Acid and Alkaline Foods - How to Maintain the Balance

Nature abounds with a wide range of both acid and alkaline foods for us to enjoy. Some foods have higher alkaline content while others have higher acid content. Thus, we need to choose very carefully when it comes to feeding our bodies.

Does this mean we should avoid foods that contain acid completely? Certainly not! For instance, most berries and citrus fruits like blueberries, cranberries and plums contain low levels of acid. Just because these fruits have acid doesn't mean we should totally refrain from eating them. However, it would be wiser to limit our consumption of these foods especially when most of what we eat is highly acidic.

Beef and pork are known to have very high acid content so we need to watch out how often or how much we eat. Beverages like coffee, tea, soft drinks, beer, and liquor are highly acidic and this is why people are advised to limit their consumption of these drinks. It is also interesting to note that artificial sweeteners and so-called "low-fat" snacks with artificial sweeteners are very high in acid content so even if you think you're skipping the sugar, you're still collecting acid residue in your body.

What about alkaline foods? Broccoli, celery, parsley, raw spinach, raisins, and garlic have been found to be very high in alkaline content. Fruits such as grapes, kiwi, papaya, black currant, apples and pears have good levels of alkaline as well. So thus green tea, hazel nuts, almonds, carrots, green beans, and lettuce. Filling our diets with large doses of alkaline-rich foods will certainly be good for health. Why?

Alkaline-rich foods are fibrous and do not leave behind acid-ash or acid residue in our system. In fact, it helps our bodies to eliminate wastes, toxins and excess acid enabling us to maintain a well-balanced pH level. Changing our way of eating is a good start. Along with good eating habits, we should practice a cleaner way of living by avoiding smoking and drinking as these bad habits quicken the build-up of acid and toxins in our system. A regular exercise is also a must in order to stay healthy. Exercising stimulates our blood circulation, improves digestion and helps us rid some of the excess acid through our sweat glands.