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Is Eating an Alkaline Diet Good?

Certain foods are acidic and certain foods are alkaline. (See chart below) Mostly all fruits and veggies (alkaline or not) are low in calories, rich in fiber, vitamins, and minerals, and mostly promote good health, regardless of their alkalinity or acidity. Blueberries for instance offer a medicine chest full of benefits because of their very high antioxidant levels, even though they are very acidic. The bottom line is that eating healthy has nothing to do with alkaline or acid foods and everything to do with 1) Eating small, frequent meals that are pesticide, hormone, and toxin free. 2) Getting the essential fatty acids (for immune system) and the essential amino acids (for repairs) your body needs.Some vegetarians don't get enough amino acids in their diet and will never obtain optimal health. 3) Avoiding unhealthy food choices. (Things that contain hydrogenated oils, saturated fats, sugars, refined flour, etc) 4) Staying hydrated and getting plenty of electrolytes. 5) Getting all of the important vitamins and minerals the body needs. 6) Getting enough fiber for good digestion. 7) Keeping a healthy flora of good bacteria in the intestines. 8) Detox of heavy metals and toxins that are all around us. This is not a complete list but you get the idea. There's more to good health than drinking alkaline water.

As a former personal trainer, I know that eating a high protein diet will cause the abnormal metabolic state of acidosis and create ketone bodies. You will lose weight on a high protein diet because of the low glycemic index nature of meats and fats and the fact that fat cells are created from sugars (triglycerides, three sugar molecules) You see simple sugars are quickly swept away by the storage hormone insulin and stored in fat cells. All food, even meat, is eventually converted into blood sugar (glucose). The healthiest way to eat (prevent weight gain, get all of the nutrients you need) is to eat foods low on the glycemic index, get all of the ESSENTIAL fatty acids your immune system needs to keep the body safe from invaders, get all of the ESSENTIAL amino acids the body needs to build and repair your body, and eat small frequent meals. Period.

Here is some research that suggests eating a mostly veggie diet is beneficial for good health:

U.S researchers stated that comprehensive lifestyle and dietary changes including more exercise can lead not only to a better physique, but also to swift and dramatic changes at the genetic level.

In a small study, the researchers tracked 30 men with low-risk prostate cancer who decided against conventional medical treatment such as surgery and radiation or hormone therapy.

The men underwent three months of major lifestyle changes, including eating a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes and soy products, moderate exercise such as walking for half an hour a day, and an hour of daily stress management methods such as meditation.

As expected, they lost weight, lowered their blood pressure and saw other health improvements. But the researchers found more profound changes when they compared prostate biopsies taken before and after the lifestyle and dietary changes.

After the three months, the men had changes in activity in about 500 genes including 48 that were turned on and 453 genes that were turned off.

The activity of dis-ease-preventing genes increased while a number of dis-ease-promoting genes, including those involved in prostate cancer and breast cancer, shut down, according to the study published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

The research was led by Dr. Dean Ornish, head of the Preventive Medicine Research Institute in Sausalito, California, and a well-known author advocating lifestyle changes to improve health.

It’s an exciting finding because so often people say, ‘Oh, it’s all in my genes, what can I do? Well, it turns out you may be able to do a lot,” stated Dr. Ornish. In just three months, I can change hundreds of my genes simply by changing what I eat and how I live? That’s pretty exciting, Ornish said. The implications of our study are not limited to men with prostate cancer.

We all know that eating a lot of veggies is "good for you". The basic reason however isn't because these foods are alkaline as many beneficial fruits are quite acidic. All foods were put here for a reason and have a benefit (essential fatty acid or essential amino acid for instance). The main reason why eating mostly produce is "good for you" has to do with the fact these foods are mostly low in calories, high in minerals and vitamins, and contain fiber to help us flush out toxins. Every time we eat food, we put tiny holes in our cells that over time cause enough damage to cause them (and us) to die. Food = cell damage = years off your life. The longest living folks on earth eat very low calorie diets. Their bodies are spared all the hard work and all of the damage that is done by breaking down and digesting large amounts of food. That being said, we still have "essential" amino acids (proteins) and "essential" fatty acids that we need to keep and promote optimal health. Veggies often have only a few amino acids, not the long strings of amino acids that make up protein chains. Therefore, in order to be healthy, we need to consume protein powders or some types of meats. And forget about stocking up on most soy products to obtain good health!

Here are a couple of my favorite “good meals”:

Tuna salad sandwich on whole wheat bread / Apple, plenty of good water.
Power shake: Whey protein, fresh fruits.
For dinner I eat my main piece of protein for the day. Usually fish or chicken with lots of veggies and good water or 1 glass of red wine.
Baked sweet potato / cinnamon, butter, plenty of good water.
A good protein bar with a lot of good water.
Avocado over sushi rice, wasabi, soy sauce. (Tastes like tuna sushi). Plus stir-fried veggies, mushrooms, plenty of good water.
Salad with crushed almonds, avocados, eggs, lots of fresh veggies. (Add a small portion of protein if you do physical work)
Watermelon and whey protein shake.

Snacks: I like to nibble on dehydrated fruits and a fruit salad with bananas, watermelon, cantaloupe, and honeydew melons made fresh every day and left in a covered bowl. I keep these fresh and toxin, pesticide free by first washing them with ozone water.

Alkaline Food Chart

ALKALINE / ACIDIC FOOD CHARTS
The charts below are provided for those trying to "adjust" their body pH through their diet. The pH scale is from 0 to 14, with numbers below 7 acidic (low on oxygen) and numbers above 7 alkaline. These charts are intended only as a general guide to alkalizing and acidifying foods.

ALKALINE FOODS		ACIDIC FOODS
ALKALIZING VEGETABLES Alfalfa Barley Grass Beets Beet Greens Broccoli Cabbage Carrot Cauliflower Celery Chard Greens Chlorella Collard Greens Cucumber Dandelions Dulce Edible Flowers Eggplant Fermented Veggies Garlic Green Beans Green Peas Kale Kohlrabi Lettuce Mushrooms Mustard Greens Nightshade Veggies Onions Parsnips (high glycemic) Peas Peppers Pumpkin Radishes Rutabaga Sea Veggies Spinach, green Spirulina Sprouts Sweet Potatoes Tomatoes Watercress Wheat Grass Wild Greens ALKALIZING ORIENTAL VEGETABLES Maitake Daikon Dandelion Root Shitake Kombu Reishi Nori Umeboshi Wakame ALKALIZING FRUITS Apple Apricot Avocado Banana (high glycemic) Berries Blackberries Cantaloupe Cherries, sour Coconut, fresh Currants Dates, dried Figs, dried Grapes Grapefruit* Honeydew Melon Lemon* Lime* Muskmelons Nectarine* Orange* Peach Pear Pineapple Raisins Raspberries Rhubarb Strawberries Tangerine* Tomato Tropical Fruits Umeboshi Plums Watermelon Although it might seem that citrus fruits would have an acidifying effect on the body, the citric acid they contain actually has an alkalinizing effect in the system. ALKALIZING* PROTEIN Almonds Chestnuts Millet Tempeh (fermented) Tofu (fermented) Whey Protein Powder ALKALIZING SWEETENERS Stevia ALKALIZING SPICES & SEASONINGS Cinnamon Curry Ginger Mustard Chili Pepper Sea Salt Miso Tamari All Herbs ALKALIZING OTHER Apple Cider Vinegar Bee Pollen Lecithin Granules Molasses, blackstrap Probiotic Cultures Soured Dairy Products Green Juices Veggie Juices Fresh Fruit Juice Mineral Water Alkaline Antioxidant Water ALKALIZING MINERALS Cesium: pH 14 Potassium: pH 14 Sodium: pH 14 Calcium: pH 12 Magnesium: pH 9		ACIDIFYING VEGETABLES Corn Lentils Olives Winter Squash ACIDIFYING FRUITS Blueberries Canned or Glazed Fruits Cranberries Currants Plums Prunes ACIDIFYING GRAINS, GRAIN PRODUCTS Amaranth Barley Bran, wheat Bran, oat Corn Cornstarch Hemp Seed Flour Kamut Oats (rolled) Oatmeal Quinoa Rice (all) Rice Cakes Rye Spelt Wheat Wheat Germ Noodles Macaroni Spaghetti Bread Crackers, soda Flour, white Flour, wheat ACIDIFYING BEANS & LEGUMES Black Beans Chick Peas Green Peas Kidney Beans Lentils Pinto Beans Red Beans Soy Beans Soy Milk White Beans Rice Milk Almond Milk ACIDIFYING DAIRY Butter Cheese Cheese, Processed Ice Cream Ice Milk ACIDIFYING NUTS & BUTTERS Cashews Legumes Peanuts Peanut Butter Pecans Tahini Walnuts ACIDIFYING ANIMAL PROTEIN Bacon Beef Carp Clams Cod Corned Beef Fish Haddock Lamb Lobster Mussels Organ Meats Oyster Pike Pork Rabbit Salmon Sardines Sausage Scallops Shrimp Scallops Shellfish Tuna Turkey Veal Venison ACIDIFYING FATS & OILS Avacado Oil Butter Canola Oil Corn Oil Hemp Seed Oil Flax Oil Lard Olive Oil Safflower Oil Sesame Oil Sunflower Oil ACIDIFYING SWEETENERS Carob Sugar Corn Syrup ACIDIFYING ALCOHOL Beer Spirits Hard Liquor Wine ACIDIFYING OTHER FOODS Catsup Cocoa Coffee Vinegar Mustard Pepper Soft Drinks ACIDIFYING DRUGS & CHEMICALS Aspirin Chemicals Drugs, Medicinal Drugs, Psychedelic Pesticides Herbicides Tobacco ACIDIFYING JUNK FOOD Coca-Cola: pH 2 Beer: pH 2.5 Coffee: pH 4 ** These foods leave an alkaline ash but have an acidifying effect on the body.

RANKED FOOD CHART : ALKALINE TO ACIDIC

EXTREMELY ALKALINE

Lemons, Watermelon

ALKALINE FORMING

Cantaloupe, Cayenne Celery, Dates, Figs, Kelp, Limes, Mango, Melons, Papaya, Parsley, Seaweeds, Seedless Grapes (sweet), Watercress Asparagus, Fruit Juices, Grapes (sweet), Kiwifruit, Passionfruit, Pears (sweet), Pineapple, Raisins, Umeboshi Plums, Vegetable Juices

MODERATELY ALKALINE

Apples (sweet), Alfalfa Sprouts, Apricots, Avocados, Bananas (ripe), Currants, Dates, Figs (fresh), Garlic, Grapefruit, Grapes (less sweet), Guavas, Herbs (leafy green), Lettuce (leafy green), Nectarine, Peaches (sweet), Pears (less sweet), Peas (fresh, sweet), Pumpkin (sweet), Sea Salt (vegetable)

Apples (sour), Beans (fresh, green), Beets, Bell Peppers, Broccoli, Cabbage, Carob, Cauliflower, Ginger (fresh), Grapes (sour), Lettuce (pale green), Oranges, Peaches (less sweet), Peas (less sweet), Potatoes (with skin), Pumpkin (less sweet), Raspberries, Strawberries, Squash, Sweet Corn (fresh), Turnip, Vinegar (apple cider)

SLIGHLTY ALKALINE

Almonds, Artichokes (Jerusalem), Brussel Sprouts, Cherries, Coconut (fresh), Cucumbers, Eggplant, Honey (raw), Leeks, Mushrooms, Okra, Olives (ripe), Onions, Pickles (homemade), Radishes, Sea Salt, Spices, Tomatoes (sweet), Vinegar (sweet brown rice) Chestnuts (dry, roasted), Egg Yolks (soft cooked), Essene Bread, Goat's Milk and Whey (raw), Mayonnaise (homemade), Olive Oil, Sesame Seeds (whole), Soy Beans (dry), Soy Cheese, Soy Milk, Sprouted Grains, Tofu, Tomatoes (less sweet), Yeast (nutritional flakes)

NEUTRAL

Butter (fresh, unsalted), Cream (fresh, raw), Cow's Milk and Whey (raw), Margine, Oils (except olive), Yogurt (plain)

MODERATELY ACIDIC

Bananas (green), Barley (rye), Blueberries, Bran, Butter, Cereals (unrefined), Cheeses, Crackers (unrefined rye, rice and wheat), Cranberries, Dried Beans (mung, adzuki, pinto, kidney, garbanzo), Dry Coconut, Egg Whites, Eggs Whole (cooked hard), Fructose, Goat's Milk (homogenized), Honey (pasteurized), Ketchup, Maple Syrup (unprocessed), Milk (homogenized), Molasses (unsulferd and organic), Most Nuts, Mustard, Oats (rye, organic), Olives (pickled), Pasta (whole grain), Pastry (whole grain and honey), Plums, Popcorn (with salt and/or butter), Potatoes, Prunes, Rice (basmati and brown), Seeds (pumpkin, sunflower), Soy Sauce, Wheat Bread (sprouted organic)

EXTREMELY ACIDIC

Artificial Sweeteners, Beef, Beer, Breads, Brown Sugar, Carbonated Soft Drinks, Cereals (refined), Chocolate, Cigarettes and Tobacco, Coffee, Cream of Wheat (unrefined), Custard (with white sugar), Deer, Drugs, Fish, Flour (white wheat), Fruit Juices with Sugar, Jams, Jellies, Lamb, Liquor, Maple Syrup (processed), Molasses (sulphured), Pasta (white), Pastries and Cakes from White Flour, Pickles (commercial), Pork, Poultry, Seafood, Sugar (white), Table Salt (refined and iodized), Tea (black), White Bread, White Vinegar (processed), Whole Wheat Foods, Wine, Yogurt (sweetened)

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