Health Benefits of Alkaline Foods
To keep the body healthy, there are certain things that we need to do like having regular exercise, adequate rest, and proper diet. When it comes to diet, there are certain foods that far exceed other foods in terms of health benefits. One particular group of foods is alkaline foods.
Alkaline foods are food products that have a pH level greater than 7. More common alkaline foods are fruits and vegetables. Alkaline foods offer several health benefits:
1. Lowers the Risk of Cardiovascular Disease
Alkaline foods such as fruits and vegetables are found to have the ability to lower the risk of cardiovascular disease by 20 percent according to a study conducted at Harvard University. You can enjoy this benefit if you eat at least five servings of fruits and vegetables daily.
2. Prevents Certain Types of Cancer
Alkaline foods may not be a cure for cancer but they can help prevent it. Based on a report from the World Cancer Research Fund, non-starchy vegetables such as leafy greens, cabbage, broccoli, bok choy, and most fruits can protect the body from certain types of cancer. These include cancer of the lungs, throat, mouth, esophagus, stomach, and larynx.
3. Reduces Inflammation
Inflammation weakens the body and makes it susceptible to diseases. Consuming alkaline foods instead of acidic foods can help reduce inflammation which in turn reduces the vulnerability of the body to contract diseases.
4. Lowers Risk of Type II Diabetes
Including alkaline food in your daily diet is also proven to help reduce your risk of developing Type II diabetes. Fruits and vegetables that are rich in alkaline slowly release glucose from the liver to keep the sugar in your blood at a controllable level.
5. Aids in Digestion
Alkaline foods more particularly citrus fruits aid in digestion and help soothe acid reflux and digestion.
6. Helps in Weight Loss
Having the right pH balance, your body can easily achieve an ideal body weight. Fatty cells thrive in acidic environment and also store acidic waste. But if you consume more alkaline foods, these fatty cells will have no more acid to store and will just be eliminated by the body.
7. Body Cleansing
Alkaline foods are also beneficial for body cleansing. Fruits and vegetables that are rich in alkaline content are also rich in dietary fibers. These aid the body in cleansing the digestive system.
8. Anti-Aging
Consumption of acidic foods in large amounts rather than base or alkaline foods can speed up the aging process because it promotes the buildup of acid waste in the body. If you consume more alkaline foods, you can prevent this accumulation of waste.
9. Other Health Benefits
Other health benefits of alkaline foods include the prevention of certain body disorders such as diverticulitis, macular degeneration, cataracts, and many other chronic diseases.
Consuming base or alkaline foods offers many health benefits. Aside from the overall wellness of the body, they are also beneficial in preventing certain types of diseases. Alkaline foods include all fruits, all vegetables, nuts, seeds, yogurt, tofu, eggs, and spices among others.
