Which foods ensure a balanced acid-base balance? And what is alkaline nutrition actually? What do you need it for and how does it work? You can find out all about it here.
Unhealthy nutrition makes us sick. It literally makes our body "sour". This can cause many health problems.
But what can you do against becoming "acidic"? The answer is a healthy diet and that one deals with the acid-base balance.
Was what you ate for lunch today more "alkaline" or more "acidic"? What exactly is behind these terms? What is an alkaline diet? And why should that be relevant for you at all?
Right away, as a somewhat cheeky answer to the last question: Because it concerns your health!
Table of contents
Below you'll get the answer to the question, "What is alkaline nutrition?" Don't worry: we're not talking about a radical change in your eating habits!
You don't have to become a "pure raw food" advocate right away. Likewise, you don't have to meticulously restrict your diet to pure vegan foods.
For now, alkaline nutrition only requires a little basic knowledge and mindfulness.
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What is the acid-base balance
A balanced relationship between acids and bases is very important for our well-being. If the acid-base balance gets out of control, diseases can occur.
The first signs are constant fatigue, poor performance, susceptibility to diseases and infections. This can be counteracted with a diet rich in bases with plenty of fruit and vegetables. But more about that later.
From a biochemical point of view, it can be said that our body is more or less acidic throughout. Cell fluid and blood in the human body always have a certain amount of acid or base.
How exactly the fluids in the body are distributed proportionally between acids and bases is the result of a complicated regulatory system.
It is essentially based on interactions between proteins, salts and CO². One of the main factors influencing these processes is the food we eat.
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The acidity is measured by the pH value, which ranges from 0 (highly acidic) to 14 (highly alkaline). The proportions in our organism vary by nature, depending on which organ or which region of the body you are looking at. Sometimes acidic, sometimes alkaline elements dominate.
For example, the pH value in the blood of a healthy person normally averages 7.35 to 7.45. The alkaline components also dominate in the healthy small intestine or in unstressed connective tissue.
In contrast, organs such as the stomach (stomach acid!) or the large intestine generally have a more acidic environment, i.e. a fundamentally low pH value.
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What happens with hyperacidity
It is a common misconception that it is only a matter of whether the blood is acidic or not. In fact, blood alone is not a good indicator of acidity.
Because your organism uses a lot of energy to ensure that the pH value of the blood is constantly alkaline. Even if many other parts of the body are already strongly overacidified. And your body does this simply because your life depends on it.
If the pH value in the blood drops below 7.35, life is in danger. Such a condition, called acidosis in technical circles, is a medical emergency that requires immediate countermeasures. However, acidosis and hyperacidity are not the same thing.
In the case of a disturbance of the balanced acid-base balance, i.e. a predominance of acid-forming parts in originally alkaline parts of the body and vice versa, a high level of physical stress can occur. The organism will try to rebalance the imbalance and restore the original state.
Depending on how many reserves are available to it for this purpose, it succeeds sometimes more, sometimes less well. The consequence can be disturbances of the body processes up to serious illnesses.
The classification as "alkaline" or "acidic" depends on how the body metabolizes the respective food.
If digestion tends to produce acidic substances, the food is acid-forming.
If the body is stimulated to form bases when eating, or if the food is rich in bases, then it is called base-forming food.
Everything that has a high alkaline pH value is not considered alkaline from the outset. Nor, by the way, does the property of being an acid generator manifest itself in an acidic taste.
Sounds all a little complicated or? Here comes an example :)
Intuitively, you would probably say that a lemon is acidic. After all, it really does taste sour. However, it is the other way around. Lemons have an alkalizing effect on our body.
In just 4 steps to acid-base balance!
Common causes of hyperacidity
The metabolism of proteins, of fat and carbohydrates are the most common causes of the formation of acids in the body.
However, acid formation is not something bad per se. Acid, like base, fulfills an important function. Acid formation only becomes a problem when there is an imbalance.
For example, when you consume protein from animal products, more sulfate or sulfuric acid is produced. When you very much egg, dairy products and meat the risk of an increased risk of an increased risk of an increased Acid formation significantly increased. And that leads to a disturbance of your acid-base balance.
The increased formation of phosphoric acid can also be problematic. Since this acid is used as a food additive E 338, among other things for preservation, it is present in numerous products. In particular Finished products and soft drinks often contain E 338.
The most common causes of hyperacidity summarized:
- You eat too many acid-forming foods
- And too little base-forming foods
- Too little exercise and a lot of stress
- You have chronic diseases like diabetes
- And you smoke
When fat is burned, as in a diet, ketonic acid is formed. This acid has a reputation for being a particularly strong burden on the body during regulatory efforts.
The balance of the acid-base balance can also be disturbed by an unhealthy diet - i.e. with few trace elements and vitamins.
Our body always has a need for micronutrients. It needs them for the formation of necessary enzymes. And these then balance the acid-base balance. If it is deprived of these nutrients, it lacks the fuel to keep us fit.
Finally, anxiety, panic and anger or stress in general, as well as aging, are also considered causative factors for an imbalance between bases and acids. Older people in particular tend to consume more acid-forming foods and often do not drink enough fluids.
Do you already know these alkaline foods?
It is often very difficult to eat right. Especially with recipes, you quickly reach the limits of creativity. That's why it's worth making a cooking plan. It's best to plan what you're going to eat for a week in advance.
A conscious diet will not only bring you closer to your dream figure. You will also change mentally. If you eat healthy, you'll be in a better mood and have more power.
So that you can succeed, you can take part in our We Go Fit Program Create your personal nutrition plan. You choose between losing weight, building muscles or clean eating and specify your favorite foods.
We'll put together a nutrition plan that fits your needs and that's 100% for you. It's very easy. Give it a try :)
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Is my body overacidified?
What is alkaline diet and I am already doing everything right? Good question! You can only find out if you know whether the body is overacidified.
The pH value of urine provides information about the content of acids in the body. Normally, urine is neutral to very slightly acidic. This normal value is between 6.2 and 6.8.
With test strips you can find out how it looks like with you. Since the value changes during the day, you have to do three tests. 1x in the morning, 1x at noon and 1x in the evening. From this you determine the average value.
What is alkaline nutrition and which foods are suitable?
In alkaline nutrition, the main focus is on alkaline foods and foods. In contrast, acid-forming foods are reduced. The ratio should be about 70 to 30.
Vegetables and fruit are particularly rich in bases. Your body can't get enough of them. It needs a lot of them and a varied diet. Basically, almost all vegetables and fruits are alkaline-binding. And if the effect is only very small, you benefit at least from the fact that you do not supply him with new acids :)
Nuts and starchy products also contain many minerals. When you eat them, they develop their alkaline effect.
In contrast, all foods with a high protein content, such as fish, meat or eggs, have an acid-forming effect. The higher the proportion of protein, the more acidic its effect during metabolism.
This does not mean that you should no longer eat protein. In fact, our body needs plenty of it for a healthy lifestyle. However, make sure you eat the right amount and try to eat fruits and vegetables in between meals.
A first step toward an alkaline diet with animal protein, is to eat a similar amount of alkaline fruit or vegetables with each protein source.
Acidic foods:
- Meat, meat products, interior and fish
- Eggs, cheese and curd
- White flour, white rice
- Hopscotch
- Coffee, alcohol and soft drinks
- Hardened, refined fats and oils
Below we have compiled several lists for alkaline fruits, vegetables, herbs and salads.
The foods are sorted according to the so-called PRAL value. This value is used to measure the average acid load during metabolization. The higher the minus value, the more alkaline the respective food is.
Alkaline fruit for a balanced acid-base balance
Just about all known types of fruit have an alkaline effect, as they contain many minerals such as magnesium or potassium.
- Dried fig (-14.1)
- Blackcurrant (-6.5)
- Banana (-5,5)
- Apricot (-4.8)
- Kiwi (-4.1)
- Cherry (both the sweet and the sour) (-3.6)
- Grapefruit (-3.5)
- Tangerine (-3.1)
- Mango (-3.0)
- Pear (-2.9)
- Pineapple (-2.7)
- Orange (-2.7)
- Lemon (-2.6)
- Grapefruit (-2,5)
- Peach (-2.4)
- Apple (-2.2)
- Strawberry (-2,2)
- Honey / Watermelon (-1.9)
- Blueberry (-1.0)
Alkaline vegetables for an alkaline diet
In vegetables, too, there is a wide range of varieties that contain alkaline minerals and are therefore ideal for an alkaline diet.
- Spinach (-14.0)
- Avocado (-8.2)
- Fennel (-7.9)
- Kale (-7.8)
- Alga (-6.7)
- Kohlrabi (-5,5)
- Celery (-5.2)
- Zucchini (-4.6)
- Brussels sprouts (-4.5)
- Cauliflower (-4.0)
- Potatoes (-4.0)
- Radish (-3.7)
- Eggplant (-3.4)
- Tomatoes (-3.1)
- Sauerkraut (-3.0)
- Leeks (-1.8)
- Gherkins (-1.6)
- Onions (-1.5)
- Bell bell pepper (-1.4)
- Broccoli (-1.2)
- Cucumber (-0.8)
- Asparagus (-0.4)
Alkaline salads for a balanced acid-base balance
- Ragwort (-10.7)
- Dandelion (-7.9)
- Arugula (-7.5)
- Lamb's lettuce (-5.0)
- Iceberg lettuce (-1.6)
Alkaline herbs for an alkaline diet
- Anise (-18.7)
- Dill (-15.4)
- Peppermint (-12.6)
- Parsley (-12.0)
- Ginger (-7.9)
- Basil (-7.3)
- Chives (-5.3)
- Garlic (-1.7)
What is alkaline nutrition in everyday life?
Ok. You now have a list of foods rich in bases. But how is this supposed to work in everyday life? It's not that difficult. To help you succeed, here are a few practical tips :)
-
- Eat fruits and vegetables every day - most varieties are good base donors
- Avoid convenience foods and cook fresh
- Eat fresh salads with cold pressed oil
- Strongly limit sugar and white flour
- Drink little coffee and alcohol
- Take your time and eat consciously
- Drink plenty of water to flush out the acids
- Sport contributes to deacidification
- Try to relax and relieve stress
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Alkaline soup with potatoes and herbs
And to show you how easy alkaline nutrition can be, here's a delicious recipe for an alkaline soup.
Ingredients:
- 2 floury potatoes
- 1 zucchini
- 1/2 stick leek
- 1 handful spinach
- 1 bunch chives, basil, parsley
Preparation:
Peel the potato and cut it into small pieces together with the zucchini and leek.
Bring the vegetables to a boil with about half a liter of water.
Chop the herbs and add the spinach.
Finally, salt a little and put it in the smoothie maker.
If the soup is too thick for you, just add a little more water.
No alkaline diet without alkaline powder?
Alkaline powder is a supplement, that is, a supplement that should support the body in regulating the acid-base balance. A proof obligation in terms of quality or effect, I could not find.
The composition of base powder products was occasionally found to be worthy of criticism. For example, one manufacturer offered a powder with a very high addition of calcium. An overdose of calcium can accelerate the calcification of the arteries.
Another product contained large amounts of iron. This is also not without problems. If iron is supplemented without there being a deficiency, the risk of bacterial infections can increase significantly.
The additional intake of alkaline powder can therefore quickly lead to an oversupply of minerals. This can lead to subsequent problems. There is then nothing left of the original "healthy living" plan. The opposite is the case.
In our opinion, the additional intake of powders for an alkaline diet is not a must. Alkaline-rich foods alone should be enough to cover your needs.
Our conclusion
There are studies that suggest that alkaline-eating people reduce their risk of diabetes, benefit bone density and musculature, strengthen heart and brain function, and even prevent lasting cancer or osteoporosis.
So far, there are no reliable findings and serious studies that prove beyond doubt a direct connection between a balanced acid-base balance and the prevention of serious diseases.
What is alkaline nutrition? As you can see a form that involves eating a lot of fresh and healthy fruits and vegetables. This relieves the body and favors the metabolism. The immune system and well-being benefit.
All in all, eating alkaline is highly recommended and perhaps just the right thing for you to start the summer with a little more vitality.
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