The principle behind the alkaline diet is to balance the pH by correcting the way you eat. This includes abstaining from meat, dairy products, sweets, caffeine, alcohol, artificial and progeny products, and excessive consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables and nuts and seeds. The matter does not end here. The alkaline diet also has some advantages and disadvantages. It is also called the acid-alkaline diet. Before talking about the advantages and disadvantages of this diet, we have to understand pH and its working.

What is pH value and how does it work? 

A pH is a unit of measurement of the level of acid or base in a substance. A value of less than seven indicates an acid and a value above seven indicates alkali in the body. It is worth noting that an alkali itself is a chemical that forms a salt when it reacts with an acid. The pH value of alkali is greater than seven.

Most of the diseases in the body begin with an imbalance of acids and bases. If it is balanced then diseases can be eradicated.

The human body consists of about 80 percent alkali and 20 percent acid. When these fibers deteriorate, diseases start surrounding the body. By keeping this ratio right, the body can be kept healthy.

Alkaline is found in most foods like lemon, orange, leafy vegetables, coconut, sprouted grains, dates, figs, and some nuts, etc.

Eggs, meat, cheese, butter, cooked food, sugar and its products, consumption of coffee, tea, flour, salt, chocolate, tobacco, soda, vegetable oil, consumption of alcohol, things made from oil, etc. have more acid. is.

As we start consuming more amount of acidic food, the problems for health also increase.

Acid-Alkaline Diet: Foods to include in your diet

If your doctor has asked you to include alkaline food in the diet, then you will have to make some changes in your diet. We are going to tell you about some food here that are alkaline by nature.

Leafy vegetables as an alkaline food

Most green leaves have an alkaline effect. This is the reason why it is advisable to eat green leafy vegetables. Keep one thing in mind that always eat green leafy vegetables only after cleaning them thoroughly. Essential minerals are found in green leafy vegetables. You should include spinach, kale, lettuce, celery, and mustard greens in your diet. Keep one thing in mind that do not consume these vegetables in excess or else side effects can also be seen in the body.

Seaweed and sea salt

You can consume seaweed and sea salt in an alkaline diet. Seaweed or sea vegetables contain 10-12 times more minerals than other vegetables. Seafood is considered a more alkaline food. You must use sea salt in your food such as sea vegetables. You can also consult a dietician for more information about this. Iodine is found in abundance in seaweed. Seaweed consumption is beneficial for thyroid function. In addition, seaweed is a good source of vitamins and minerals.

Root Vegetables 

Vegetables like sweet potatoes, lotus root, beets, and carrots are good sources of alkali. If all these are lightly roasted and then some spices are added, then their taste becomes very good. They can lose their nutritional value if they are overcooked. If you are adding them to the food, then do not cook too much. Carrots can also be eaten as a salad. Root veggies can be consumed by making soup or making a salad. If you have a problem with any root veggies, then it is better not to consume them.

Seasonal fruits

You can include seasonal fruits in an alkaline diet. Seasonal fruits are beneficial for health. Seasonal fruits are rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that take care of various functions in the body. You can include Kiwi, Pineapple, Watermelon, Grapes, Apples, Apricots, etc. in fruits. It is not that apart from these fruits you cannot consume other fruits. The given fruits have alkaline properties. You should contact your doctor for more information about this.

Include nuts in the diet

Consuming nuts gives a feeling of fullness quickly. Do you know that nuts have good fat as well as alkaline effect? If you have been advised by the doctor to take an alkaline diet, then you can include nuts in the morning meal. Include some nuts like cashews, chestnuts, almonds in your diet. If you are allergic to any type of nuts, avoid including them in your diet.

Advantages of an alkaline diet

• The whole purpose of an alkaline diet is to maintain the balance of the pH level of the body.
• When our body becomes acidic, it becomes home of diseases and diseases surround the body.
• Experts also recommend this dosage as it is easier to take regularly.
• Detoxing by removing toxins from the body is essential for cells to function properly, and alkaline diets are effective in doing this.
• Apart from this, an alkaline diet helps in keeping the jaws strong in place and reduces the feeling of pain.
• This diet also slows down the rate of aging. It also helps in the digestion of food. Overall, alkaline diets do a great job of giving you a healthy and slim physique.

The unit of measurement of the level of acid or base in a substance is called pH, and alkaline diet i.e. alkaline food affects the pH of our body. The balance and imbalance of pH have good and bad effects on the body respectively. So it is very important to keep it in balance. Similarly, alkaline diets also have good and bad effects on our bodies. Therefore, it should be followed only after knowing it well and understanding it.

Acid-Alkaline Diet gives relief from the problem of constipation

Vegetables and fruits are mainly added to the alkaline diet. Vegetables and fruits are a rich source of fiber. For those who have the problem of constipation, a diet rich in fiber is beneficial. The problem of constipation mainly occurs in those people who lack fiber in their diet. Lack of fiber can cause constipation as well as other problems. In the problem of constipation, the person does not pass stool for two to three days. Also, the stool is hard which creates a problem. People who drink less water may also face the problem of constipation. If it is said that the person’s digestive system is not able to digest food properly and he gets the problem of constipation. If you take an alkaline diet, then you can get relief from the problem of constipation.

Disadvantages of an alkaline diet

• Research on alkaline diets is limited. Many health experts call alkaline diets completely unnecessary, as our bodies are naturally designed to maintain pH balance.
• If it is a matter of reducing obesity with the help of an alkaline diet, then there is another doubt that you may not be able to lose weight with an alkaline diet.
• You can see many people who are vegetarian and are unable to lose weight even after following a clean diet. This is because they usually overdo it with alkaline diets.
• To lose weight, it is not enough just to stop bad food and eat a better diet. For this, you need to eat according to the needs of your body, neither less nor more. Weight cannot be lost by being hungry.

The relationship between acidity and cancer

Many things have come to the fore regarding alkaline diets and cancer. Some experts believe that the disease of cancer grows in an acidic environment. Whereas it can be controlled with the help of an alkaline diet. However, there is no evidence in this regard. Cancer grows in normal body tissue (alkaline environment 7.4). Whereas it has been found that tumors grow faster in an acidic environment. The tumor itself acts to increase acidity. That is, there is no relation between cancer and an alkaline diet, but some experts believe this.

Bottom Line

You should consult a doctor before planning an alkaline diet. Do not include fry food in your diet. You can include baked food in place of fried food in the diet. Also, boiled food can be included in the diet. If you want, you can also eat vegetables by boiling them. You can also eat boiled green vegetables. Taking juice of vegetables and fruits will be beneficial.

We hope you liked this article on the alkaline diet. All diets have their benefits. You can follow them according to your need, but it would be better to talk to the doctor before adopting it. Talk to a doctor or dietician for more information.