oils and animal fats
- soft drinks
However, there are also the “good” acidifiers that we need in moderation:
- grain products made from oats, spelt, rye, corn and whole grains
- pseudo grains like amaranth, quinoa and buckwheat
- fermented soy products
- seeds such as flaxseed, sesame, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, poppy seeds and hemp
- cocoa and raw cocoa powder
Alkaline diet for more health
In order to avoid the symptoms and diseases mentioned, an alkaline diet is the basic building block. We must never forget that the main purpose of eating every day is to maintain our metabolism and therefore “survival”. Our body depends on an optimal supply in order to function optimally. The older we get, the more important it is to dedicate oneself to one’s body and to resolve construction sites in order to age healthily. Because the advantages of an alkaline diet are:
- Alleviate chronic pain and inflammation in the body
- Reducing the risk of high blood pressure and stroke
- Maintain muscle mass and bone density
- Vitamins and minerals can be better absorbed through the small intestine
- Support of the immune system
- Cancer prevention
To maintain the acid-base balance, experts recommend eating 75% alkaline-forming foods and 25% acid-forming foods every day. That means a diet that is mainly plant-based.
Base-forming foods:
- fruit
- vegetables
- salads
- herbs
- water (with and without lemon juice) and herbal teas
- smoothies
- nuts
- sprouts and seedlings
Although a lemon tastes very sour, it is one of the most alkaline foods. In addition to citrus fruits, celery and dark leafy greens such as kale and spinach with a lot of chlorophyll are great for deacidifying the body. In addition, part of the fruit and vegetables should always be eaten raw, because only then do the foods have a particularly alkaline effect, because the alkalizing minerals and trace elements are lost during the cooking process. Therefore, we recommend a daily smoothie, which makes the intake of raw fruit and vegetables super easy. Here the food is mixed raw and can be easily absorbed in liquid and smaller portions, which is also easier on digestion. We have developed two basic smoothie recipes for you that we can highly recommend:
Basic smoothie recipe with celery:
- two sticks of celery
- a peeled lime
- a thumb-sized piece of ginger
- an apple
- 200ml of water
Basic smoothie recipe with kale:
- 2 leaves of kale (without stems)
- a pear
- an apple
- fresh mint
- juice from one lemon
- 200ml of water
If you would like to discover more smoothie recipes, you are welcome to visit us on Instagram and Facebook – we look forward to seeing you!
