The alkaline diet is one that espouses eating foods that modify the acid and base balance of the body. Diets too high in acids result in weaker muscles and bones, hormonal dysfunction and a weakened immune system. By choosing the appropriate foods, however, the body can be manipulated into an alkaline state that facilitates better health, according to nutritional biochemist John Berardi.
Vegetables
Originally, foods were determined to be acid-forming or alkaline by superheating them for chemical analysis, but this did not adequately address the complexity of the human body. Researchers Thomas Remer and Frederic Manz identified the potential renal acid load--PRAL--scale to help identify what makes the body more acidic or more alkaline. The most powerful group of alkaline foods proved to be vegetables. Alkaline dieters can enjoy summer squash, acorn squash, butternut squash, parsnip, radish, horseradish, broccoli, lettuce, spinach, beet greens, mustard greens, dandelion greens, chard, seaweed, collard greens, onions, mushrooms, carrots, bell peppers, hot peppers, artichokes, tomatoes, cabbage, sprouts, celery, kohlrabi, kale and eggplant. As a general rule, if it grows in the ground, it can be eaten on the alkaline diet.
Fruits
Fruit followed vegetables closely on the PRAL score, demonstrating strong alkaline responses. Fruits are acceptable if they grow on a tree, bush or in the ground. Alkaline dieters can indulge in apples, pears, peaches, plums, kiwis, pomegranates, grapes, watermelon, cantaloupe, honeydew melon, cassava melon, pineapple, guava, nectarines, apricots, berries, citrus fruits, avocado, cherries, mango, papaya, starfruit, boysenberries, rhubarb and cucumbers.
Beverages
Many beverages can produce an alkaline response in the body, though not as effectively as fruits and vegetables. Berardi suggests that water and tea are generally preferable, but alkaline dieters can consume red and white wines, light beer, fruit and vegetable juices, and coffee while pushing the body to become more alkaline. Dairy beverages and soft drinks are acid-forming, however, and should be consumed only in moderation while on an alkaline diet.
References
- John Berardi: Covering Nutritional Bases
- Journal of the American Dietetic Association; "Potential Renal Acid Load of Foods and Its Influence on Urine PH"; Thomas Remer, PhD and Frederic Manz, PhD; July 1995
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