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Over the past few years alkalizing has become more of a well known term, especially to those following natural health and healthy diets. Alkalizing your body is really quite simple and can be done by making a few changes to your diet.
The chart above shows the pH scale of foods that are highly alkalizing, those that are near neutral, and those that are acidic (opposite of alkalizing).
What is Alkalizing?
To learn more about alkalizing you have to look at the two extremes of the spectrum. On one end you have alkalizing and the other is acidic. There are also substances which are neither alkalizing or acidic which are called neutral. The pH scale measures how acidic or alkalizing a substance is. The pH scale ranges from 0 to 14. A pH of higher than 7 is alkalizing (also called basic). A pH less than 7 is acidic and a pH of 7 is considered neutral.
pH stands for “potential hydrogen”. pH is defined as “the measurement of electrical resistance between negative and positive ions in the body”. Positive ions are acid forming and negative ions are alkalizing. The pH measurement looks at how the ions push against one another.
What pH Should Our Bodies Have? How Much Alkalizing is Needed?
In order for our bodies to maintain the best living environment , the optimal level is close to 7.4. This is at a slightly alkalizing state. Although, 7.36 to 7.44 is also an acceptable range.
In order for blood to effectively, act as a medium for oxygen and other vital nutrients, the pH needs to be close to this specific range. Deviations too far in either over direction of alkalizing or being too acidic can be harmful. However, typically due to the average American diet most individuals are overly acidic and are not concerned or aware of the importance of alkalizing. Really, a balance of these two ends of spectrum (alkalizing and acidic) is key!
Our bodies contain alkaline reserves and will fight to re-balance any deviations of fluctuating levels. However, the reserves are limited and in order to keep them intact it is important to eat the right kinds of foods which are alkalizing. The excess of the alkali from the alkalizing foods can be stored to neutralize acids in the future.
Why Do People Become Overly Acidic?
Well, it’s not just diet that causes an imbalance and a need for alkalizing. Even though most tissues in our body are alkaline in nature, our bodies creates acid which needs to be neutralized. This occurs from using muscles, breathing, and digesting certain foods.
Problems with Being too Acidic
Most individuals in the US do not eat diets that are alkalizing, instead they eat deadly diets high in conventional produced animal products, grains, refined foods, processed foods, carbohydrates, and sugars. Diets containing these foods can produce about 100mEq of acid per day. This amount of acid is nearly twice what the body can handle. Without alkalizing the body needs to take vital minerals in order to neutralize the acid.
Why Alkalizing is Important!
Having too many acid-forming foods and not enough alkalizing foods can cause serious health consequences. When the body does not have sufficient alkalizing substances and is overly acidic, the body will take from the bones or vital tissues . This is very damaging and impairs the body’s ability to repair or detoxify and will cause a person to be more susceptible to disease and illness.
Having acidic conditions and not alkalizing can cause negative effects such as: acne, headaches, joint pain, indigestion, low immune system, weak hair and nails, trouble losing weight, trouble gaining weight, and allergies.
There are also many more serious conditions which can occur from acidic conditions such as yeast and bacteria thriving in the digestive track, cancer cells thriving in acidic environments, yet have been shown to perish when alkalizing. All our organs and glands can be influenced by our pH level including; heart, lungs, liver, pancreas, thyroid, colon, kidneys, etc.
What foods are alkalizing?
Fresh vegetables and fruits are some of the most highly alkalizing to the body.
Top 7 Alkalizing foods:
#1 – Lemons – Lemons are one of the most alkalizing, a great way to start the day is with a glass of lukewarm water with a fresh squeezed lemon or lime.
#2- Leafy greens– Greens such as: kale, swiss chard, spinach, and turnip greens are very alkalizing for your body and also are packed with rich vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and phytochemicals.
# 3– Root vegetables such as radishes (black, red or white), beets, rutabaga, horseradish, carrots, and turnips are all highly alkalizing.
# 4– Cucumbers and Celery – These are some of the most alkalizing foods you can eat. They quickly neutralize acids and aid in digestion.
# 5– Garlic – Garlic is not only highly alkalizing it is also very important for overall health as it boosts the immune system, is antibacterial and anti-fungal. Raw garlic is even more beneficial, see my post on the importance of raw garlic in your diet.
# 6– Cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, brussel sprouts, and cabbage.
# 7- Avocados – Are also at the top of the list of alkalizing foods. You can see my recent post on the health benefits of avocados and how to ripen avocados. Avocados contain high amounts of essential vitamins, fatty acids, and amino acids.
I just got on this website for the first time today. I am researching because I have been fighting a gouty pain in my foot for over a week and am really frustrated with expensive medicines. I was advised to search how to alkaline my body. I see that there are several messages advising baking soda but I suffer from high blood pressure and wonder if this is a wise thing for me to drink very often?
can ACV be taken in hot tea
Sure!
Here’s my morning recipe for a morning drink… Take half a lemon cut the end organic if possible half a orange and a whole Apple. Cut into segments add 3 icecubes tap water to the less than 1 litre mark. Blend on low speed and than high for 30 seconds try not to burn out motor. One biggest concern is that lemons contain oxalates in the them I am drinking this mix 1/2 a litre at a time morning and before 600 PM is this OK. Cheers
Hi. I’m new to all this and well, I have read that alkalizing can combat cancer, and there is a highly probable possibility that I have a type of cancer. I’m terrified, does anyone have some advice for easing my family into this big diet and lifestyle change? Alkalizing is an important factor, right?
I’ve read the connection too! I started making changes slower towards a more alkalizing diet. I’m still looking into alkaline water too.
Hi Lori, What are your thoughts on sushi? Thanks
Hi, Lori,
You mentioned a lot of root vegetables in the top seven, but you didn’t mention potatoes. Are they alkalizing or acidic? I also know that the body turns starch into sugar. I’m trying to stay away from sugar in general to avoid feeding a cancer.
I’ve read that the potato skins are alkalizing and when fried become acidic. Potatoes do contain a good amount of carbs so I can understand your concern about the sugar. I cut them out for awhile but have added them back in because I started to feel sick when I went too low carb.
I suffer from 4 autoimmune diseases. I try to eat as many vegetables as possible but have major difficulties with most fruits and spices especially citrus fruits and garlic. Is there something I can do to reprogram my body to accept those foods that would seem to most benefit my health?
What kind of difficulties do you have with them? Is it more the digestion aspect? or just getting them down?
I have excema, asthma, rheumatoid and fibromyalgia. These wonderful foods exacerbate my symptom. Garlic completely swells me up and I feel achy all over. Citrus fruitsake me break out with large patches of excema and causes my feet and palms to itch to the point of insanity. Other fruits and potatoes etc bloat my stomach and give me indigestion and diarrhea, as well as soreness and cuts in my mouth, swelling and joint pain, plus. I have slowly learned to avoid many foods over the years but am concerned about loss of optimal nutrition offered by these great foods. I was wondering if there was a secret I’m missing that would allow me to benefit from these disease protecting foods and improve my over all health. Thank you for your expert advice.
Oh my, have you ever checked to see if you are allergic to any of these foods? If it was me, I would probably see an allergist just to be sure.
Do some research on bee pollen… It is amazing for auto-immune disorders, very alkalizing, and loaded with practically every vitamin, mineral, and amino acid along with copious amounts of enzymes, phytosterols, and other natural hormones and natural steroids (make sure to consult your doc first if your taking any steroids already, though they are far different and at the other end of the spectrum from coticosteroids). Just start VERY SMALL and VERY SLOW to avoid an allergic reaction (though there is plenty of info out there on how to dose properly for the first month or so, follow these to a T and don’t say “Oh it’s natural, it will be alright” and try to be a hero and you will have no problems, allergic reactions only really happen from too much too fast). Hope this helps, there is an answer for almost every disease and illness BUT the doctors don’t (EVER) know, you’ve got to find it, but when you do it is far more rewarding than a doc saying “here eat two of these a day… FOR EVERR!!! 😉
Thank you for the great info! What about foods like buckwheat, quinoa, and chia?
Thank you!
I haven’t researched those too much..but I think chia and quinoa are mildly alkalizing.
Tnx for all info here.
very use ful……
We are on a mission to help people understand the importance of “balanced pH!” Start with adding Minerals to your diet…without Minerals, your body can not “balance” its pH!
pH actually means:
-log10(concentration of hydrogen ions)
NOT “potential hydrogen”…. whatever that is supposed to mean.
And tomatoes are ACIDIC.
The “potential hydrogen” stems from the formulation period of the term pH with multiple meanings being attributed. Though the current nomenclature is indeed based on the -log10(concentration of hydrogen ions).
And though the stomach is acidic, and some of the listed items acidic, after these foods breakdown in the stomach, it is the extent to which compounds made from these foods interact during blood intake in the small intestine. Dependant on the oxidative power of the compounds, and their concentration in the blood, this is what categorizes them as an alkaline heavy, neutral or blood acidifying “food”.
I believe the bigger point to reference is how the dynamic equilibrium of blood pH is a system, and a system out of balance is not what the body is designed to sustain for extended periods of time.
thanks for all the info berries /citrus/fermented foods/ pleasant thoughts/ are alkalizing- tart foods = high hydrogen potential love it.
where is chicken on your chart?? I don’t see it listed.
where can u find ionized water?
Here is some more information about it, hope this helps: http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/09/11/alkaline-water-interview.aspx
Tap water….
Believe it or not, tap water. Well all potable water in-fact. Deionized water is a strong solvent and will dissolve your stomach. i.e. don’t drink distilled water!
Is this true, My doctor has my on a Alkalizing diet and suggested that I only drink distilled water? this post scares me
How do I find out my ph level?
Thank u!
I have the same question. How does one know his PH level?
I have read that it is best to teat in the am. You may want to check out this article: http://www.budwigcenter.com/blog/how-to-check-your-ph-balance/#.UccLlZwgiuI
you mentioned in another post to eat baking soda, or adding it to lemon juice. Is it ok to do this daily?
I think that was on my post on the benefits of lemon water. Adding baking soda to lemon water is very alkalizing. Many use it daily to prevent cancer. I do it a couple times per week and have a relative recently diagnosed with cancer doing a strong dose of it every day.
A couple years later now, how is your relative?
He’s doing well! He also uses conventional medicine and recently underwent surgery.
Lori excellent to hear about your relative. My Dad was recently diagnosed with stomach cancer I have him drinking baking soda water twice daily, I will mention adding lemon to it! Double the benefit, thank you! Question, how fast can you increase your PH level drinking baking soda/lemon water? Weeks? Days? Months? Just looking for its reaction time. And what PH test do you recommend? Thank you much for your time.
I’ve read pretty good reviews about the PHion brand for test strips. I haven’t tried them myself yet though. Wishing your day a healthy new year!
Hi, Did the baking soda (and lemon) help your dad any?
I did hear that baking soda might not be recommended for someone with high blood pressure. Would it be anything to do with the need to balance sodium with plenty of potassium containing foods?
I think I would check with my doc before taking it just to be extra careful.
Lemons are extremely acidic. Why is this considered an alkalizing food?
Lemons are acidic outside of the body, but have an alkalizing effect on the body.
Thanks Lori
Great information, thank you!
Very informative post! I certainly feel better when I include these foods in my diet. I tend to eat a lot of pasta and rice, too, but this is yet another reason (in addition to vitamins, fiber, and calories) to increase the proportion of vegetables to grains on my plate. I don’t eat much meat, and that’s definitely good from an alkalizing standpoint…although it looks like most high-protein foods are alkalizing.
Hello,
I’m visiting from Allergy Free Wednesday blog hop. I am trying focus on eating more alkaline foods and you have some great tips. Thank you! Lori
Thanks for sharing this important info on Wildcrafting Wednesday!
My husband and I were just talking about this last night, so it’s a timely article with information that answered our questions. 😉
Thanks so much for sharing this in this week’s Thank Goodness It’s Monday carnival.
Blessings!
Kresha from NourishingJoy.com
What about raw apple cider vinegar? I read that it too is a very alkalizing food but see it nowhere on your list. What’s your take on it?
Absolutely, apple cider vinegar is very alkalizing! Great point! Apple cider vinegar has so many health benefits in addition to being alkaline. There are so many great alkalizing foods to include I had a hard time trying to only list a few. I use apple cider vinegar several times a day, mixing it with water, part of salad dressing etc.
Thanks for your reply! I have been enjoying a hot drink made with ACV that tastes remarkably like hot spiced apple cider. The original recipe (I found it at Modern Alternative Kitchen) calls for 1 C water, 1 T ACV, 1 T honey, 1 t cinnamon, one whole clove and fresh chopped ginger (to taste), boiled together. That seemed a little counterproductive when using raw ACV and raw honey so I changed it up a little by simmering the water with the spices and then turning off the heat. After it has cooled a bit but still hot I add the fresh ginger and let steep a few minutes while it cools further and THEN I add the ACV and honey, strain and drink. SO tasty!
That sounds delicious! I would love to try that, thanks for sharing the recipe! 🙂
i just happened to stumble upon your post. Although it is a couple years old, I feel the information you have provided and the recipe for the Alkaline “Cider” are perfect for what I was needing. Thanks for putting this “out there”!
I will try this! Thanks!
I’ve heard that apple cider can be taken with warm water? I’m not sure if my stomach will agree with it. Is there anyway I can take it with something that masks the taste?
Yes, I mix about a teaspoon in a cup of warm water and drink it.
Hi, Great list! Keeping your body alkaline is so key to vibrant health. I enjoy all the foods on your list and eating them has made a big difference in my life. Thanks for sharing!