Did you know your body needs to maintain a certain pH level for survival? And that’s not all. Your current lifestyle and diet can tend to impact this pH level, making it either acidic or alkaline. Now here’s the bad news. Most of us are tilting towards an acidic body while we need to move towards an alkaline body.
Our ideal pH level is a slightly alkaline range of 7.35 to 7.45. Anything less than 7 is acidic (unhealthy), while anything above 7 is basic or alkaline.1 Some of our foods choices can compromise and tip the scales of our body’s acidic levels off that healthy balance.
When your body is acidic, it goes after your reserve of minerals and over time creates an environment that allows bacteria and other harmful compounds to thrive. An acidic body leads to unhealthy outcomes such as inflammation, toxin accumulation, and even puts our immune system and organs in a vulnerable position.2 However, studies have shown that some foods can help bring back that healthy acidic balance because of their potent alkaline-rich content.
Alkaline foods are said to help cleanse your system, remove toxic or excess acid, and give your body an overall regularity in functioning. Adopting an alkaline diet can help improve your health, reduce inflammation (which is one of the primary triggers for most serious illnesses) and even help fight serious diseases like cancer.
So, here is a list of 9 alkaline foods that you should be eating or adding to your daily diet.
1. Almonds
These superpower nuts can be found on almost any list of the healthiest foods to eat. Packed with vital nutrients and even essential plant-based fatty acids which is stored in their oil, they are also alkaline-rich foods. Besides being good for your hair, skin, and brain health, almonds can also help increase muscle mass, lower your cholesterol levels, and even help you lose weight.
2. Cucumbers
Being the go-to veggie for summers, cucumbers are natural diuretics, which means that they help hydrate the body and get rid of excess water, ultimately balancing our acid levels by cleansing and washing out those nasty toxins and accumulated acids, that made our bodies their home. Besides being a great choice for actively cleaning our system, cucumber juice is also effective in treating conditions caused by excessive uric acid (a waste material found in urine).
3. Cabbages
The leafy goodness of cabbage gives you the needed nutrients such as magnesium and roughage, which help keep our digestive system, immunity, and alkalinity, balanced and happy at a cellular level. In addition, cabbage is said to be effective in preventing and reversing certain cancers. Its fiber-rich nature also helps keep our calorie count low and is the perfect ingredient to add to any diet out there.
4. Plum Tomatoes
Plum tomatoes contain vitamin A, C, E, and actually do wonders in helping treat skin disorders, keeping your calories in check, treating urinary tract infections, bladder issues, and even bladder-related cancers. This is because they are high in water content, therefore eliminating the excess acid in the body by stimulating urination, so they can be released from our systems.
5. Grapefruits
This citrus-rich fruit makes a great juice or can also be eaten as it is. With natural properties that help boost your metabolism, it helps keep your weight in check and shed that unnecessary fat that is clinging to your body. Besides being a dietary weight-loss secret, it is also an alkaline-carrying fruit, with low sugars, and despite tasting sour and acidic, it does nothing but boost your alkaline levels, and gives your immunity a powerful dose of vitamin C too.
6. Key Limes
Yet another citrus comrade, key limes are powerful little fruits which are densely packed with vitamin C, therefore clearing our urinary tracts of toxins, excess acid (including uric acid), bacteria, and the like. An accumulation of uric acid in the body can cause pain, inflammation, and even worsen our health, as this waste material slowly infect our internal organs. Key limes can effectively flush out uric acid and other acids from the body with their anti-inflammatory properties.
7. Lemons
When life gives you lemons, juice them to detox your body inside-out, cleanse your digestive system, and bring that healthy acidic balance back. Lemons are known to be the superstars in most folk remedies, such as flu, infections, and even losing weight. Ironically lemons contain citric acid, but despite being called that, it is a wonderful alkaline-rich ally to our health. Despite its acidic nature, it generates alkaline responses in the body and is very low in sugar.
8. Basil
Basil is considered the ‘king of herbs’, which is a deserving title because it is packed with nutrients that one usually needs to get from different foods. This lovely Italian herb is rich in vitamin K, omega-3 fatty acids, iron, calcium, vitamin C, and more. All these properties naturally detoxify your body by reducing your acid levels and even fight the components responsible for creating kidney stones. It also helps clean the kidneys out through frequent urination.
9. Cantaloupes
Originating from the melon family, they are packed with water, beta-carotene, phytochemicals, most of the essential forms of vitamin B, that can all help your body fight against and get rid of toxins and excess acids. They also help your immune system produce more white blood cells to efficiently keep those nasty toxic substances away, besides optimizing and balancing your body’s alkaline levels.
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