Have you ever come across the terms ‘acidic’ or ‘alkaline’ ??
What these terms remind me of is my chemistry laboratory at school where we used litmus paper to check whether the given chemical was acidic or alkaline. But have you ever think that your food can also be acidic or alkaline. Yes foods too are classified according to whether they are acidic or alkaline in nature.
The foods that are most alkaline are lemons, cucumber, papaya, melons, mangoes, grapes, fresh vegetable juices, garlic, onion, broccoli and spinach. On the other hand artificial sweeteners and sugars, refined white floor, chocolates, alcohol, aerated drinks, milk, cream, walnuts, peanuts and coffee are acidic in nature.
After knowing this the most important thing to know is that we want to keep our bodies in an alkaline state at most times. Most diseases spread rapidly in an acidic environment, especially cancer. Joint problems and back pain occur more in an acidic body. Also weight loss is slower in acidic body. When the pH of your body becomes acidic, your body uses the calcium from your bones to neutralize the acidity. Basic chemistry will show that this leads to a deficiency to this vital mineral.
Let us go back to school for a bit. Do you remember the pH chart ?
Alkalinity or acidity is measured by the pH value of the body fluids. The pH scale extends from 0-14, 0 being the most acidic and 14 being the most alkaline.
What we want to do for good health is to ensure our bodies stay alkaline. That’s why practice of squeezing a lemon over your food is a great one. Lemon is acidic in its raw state, but when it mixes with saliva, it becomes highly alkaline. The next time you suffer from acidity have a glass of water with freshly squeezed lemon and you will feel better. If you don’t sprinkle lemon on your food, you can choose to drink a glass of lemon water after your meal. This will ensure efficient digestion and prevent bloating or gas formation.
Keep your body alkaline, and you stay in optimum health. This is one reason why junk food and foods rich on salt and sugar can be bad for you. They are highly acidic in nature , besides being rich in the wrong kind of fats, chemicals and preservatives.
Don’t like lemon or allergic to it ?
Here are some other highly alkaline foods that can shift your body from an acidic to alkaline state-
- Bell peppers
End your meal with some salad sticks, and you will get your body’s pH level in balance. Once you balance your pH you’ll start to notice huge increase in energy level, better digestion, easier fat loss, less pain from inflammation related condition (like arthritis), better mental focus and better mood.
PLUS! A longer, healthier and more active life.