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Alkaline Foods and Acid Foods are Crucial for Proper pH Balance

12th October, 2010 - Posted by health news - No Comments

Blood circulating through the human body registers a pH balance of 7.36, which means it is alkaline. In order to help the body manage this alkaline balance, it is important to consume the perfect ratio of alkaline foods and acid foods. The mix that alkaline diet proponents suggest is 80 percent alkaline foods to 20 percent acid foods.

The pH balance is a way to assess the alkaline or acid composition of substances on a scale of 0 to 14, with a pH of 7 being considered neutral. A pH lower than 7 is believed to be acidic and a pH balance above 7 is alkaline. For every unit a solution moves on the pH balance scale, it registers a tenfold increase in the degree that it is acid or alkaline. When evaluating alkaline foods and acid foods, the mineral makeup of the substances after metabolization is what is being evaluated.

Sustaining a healthy pH balance plays an important role in your total well-being since harmful organisms, viruses, bacteria and yeast flourish when the body is loaded with acid. So, choosing more alkaline foods than acid foods creates a poor environment for the microorganisms that could turn into chronic illnesses.

The healthiest alkaline foods to consume are fresh fruits and veggies, herbs and spices. Simple seasonings like cinnamon, sea salt, and cayenne pepper can be good choices. Leafy green vegetables such as lettuce, spinach and kale are high quality alkaline foods. Carrots, peppers, sweet potatoes, pumpkin and other orange or yellow vegetables also help alkalize the diet. There are a few fruits and vegetables considered to be acid foods, so watch your intake of plums, corn, green olives, and cranberries. It is interesting to note that ripe bananas are fine alkaline foods, but green bananas are more acidic. Also, this may seem to contradict typical thinking, but citrus fruits are usually considered alkaline foods. Keep in mind that what is being calculated is the pH balance these foods register once they have been digested.

It is important to remember that a percentage of acid foods should be consumed along with the alkaline foods. Most supporters of an alkaline diet recommend primarily alkaline foods, but about twenty percent of your intake should be acid foods. Common acid foods are pasta, meats and fish. Of course, refined sugars, processed snack foods, and sodas can really tip pH balance to the acid side of the scale. Other items that are considered healthy may also be acid foods, such as nuts, whole grains and beans. This doesn’t mean you should never consume them. It just means that you should notice the ratio of alkaline foods that you take in each day.

Cliff Everett Smith is co-owner of the fastest growing health food store online, www.BestHealthFoodStore.net. See the list of alkaline foods . Take the free alkaline food test to calculate your daily consumption of alkaline foods and acid foods.