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Alkaline diets are eating patterns that prioritize alkaline, or low-acid, foods to reduce acid production in the body to maintain a healthy acid-base balance and support overall health. Some research shows alkaline diets can protect against disease and support heart health by reducing blood pressure and cholesterol levels and aiding in weight loss.

Foods like fruits, vegetables, and beans are considered alkaline while other foods, like meat and refined grains, are considered acidic.

Your body constantly works to maintain a healthy acid-base balance, which is the state of having an optimal balance between acidity and alkalinity in your blood and other parts of your body.

The pH scale is a range of 0-14 that measures acidity, with 0 being the most acidic and 14 being the most basic, or alkaline. Your blood pH is maintained at about 7.4, which is slightly alkaline.

The kidneys and lungs are the most important pH-regulating organs; they work to maintain the blood’s slightly neutral pH through different mechanisms. For instance, the lungs breathe out carbon dioxide and the kidneys excrete acid through urine.

Your dietary choices impact your body’s ease of maintaining this slightly neutral pH. Foods with a high dietary acid load (DAL) increase the workload on the body, including on the kidneys, to remove acid and maintain a healthy pH.

DAL is a measure of the acid load of your diet based on a food’s potential renal acid load (PRAL), or the contribution of a food to acid production in the body, as well as the components of a food that have an alkalizing (acid-reducing) effect in the body.

Animal proteins, like red meat, and refined grains produce a high DAL, while most plant-based foods, such as fruits, vegetables, and legumes, contribute to a more alkaline environment.  

Diets with a high DAL have been linked with several health concerns, including an increased risk for mental health issues like depression as well as increased heart disease risk factors, such as high blood pressure.

To protect and support overall health, it’s recommended to follow eating patterns with a lower DAL and to prioritize alkalizing foods like fruits, vegetables, legumes, and nuts.

Blueberries are amongst the healthiest fruits you can eat. They’re high in plant pigments called anthocyanins, which have powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects in the body.

Studies show that consuming a one-third-cup serving of blueberries daily can reduce the risk of several health conditions, including heart disease and type 2 diabetes.

Blueberries are considered an alkaline food and have a low PRAL, making them a staple food in alkaline diets.

Unlike animal proteins, lentils have a low PRAL and are often included in alkaline diets. A cup of lentils provides 17.9 grams (g) of protein, which exceeds the protein found in two large eggs.

Lentils are also high in magnesium and potassium, which are minerals that contribute to a more alkaline environment by stimulating the release of alkaline precursors.

A cup of lentils provides 16% of your daily needs for potassium and 17% for magnesium.

Cruciferous vegetables, like broccoli, are commonly consumed on alkaline diets as they contribute to a more alkaline environment in the body.

One cup of cooked broccoli covers 10% of your daily needs for potassium and 8% for magnesium, which are minerals that break down to release alkaline precursors.

Like lentils, chickpeas are an excellent source of plant-based protein and make an excellent substitution for animal proteins with a high PRAL, like red meat.

A cup of chickpeas contains 14.5 grams of protein and 12.5 grams of fiber, which supports digestive health by promoting regular and comfortable bowel movements and feeding beneficial gut bacteria.

Chickpeas are also high in minerals that form alkaline precursors, such as magnesium and potassium. One cup of chickpeas covers nearly 20% of your daily needs for magnesium, which plays a critical role in maintaining your body’s acid-base balance.

Avocados have a low PRAL and are highly nutritious, providing omega-3 fatty acids, fiber, vitamins, and minerals.

Avocados are rich in nutrients such as folate, vitamin E, vitamin C, and alkalizing magnesium, making them a smart choice for people who want to support a healthy acid-base balance.

Blackberries are packed with nutrients and phytochemicals that can improve and protect health in several ways. 

For example, blackberries are high in anthocyanins and phenolic compounds such as quercetin, which have potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects in the body.

Studies show that blackberries have higher antioxidant activity than many other berries, such as blackcurrants, red raspberries, and gooseberries.

In addition to their high antioxidant content, blackberries have a low PRAL and are a delicious way to support your body’s acid-base regulation.

Arugula is another cruciferous vegetable that has a low PRAL.

Arugula is a good source of several important nutrients, such as vitamins A, C, and K, and folate. It’s also high in protective plant compounds, such as flavanol antioxidants like quercetin and kaempferol. 

Studies show that diets rich in flavonoid-containing vegetables like arugula may protect against several health conditions, including heart disease and certain cancers.

Apple intake has been linked with impressive health benefits such as a reduced risk of common health conditions like type 2 diabetes and heart disease.

Fruits, like apples, are some of the most alkaline foods you can eat. Increasing your intake of apples and other fruits can support your body’s acid-based regulation and optimal health. 

Dark green leafy vegetables, like kale, are an important part of dietary patterns with a low DAL, such as the Mediterranean diet and DASH diets.

Kale is high in alkalizing minerals. For example, one cup of cooked kale provides 27% of your daily needs for calcium. In the body, calcium breaks down into alkaline precursors, supporting a more alkaline environment.

Dark chocolate is considered an alkaline food and has a low PRAL. It’s a good source of alkalizing minerals, like magnesium. A one-ounce serving of dark chocolate containing 70-85% cocoa solids provides 15% of your daily magnesium needs.

In addition to magnesium, dark chocolate contains protective phytochemicals, such as flavonoid compounds like catechins and anthocyanins. Research shows that cocoa products, like dark chocolate, have the highest flavonoid content by weight of any other food, making it a healthier choice than sweets with high DALs, such as refined baked goods.

Carrots are colorful root vegetables that can be enjoyed on an alkaline diet. In addition to their low PRAL, carrots are an excellent source of carotenoid antioxidants, such as lutein and zeaxanthin.

Carotenoids have powerful cellular-protective properties and may help lower the risk of several health conditions, including eye diseases like glaucoma and age-related macular degeneration (ARMD), which is currently the leading cause of vision loss in older people.

While some foods contribute to a more alkaline environment in the body, other foods, such as red meat and refined grains, are more acidic. These higher-acid foods contain nutrients like phosphorus and sulfur-containing amino acids, which are broken down to release acid precursors into the bloodstream, contributing to a more acidic environment in the body.

Dietary patterns with high acid loads are rich in animal proteins and processed foods, such as fast food and snack foods.

Here are a few foods and drinks to limit or avoid when trying to follow a more alkaline diet:

  • Red meat
  • Processed meats like bacon
  • Soda
  • Salty foods
  • Fast food
  • Refined baked goods
  • Cheese

Though you don’t have to completely cut out these foods, limiting your intake of foods known to contribute to a high dietary acid load can support a more alkaline environment in your body, reduce the workload on acid-base regulatory organs like your kidneys and lungs, and protect your overall health.

Studies show that following a low DAL eating pattern may support your health in several ways. A study that included data on over 29,000 people found that those following low-PRAL diets, such as diets high in fruits and vegetables and low in red meat and refined foods, had a better overall nutrient intake. They had a higher fiber intake and a more favorable potassium-to-sodium intake ratio, which is essential for acid-base regulation, than people following high-PRAL diets.

Low-DAL eating patterns may also protect against health conditions like depression, heart disease, and kidney disease.

However, it’s not necessary to eliminate all foods with a high PRAL from your diet. For example, dairy foods, like cheese, and seafood, like sardines, have high PRAL but are a source of essential nutrients, such as calcium, vitamin D, and protein.

Although reducing foods and beverages associated with high DALs, such as soda, red meat, processed meat, and fast food, can benefit health, having a nutritious and well-balanced dietary intake overall is most important for disease prevention and promoting optimal health.

Some foods have an alkalizing (acid-reducing) effect in the body, while other foods contain components, such as phosphorus and sulfur-containing amino acids, that contribute to acid production.

Increasing your intake of alkalizing foods, such as beans, berries, leafy greens, and dark chocolate, while decreasing acid-forming foods, such as red meat and refined grains, can protect against several health conditions and help your body maintain its acid-base balance.



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