Depending on the compounds they produce when metabolized, all foods are classifiable as acid-forming or alkaline-forming in the body. Diets that regularly emphasize acid-forming foods can cause the buildup of acidic residues in tissues and tilt the body’s slightly alkaline pH toward acidity, a condition known as chronic metabolic acidosis. Because cells and tissues can’t function normally in an acidic environment, acidosis sets the stage for the development of conditions such as cancer, osteoporosis and chronic fatigue, according to the “Encyclopedia of Healing Foods.” Consuming an alkalizing diet reduces the body’s toxic load, increases critical alkaline reserves and helps maintain a balanced body pH.
Alkalizing vs. Acidifying
Generally, almost all vegetables, herbs and spices are alkaline-forming in the body, as are most fruits. Alkalizing grains, nuts and legumes include quinoa, oats, wild rice, almonds, chestnuts and lentils. A food’s acid content doesn’t determine it’s pH nature in the body — the metabolic process affects the nature of the compounds it produces when broken down. Many high-acid foods, including citrus fruits, for example, are alkaline-forming in the body. Meat, poultry, fish, seafood, eggs, dairy products and most nuts, grains and legumes are acid-forming in the body, as are all processed foods, alcoholic beverages, coffee, soft drinks and foods containing added sugar or artificial sweeteners.
Reducing Toxic Load
The first step in alkalizing your body is to reduce its toxic load, according to “The pH Balance Diet.” Rather than embarking on a restrictive detoxification regimen that might be difficult or inconvenient to adhere to, you can start to normalize your metabolism by continuing eating your normal diet while exchanging all acid-forming liquids for alkaline-forming ones. Replace coffee, diet and regular soft drinks, cow’s milk and alcoholic beverages with water, unsweetened herbal or green tea, and soy or goat’s milk. Drinking plenty of water is an important component of reducing your toxic load. Adding fresh lemon or lime juice to a glass of mineral water makes it highly alkalizing. Consider buying bottled water or a filter if your tap water is high in chlorine, which is acid-forming.
Increasing Alkaline Reserves
Once you’re regularly consuming alkalizing beverages, improve your food choices by limiting your consumption of wheat, which is moderately to highly acid-forming, to once per day. Replace wheat products with alkalizing grains or less acid-forming grains such as brown rice, rye or barley. Get an alkalizing boost by making your own fresh vegetable or fruit juice blends every day — but don’t include acid-forming fruits, such as cranberries, or any refined sugar or artificial sweeteners. Include four servings of vegetables per day along with your normal diet. Most vegetables are alkaline-forming, but some of the most alkalizing choices are dark leafy greens, sweet potatoes, broccoli, cabbage, parsley, beets, celery and squash.
Maintaining Balance
After several weeks of successfully incorporating minor dietary changes to boost your alkaline reserves, balance your body pH by increasing your consumption of fruits, consuming more raw vegetables or salads and eliminating processed foods. A diet of 70 to 80 percent alkaline-forming foods supports bodily homeostasis and maintains alkaline reserves. You can achieve this balance within each meal by making sure 70 to 80 percent of the food on your plate is alkalizing, and that the acid-forming foods are well chosen. For example, a breakfast of goat's milk yogurt topped with fresh fruit and served with unsweetened herbal tea is 100 percent alkalizing. Replacing the yogurt with cottage cheese diminishes the alkalizing potential of the meal, but still provides a balanced, nutritious breakfast.
References
- “Encyclopedia of Healing Foods”; Michael Murray, N.D., et al.; 2005
- “The pH Balance Diet”; Bharti Vyas, et al.; 2007
- “Acid Alkaline Food Guide”; Dr. Susan E. Brown, et al.; 2006
- “Alkalize or Die”; Dr. Theodore A. Baroody; 1991
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