Why Is Alkaline Food Healthful?
03.07.10
Although the expression alkaline food sounds highly scientific and difficult, we are talking about plain, healthy foods that can be bought conveniently from any supermarket. Most of us have always thought of foods in terms of how many calories or how much sugar and fat they contribute, but another way of thinking about food is to realize what it does after it is actually inside the body.
When they pass your lips and have pleased your taste buds, all foods are metabolized inside the body so they can be processed through the blood stream and digestive organs and either employed for operating needs or eliminated from the body as waste. There are particles and residues of these foods left behind and some will have an alkaline-forming action, while others are acid-forming in nature.
Higher alkalinity is a direct effect of alkaline-forming minerals being present in the food, for example, calcium and potassium.
An alkaline food is those that leave behind residue and particles that are higher in alkalinity than acidity. Since the human body is healthiest and happiest when it is somewhat on the alkaline side, these foods are more healthful to the body and promote good health, greater energy levels, and a resilient immune system.
It turns out that alkaline food is whole food that is rich in nutrients and vitamins that the human body needs to operate correctly. This includes most vegetables and fruits, as well as a couple grains such as buckwheat, and a wide variety of nuts and seeds. Despite the fact that potatoes have gotten a bad rap over the years for being too starchy or carbohydrate-rich to be nutritious, they are actually a recommended staple on an alkaline diet on account of the fact that they are alkaline-forming inside the body.
One thing worth noting is that foods that are acidic in their natural state, such as oranges and grapefruit, are not invariably acidic when inside the body!
Tags: alkaline diet, alkaline food, diet, health, Nutrition