Recently the alkaline diet is gaining more and more popularity. The concept of this diet is based upon natural or holistic healing methods which are known and understood for quite some time. Lately this type of diet has been gaining popularity not just among health nuts but even amongst people who are not health freaks but increasingly becoming aware of the diet options . To simplify the matter for the health conscious people I decided to make an alkaline diet chart which is intended to differentiate between alkaline and acidic foods. Alkaline foods are considered to be healthy and acidic foods should be avoided.
Alkaline Diet Chart:
Highly Alkaline Foods According to the Alkaline Diet Chart
We can include the following foods in this category. Tangerine, pineapple, watermelon raspberry, nectarine are some of the fruits. Lotus Root, lentils, Seaweed, onion, sweet potato, lime, pumpkin seeds, sea vegetables are some of the vegetables and baking soda, mineral water, persimmon are amongst other things qualifying as highly alkaline foods.
Moderately Alkaline Foods according to the Alkaline Diet Chart
Amongst moderately alkaline foods we can include kambucha, broccoli, ginger, garlic, parsley, pepper, grapefruit, dewberry, loganberry, cantaloupe, citrus fruits, olive, parsnip, non-sulfured molasses, soy sauce, cashews, honeydew, kale, endive, kohlrabi, chestnuts, mustard green, arugula.
Low Alkaline Forming Foods According to the Alkaline Diet Chart
The foods listed below will qualify as low alkaline foods. Sesame seed, bell pepper, cabbage, cauliflower, collard greens, , mushrooms, avocado, potato, eggplant, sprouts, cherry, blackberry, peach, ginseng, papaya, sour apples, apple cider sake, primrose, apple cider vinegar, rutabaga, are some of the fruits and vegetables and almonds, mu tea, rice syrup amongst others.
Very Low Alkaline Forming Foods According to the Alkaline Diet Chart
This category of food includes variety of foods like blueberry , raisin, currant, wild rice, japonica rice, chive, cilantro, umeboshi vinegar, ghee, avocado oil, coconut oil, olive oil, flax oil , most seeds, duck eggs, celery, cucumber, turnip greens, beet, lettuces, strawberry, banana, orange, brussel sprouts, oats, grain coffee.
Very Low Acid Forming Foods According to the Alkaline Diet Chart:
The foods and drink listed below are classified as low acid forming foods according to the Alkaline Diet chart.
Alcohol, chard, plum, farina, elk, lamb, spelt, game mear, wheat, lima beans, teff, kamut, farina, semolina, white rice, cow milk, balsamic vinegar, milk, seitan, pinto beans, aduki beans, tofu, navy beans, white beans, shell fish, mutton, black tea, vanilla, boar, mollusks, buckwheat, almond oil, safflower, soy cheese, aged cheese, tomatoes, red beans, sesame oil, almond oil.
Moderately Acid Forming Foods According to the Alkaline Diet Chart
The below mentioned food are moderately acid forming foods. Coffee, cranberry, pecans, squid, maize, kernel oil, chestnut oil, corn, casein, milk protein, soy milk, lard, oat bran, chicken, green peas, peanuts, pomegranate, barley groats, nutmeg, pistachios, garbanzo beans, pork, mussels, rye, legumes, veal. Once consumed they form acid on digestion but in moderate amount.
Highly Acid Forming foods to avoid at all costs!
The most harmful foods are the once which form high amount of acid after consumption. This food type are most unhealthy and should be avoided. Most of them are the ones with high artificial sugar content and various other additives. Pudding, fried foods, walnuts, jam, sweeteners, beer, cola, walnuts, hazelnuts, table salt, ice cream, soybean, beef, hops, malt, soft drinks, vinegar, processed cheese, lobster, sugar, barley, cottonseed oil, pheasant fall into this category.
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Although not exactly considered a cause of acid reflux or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), food choices can either worsen or relieve the symptoms of acid reflux in a person. Depending on how severe symptoms are, the right diet can go a long way in treating the disorder or at the very least, relieve you of symptoms.
Foods to Avoid in a Diet for Acid Reflux Relief
If planning your diet for acid reflux, avoiding foods that trigger the condition should be a primary consideration. These foods include those that either relaxes the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) and those that irritate the esophagus.
The LES is a high-pressure muscular valve separating the esophagus and the stomach. Its high pressure prevents reflux, but allows food and liquids to pass through. However, when the pressure drops the LES relaxes, causing the reflux. Thus, patients must remember that acid reflux occurs when the LES is weakened and its pressure decreases, allowing hydrochloric acid, pepsin and bile to splash up damaging the esophagus and throat. A diet for acid reflux therefore requires avoiding foods that relax the LES. These includes fried and fatty foods, pepper, peppermint and high-fat desserts like chocolates, brownies, and butter cookies.
Apart from avoiding foods that relax the LES, patients suffering from acid reflux must also avoid foods that can irritate or damage the esophageal lining. This includes tomato-based dishes; extremely hot or cold beverages like coffee; alcoholic beverages; spices; and acidic food products like citrus fruits, drinks and vinegar to decrease the acids in the stomach. However, in cases where the acid reflux is caused by having too little acid (as opposed to too much) consuming apple cider vinegar in your diet for acid reflux can be helpful.
Healthy Foods to Include in a Diet for Acid Reflux
Aside from avoiding the foods that trigger acid reflux, a good diet for acid reflux also involves eating easy to digest foods to prevent irritation in the patient’s esophagus. These include foods that are soft and easy to digest like complex carbohydrates such as rice, soft breads, and pasta, which are not only easy on the stomach, but also help tie-up excess acids to prevent high acidity levels.
Foods that are high in alkaline should also be included in a diet for acid reflux because of its ability to correct the body’s ph level and balance the high acidity levels of people with GERD. This includes vegetables like broccoli sprouts, alfalfa spouts, wheat grass, barley grass, cucumber, kale, and parsley; fruits like apples, bananas, and grapefruit; and beans and legumes like lima beans, soy beans, white beans, and tofu. Drinking mangosteen juice, which effectively dilutes acids can also reduce inflammation and lower the stomach’s acidity levels.
Lifestyle Changes to Aid Diet for Acid Reflux
While it is important to plan your diet for acid reflux by avoiding foods that trigger GERD and eating those that can help improve your health, it is also important to accompany your diet for acid reflux with lifestyle changes to improve your condition. This includes:
1. Restricting your diet to small, frequent feedings of about 4 to 6 per day to decrease the amount of food in the stomach and lessen the workload for your digestive system.
2. Drinking adequate fluids before, after, and during every meal to assist in food passage and dilute the acids in your stomach.
3. Eat slowly and chew your food thoroughly to add saliva to your food, making it easier to digest, and soften the food that passes through your esophagus, preventing irritation.
4. Avoid eating and drinking 3 hours before bedtime to prevent incidents of nocturnal acid reflux.
5. Lose weight (if overweight) to reduce the probability of reflux incidents.
6. Avoid smoking and drinking alcohol because it relaxes your LES and stimulates your body’s production of acids.
7. Elevate your head by 6 to 8 inches when lying down to prevent nocturnal reflux.
An effective diet for acid reflux therefore requires two things: the discipline to follow your diet plan and the commitment to put lifestyle changes into practice.
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