Is your diet alkaline or acidic?

Strong Acid: Red meat,  eggs, cheese, yogurt, breads and cereals, sugar, peanuts, soda, alcohol, coffee. PHOTO| FILE

What you need to know:

  • Our Western-influenced diet is largely composed of acid-forming foods (proteins, cereals, sugars). Alkaline-producing foods such as vegetables are eaten in much smaller quantities.

  • Stimulants like tobacco, coffee, tea, and alcohol are also extremely acidifying.

  • Stress, and physical activity (both insufficient or excessive amounts) also cause acidification.

FOR A LONG time, health practitioners have recommended a diet that “alkalinises” the bloodstream.

The premise is that diseases including cancer, osteoporosis, rheumatoid arthritis and gout are influenced by dietary acid-alkaline balance.

Today, the vast majority of the populace suffers from such diseases because both modern lifestyle and diet promote acidification of the body’s internal environment.

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Our Western-influenced diet is largely composed of acid-forming foods (proteins, cereals, sugars). Alkaline-producing foods such as vegetables are eaten in much smaller quantities. Stimulants like tobacco, coffee, tea, and alcohol are also extremely acidifying.

Stress, and physical activity (both insufficient or excessive amounts) also cause acidification.

Many foods are alkaline-producing or neutral by nature, but manufactured processed foods are mostly acid-producing and these are the ones most heavily advertised in the media, and filling the shelves of supermarkets.

So what can you do?  Eat more foods that are alkaline: The dietary goal is quite simple: ensure you have a higher intake of alkaline-producing foods than acid-producing ones.

An alkaline diet is rich in vegetables and fruit, while avoiding an over-consumption of grains, meat and dairy.There is a difference between acidic foods and acid-forming foods. While some foods may taste acidic (such as lemons), they can actually have an alkalising effect on the body.

 

Strong Alkaline: Most vegetables, wheatgrass

Mild Alkaline: Root veggies, fruits, almond and soy milk, seeds, ionised water and herbal teas

Mild Acid: Most fruits, most nuts, honey, yeast, cow milk and organ meats

Strong Acid: Red meat,  eggs, cheese, yogurt, breads and cereals, sugar, peanuts, soda, alcohol, coffee. All canned foods, frozen veggies, microwaved food and artificial sweeteners.

Check your medications also some can cause your pH balance to be acidic.

To restore health, the diet should consist of 80 per cent alkaline forming foods and 20 per cent acid forming foods and not the other way round.

 

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