If you are new to alkaline meals, don’t let the information overwhelm you. Alkaline meals are about eating clean and being cautious with acid-promoting foods (looking at you, refined carbs and meat).
Your body needs to maintain an alkaline environment to be healthy. Unhealthy food can create an acidic environment in our body while alkaline foods can reduce these effects. If your body is leaning towards an acidic system, it could increase the level of toxins in your system and your immune system can get affected.
An alkaline diet helps you to maintain your body’s healthy pH level. Here are a few guidelines to get you started.
1. Follow The Rules
If you are a beginner to alkaline meals and you’re looking to restore your health, stick to the 80:20 rule. It means 80% of every meal needs to be alkaline-promoting and 20% can be acid-promoting. If you are looking to maintain health, then 60% of each meal can be of alkaline sources. Alkaline-promoting foods include dark leafy greens, lentils, herbs, seeds, and nuts. Acid forming foods include meat, dairy, and eggs.1
The trick is to balance your meal in such a way that alkaline sources need to remove or reduce the effects of the acid-promoting ones.
2. Step Up Your Green Game
The alkaline diet is about incorporating plant-based whole foods that are grown organically. This means you need to eat plenty of steamed veggies, raw fruits, and slightly roasted nuts. Green juices and smoothies are also great choices to include in your diet. Also, the diet suggests having a wide variety of nutritious sources to eat and not indulge in just a few selected fruits and veggies.
3. Load Up On Fiber
Foods rich in fiber are essential in any alkaline diet. Fiber makes it possible for the waste to be removed comfortably and it doesn’t allow toxic compounds to be absorbed into our system. Apples, apricots, alfalfa sprouts, watermelon are excellent choices. Seaweed and miso soups are other great options.
4. Eat Healthy Fats And Complex Carbs
Your body needs complex carbohydrates and healthy fats for fuel. It should be 60-70% complex carbs from plants, 15-20% of protein sources, and another 15-20% from healthy fats. Eat foods rich in omega 3 fatty acids like flaxseed, walnut, olive oil, sesame oil, and fish oil. Keep clear from trans fat, found usually in processed food.2
5. Sprinkle Spices And Herbs Into Your Meals
Alkaline spices are important to neutralize the effects of acid-promoting foods. Make sure to sprinkle turmeric, chili powder, or paprika into your dishes. Ground ginger is also a great alkaline source. If you are indulging in something sweet, add a little cinnamon to it as well. Herbs like parsley, basil, and rosemary can be added as well.
6. Hydrate Regularly
Drinking adequate amount of water can help detoxify the body. Have 8 glasses of water a day. You could add lemon or cucumber slices, or ginger for its alkaline properties.
An Alkaline Meal Day Plan
Breakfast: Oatmeal with blueberries and toasted walnuts, or rice crackers with almond butter, or a bowl of fruits. Wash it down with a glass of fresh juice
Lunch: Quinoa with steamed vegetables and, if you prefer, a small portion of meat
Snack: Lightly roasted almonds or a bowl of fruits
Dinner: Baked fish or chicken with sweet potato and steamed veggies
Dessert: A piece of whole grain cake
Now that you are prepped with the basics of an alkaline diet, build your diet accordingly. Once you begin eating clean, you would soon notice how happy and energetic your body would feel. And that’s how your body is supposed to feel all the time. Cheers to healthy eating!
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