Alkaline nutrition: principles, menus, recipes

2024 Author: Isabella Gilson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:14

Today you can often hear from nutritionists that nutrition should not only be balanced in proteins, fats and carbohydrates, but also have the right PH. This is nothing more than a balance between acidic and alkaline foods. What is the difference between them, and how do they affect the state of the human body? Today we will deal with this.

A bit of physiology

Human blood has an alkaline character, which plays a big role in the proper flow of metabolic processes. To maintain the PH level at the proper level, it is necessary to eat right. The diet is 80% alkaline and 20% acidic. At the same time, the average Russian usually gets the opposite. Today we will talk about what alkaline nutrition is and how it can affect the state of the body.

PH violation and its consequences

When food is metabolized, acids (uric, lactic) are formed, and of course, they react chemically with blood and lymph alkalis. A neutralization reaction occurs. But if the diet is dominated by acidic foods, then the body cannot cope with them. The acidification of the body begins, and we feel tiredand headache, loss of appetite and nervous tension.

There are other signs by which you can understand that you need to urgently master the alkaline diet. The body uses sodium to lower acid levels. Sometimes there are not enough reserves, and when the level of acidity goes off scale, calcium is used to neutralize it. It is good if it is supplied in sufficient quantities with food, but most often it is washed out of the teeth and bones. This leads to the development of osteoporosis.

It's important to know

We decided to figure out what alkaline nutrition is for a reason. Chronic hyperacidity is an abnormal condition in which the processes of degeneration and aging of the body are accelerated. You need to know that all toxins in our body are in the form of acids. To prevent their accumulation, it is necessary to consume foods that are directly opposite.

That's why it's important to know which foods are acidic and which are alkaline. Calcium and magnesium, sodium and potassium, iron and manganese, which are found in food, create an alkaline effect. But sulfur, iodine, phosphorus, lactic acid, on the contrary, contribute to acidification. Alkaline nutrition means that you have a good understanding of what exactly you eat and how it affects the state of the body.

Make a list

It should be in your kitchen every day, in front of your eyes, until you learn to divide food into two categories. Acid-alkaline nutrition is balanced, it is not a diet that impliescomplete exclusion of one for the sake of the other. It's just a different way of life. Analyzing the list of acidic foods, we begin to understand that they form the basis of our diet. These include:

• All sweets and candies that contain white sugar. Try to train yourself to drink tea with sweet fructose, dates and honey.
• All products of animal origin. This list can be continued for a very long time, but everyone understands that this is meat and eggs, fish and poultry.
• Dairy and sour-milk products also take pride of place among potentially acidic.
• All grains and legumes traditionally considered he althy.
• Semi-finished products.
• Fats and oils, and with them all fried foods.
• Nuts and seeds.
• Tea, coffee and alcohol, as well as carbonated drinks.

Acid and alkaline foods should be in our daily diet. None of them can be called harmful, it's all about proportions. The above foods are useful in small quantities, and they must be supplemented with a garnish that can neutralize the resulting acids.

Alkaline foods

We won't reveal anything new to you here. The principles of he althy eating say exactly the same thing. Animal products (meat, butter, milk) should make up 20% of the meal, and vegetables are the best addition to them. The list of alkaline foods includes all fruits, including citrus fruits, so don't be afraid to eat oranges and drinktea with lemons. This also includes all fresh vegetables and green root crops. The only exception is beans. But sprouted chickpeas or peas change their properties to the opposite, so they can be safely eaten.

Additions and useful notes

As with any rule, there are exceptions. For example, any cereals are moderately acidic, but this indicator increases after grinding. Therefore, brown rice and green buckwheat are more preferable. Indigestible legumes become less acidic when sprouted. Fresh, raw milk is alkaline, while heated or boiled milk becomes sour.

Principles of the alkaline diet

If you've never thought about PH foods before, your body may not be all right. Therefore, certain measures will be required to put it in order. Most often, an alkaline diet lasts about 3-4 weeks, during which the body has time to clear itself of acidic waste.

In fact, it's hard to call it a diet. Most likely, we will simply repeat the principles of building a he althy diet. The result is a classic alkaline diet. The menu is based on the ratio of 80% alkaline products and 20% acidic. At the same time, you need to eat very slowly, savoring and chewing every bite. After a meal, it is permissible to drink a cup of herbal tea, but after 19:00 it is worth giving the body a chance to rest.

You need to start the day with yellow and green vegetables, while vegetableFood can be eaten raw or boiled. The best option is salads that are seasoned with natural oil or lemon juice. Fruits and dried fruits perfectly complement other dishes. You can eat fish twice a week, meat in moderation every day, grains three times a week.

Main menu

The ultimate goal is the body's natural alkaline environment. Nutrition plays the most important role here. So, the notorious 80% of the diet should come from the following foods:

• Cereals: buckwheat and brown rice, oats.
• Fruit: Almost anything, this can include lime and lemon, avocado and pear, figs and dates.
• Vegetables: the largest category. You can cook for yourself baked potatoes and cauliflower, beets and garlic, fresh herbs, cucumbers and tomatoes.
• Nuts, pumpkin and sunflower seeds, almonds and walnuts.

Complement their acid foods. They can be divided into three groups.

• Plant-based foods that include legumes, nuts, and grains.
• Protein.
• Drinks. It's tea and coffee.

Three pillars of a he althy diet

We are left with the last task, to understand how to organize tasty and he althy alkaline nutrition from the proposed products. Recipes will help you make it so your family won't even realize they're on a particular diet. So, vegetable broth is the main ingredient. Delicious and nutritious, it should be consumed as often as possible. You will need 2 cups of red potatoes, broccoli andspinach, celery and zucchini. All this must be cut and put in a saucepan, pour two liters of water and cook until cooked for about 30 minutes. Strain the broth and store in the refrigerator.

Vegetable salads are the second dish that should be on the table every day. You will need three tomatoes, cauliflower, cucumber and grapes, as well as vegetable oil. To increase nutritional value, you can add boiled chicken fillet or an egg to it. Cauliflower must be boiled in s alted water in advance and divided into inflorescences. Cut all other ingredients into cubes and season with butter.

If you wish, you can change the set of products, take beets and carrots, potatoes and celery, fresh herbs.

Desserts

The principles of alkaline nutrition call for abandoning refined sweets, but you really want to treat yourself to something delicious. We bring to your attention a wonderful fruit salad, which can well act as an independent dish, breakfast or afternoon snack. Cut the pear and apple into small pieces, add the dates, finely chop the walnuts. It remains to spread the salad into bowls and add a spoonful of low-fat yogurt or sour cream to the middle.

What do we get as a result?

It's hard to switch to a new style of eating if you don't understand 100% what it gives you. An alkaline diet will allow you to notice an improvement in skin condition after the first week. In addition, it normalizesdigestion, bloating and flatulence are reduced. A person feels a surge of energy, improves concentration of memory and attention. Mood improves and cravings for sweets, coffee and alcohol decrease.