Author: sbrenden59@gmail.com

The alkaline diet is a nutrition plan based on the theory that eating foods that are alkaline in nature will help us as humans to be more alkaline, to perform better, and to feel our best. At the same time, minimizing foods that are acidic in nature, as they make us feel slow and foggy, and perform worse.

What are the 5 best foods to eat on the Alkaline Diet?

In this article, we will share the 5 best foods to eat on the alkaline diet. We’ve chosen these foods based on alkalinity, sustenance, and nutritional value. 

Included are also several meal inspiration ideas to help incorporate these foods into your daily life with ease. I’ve always found that meal preparation is the most challenging part of the alkaline diet for me, so I hope these ideas will be helpful for you as well.

1. Sweet potatoes

Sweet potatoes are an alkaline-forming food, which means they increase in alkalinity during the cooking and digestive process. These colorful foods provide your body with a healthy mix of vitamins, minerals, and dietary fiber. 

One average sized sweet potato contains about 3.8 grams of dietary fiber. This fiber helps to increase fullness, reduces a spike in blood sugar, and can even reduce your risk of diabetes.

One of the more carb, heavy foods on this list, sweet potatoes contain roughly 27 grams of carbohydrates each. A sweet potato is still a better form of carbs than say, white bread, because they contain so many other vitamins and minerals.

Sweet potatoes are a great choice on the alkaline diet because they contain valuable vitamins like Vitamin B6, Vitamin E, Potassium, and Manganese. Minerals in sweet potatoes include calcium, iron, magnesium, and copper.

My Favorite Alkaline Sweet Potato Recipes

I always enjoy a classic Roasted Sweet Potato. This recipe shares the best guidelines (in my opinion) for roasting sweet potatoes. The results are soft on the inside and slightly crispy on the outside. Add some alkaline seasonings, such as garlic, thyme, or even oregano to enhance the natural earthy flavor of your sweet potatoes.

Another fantastic recipe that I always enjoy is this Mediterranean Sweet Potato. Every aspect of it is alkaline, and super delicious. With plenty of chickpeas, hummus, and garlic, this recipe is delicious, nutritious, and will keep you full for hours. I like to make this recipe and have the leftovers for lunch the next day.

2. Asparagus

Asparagus are a highly alkaline food, with a raw pH of 10 and a cooked pH of 8. I’ve chosen to include asparagus in this list because not only are they delicious, but they bring so many health benefits to the body!

Some of the health benefits asparagus can offer you include improved brain function, less inflammation, improving heart health and preventing heart disease, increasing nutrient absorption, and even regulating blood sugar. While these aren’t even all of the potential benefits, I wanted to share these amazing effects of eating asparagus.

Asparagus are a low-calorie vegetable, with only 20 calories per half cup. This serving amount also contains 57% of your daily recommended intake of Vitamin K, which increases bone health, improves cognitive function, improves heart health, and helps to regulate blood sugar.

In addition, alkaline asparagus contains a healthy mix of protein and fiber. When you eat asparagus, you receive Vitamins C, A, and E, along with lots of folate, phosphorus, and potassium.

My Favorite Alkaline Asparagus Recipes

This is a newer recipe in my book, but I do enjoy this Asparagus and Spring Onion Salad with Seven-Minute Eggs. The one thing I change about this recipe is that I cook it with olive oil instead of grape-seed oil, due to the increased alkalinity of olive oil. This recipe is packed with flavor and nutrients, and always impresses guests.

I like to enjoy asparagus as a side usually, and this Roasted Asparagus recipe is one of my favorite ways to do so. I like to have it with a little more carb-y of a side, such as sweet potatoes or quinoa, and a protein such as wild caught salmon or mahi-mahi. It’s always my goal to incorporate alkaline foods into every meal, and asparagus are a delicious and easy way to do so.

3. Avocado

Possibly one of the most versatile foods, avocados are alkaline, nutrient dense, and filled with fat and fiber to keep their consumers full for longer periods of time. With a pH value of 8, avocados are a staple in many peoples diets already. I eat them almost every day, in so many different ways.

These delectable fruits can provide consumers with a whole myriad of health benefits. Avocados have anti-inflammatory properties, improve heart health with their high HDL, can help regulate blood pressure, and can even reduce depression.

Avocados are slightly more calorie dense, with the average avocado containing around 300 calories. In addition, they contain so many crucial vitamins and minerals that our bodies need. On this list, a regular avocado contains 30 grams of fat, 17 grams of carbohydrates, and 14 grams of fiber. The high fat and fiber content help us to feel satiated for longer, which can help to ease mindless snacking.

There are so many vitamins in avocados, I don’t even know where to begin. The average avocado contain more than 20% of the daily recommended intake of Vitamins C, E, K, B2, B3, B5, and B6.

In addition, avocados are rich in folate, with one avocado containing 41% of the daily value. Folate helps to control high homocysteine levels in the blood and helps to make new DNA.

My Favorite Alkaline Avocado Recipes

One of the best avocado-centric dishes is guacamole. A staple in households all over the world for many years, this is my favorite Guacamole Recipe. Filled with alkaline onions, tomatoes, garlic and lime juice, this recipe is flavor packed. Whether you’re making it for you or for a whole party, I recommend pairing it with Siete’s Grain-Free Tortilla Chips. These chips include alkaline ingredients chia seeds and avocado oil, as well as a grain free base of cassava flour and coconut flour.

Another fantastic alkaline recipe incorporating avocados is Cowboy Caviar. Another great recipe to eat with Siete chips, or even straight with a spoon. Personally, I skip on the corn in this recipe, instead doubling up on the avocados. This recipe is fantastic with all of the fiber-rich beans, spicy jalapeños, and sweet bell peppers.

4. Chia Seeds

With an alkalinity of 9 and a never-ending list of health benefits, chia seeds are one of my pantry staples. Historically, chia seeds have been highly regarded for their nutritional content, as well as used for religious ceremonies and medicinal purposes. There are so many ways to eat chia seeds, including sprinkling them on salads, mixing them into smoothies, and even as a chia pudding (more on the later).

Chia seeds provide people like you and me with so many potential health benefits. Some included benefits are a reduction in oxidative stress, improve blood sugar, lower inflammation, and improve skin and bone health. My favorite chia seeds are Navitas Organic Chia Seeds. I prefer organic because I like to avoid unnecessary pesticides when I can.

When you consume just two tablespoons of chia seeds, you are eating 138 calories, as well as almost 5 grams of protein, almost 9 grams of fat, 12 grams of carbohydrates, and almost 10 grams of fiber.

These same two tablespoons of chia seeds also contain calcium, iron, magnesium, zinc, quercitin, and phosphorus, as well as Vitamins B1 and B3. Chia seeds are also well known for their insane amount of omega-3 fatty acids, which promote good heart health.

One thing to be aware of is that there is such thing as too many chia seeds. Since they’ve got such a high fiber content, they can get things moving along real quick in your digestive system.

My Favorite Alkaline Chia Seed Recipes

Chia pudding is a staple recipe in my preferred recipes. I use this Chia Pudding recipe, with this Organic Coconut Milk. I prefer 100% coconut milk because it doesn’t contain any added gums or fillers, which really upset my stomach. Mix up your chia pudding and let it sit in the fridge overnight. I like to have my chia pudding in the morning with a small scoop of Grass-fed A2 Yogurt and a bit mix of raspberries and blueberries for a hearty alkaline breakfast.

Another fantastic alkaline recipe is this this Spinach Banana Chia Smoothie, packed with nutrients and antioxidants. For a zingy twist, I like to do 1/2 cup frozen mango and 1/2 cup of frozen pineapple.

5. Quinoa

Last, but certainly not least is the ancient grain quinoa. With a pH level of 6.8, quinoa is slightly acidic in nature, but is alkaline forming in the cooking and digestion process. Quinoa is naturally gluten free, and has been a popular grain in many cultures for hundreds of years.

Quinoa is a great source of protein, carbohydrates, and fiber, and provides plenty of vitamins and minerals as well. Vitamins in quinoa include folate, Vitamin B6 and E, iron, zinc, magnesium, and more. They also contain 51% of the recommended daily intake of manganese, which helps our bodies to form bones, connecting tissues, and more.

One cup of quinoa contains about 220 calories, 8 grams of protein, and almost 40 grams of carbohydrates. These are healthier carbs than say, white bread, since they come with so many minerals and vitamins, keeping you fuller for longer.

My Favorite Alkaline Quinoa Recipes

Quinoa is a versatile and delicious grain, and a shelf staple in my kitchen. One of my favorite ways to serve up quinoa is in this Mediterranean Quinoa Salad. It’s got a great mix of alkaline foods in it, including bell peppers, Calmat olives, and cucumber, all in a delicious lemon-olive oil dressing. Sometimes I like to add avocados to it for a little extra healthy fat.

Sometimes I need a little healthy protein with my quinoa, so I’ll make this Teriyaki Salmon Quinoa Bowl. I cook everything in avocado oil instead of vegetable oil, because that’s my personal preference. You get to make your own teriyaki sauce, which is a super fun and easy experience! I really like this recipe because it’s got so many bold flavors with the salmon, shiitake mushrooms, and zingy sauce to tie it all together.

Final Thoughts

There are so many ways that you can incorporate alkaline foods into your daily life. These are just some that I think are pretty nutrient dense and easy to incorporate, and I’ve shared several ways to incorporate them. Whether or not you choose to try the alkaline diet is up to you, but it’s simple and easy to start!

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Is restaurant food healthy?

This is a question old as time, as food today becomes continually more processed and contains more and more ingredients that are not able to be grown in our gardens and in nature.  Based on research, the general consensus is no, restaurant food is not healthy. 

The History of Restaurants

Back in ancient times, emperors and pharaohs would have chefs make them private meals, served by their loyal servants. These meals were nutrient dense, and the best food that could be obtained at that time in history. 

In medieval times, people would gather at pubs and taverns to get some warm, homemade food, and ale after a long day of work. Pubs and taverns have continued with us throughout history as a place to gather and drink and eat. As we come into more modern times, including the founding of the United States, people began to seek a place to take their families and to eat good food at a reasonable price.

Restaurants in the United States in the 1900’s served food that was real, fresh, and made to serve. Customers could buy things like a cheeseburger, fries, cooked, and beef, tallow or butter. Milkshakes would be made of ice cream, and real flavoring or fruits. As we get closer to modern day, restaurants began to seek ways to cut corners, make food, faster, and easier, and to increase their profit margins.

Thus began the commercialization of food. Today, our society contains a mixture of fast food, restaurants, designed to serve affordable, quick, and convenient food. On the higher end, we have sit down restaurants and bars, designed to serve meals for families, friends, and groups in a social setting. 

Restaurants as a Social Gathering Place

The social aspect of restaurants has been around since the beginning of time, and is something we have brought with us to the present day. 

Today, sit down restaurants are seen as a place for social gathering, whether it be before a family, dinner, celebrating a birthday or major life event, or friends meeting over a meal. Research shows that social interaction helps us as people to feel more connected, lowering incidents of depression, anxiety, and feelings of loneliness. Restaurants bring people together, which I think is a positive aspect, in a society where we are so separated.

While the social aspect of restaurants is something to be admired, the quality of food provided is dismal, loaded with fake preservatives and oxidative stress-inducing chemicals.

Ingredients Used in Restaurants Today

Today, restaurants serve all sorts of cuisine, from classic Mexican food, to American, and onward to different sorts of Asian foods, including standard Chinese food, Thai food, and sushi. In America, you can get almost any sort of food in a restaurant restaurant that you could desire. 

This easy accessibility to food comes at a cost. Restaurant owners today are seeking to maximize their profit, at the expense of consumers health and wellness. Many foods served are sourced from suppliers that use the cheapest materials possible to make the ingredients. 

One of the most toxic ingredients used in almost every restaurant would be seed oils. these can include canola, vegetable, grapeseed, and soy oil. Research has shown time and time again that these seed oils are packed with omega, six fatty acids, and go through multiple stages of bleaching and processing, resulting in a very toxic oil. I actually read that seed oils were originally used to lubricate car engines.

In the book, Deep Nutrition by Catherine Shanahan, the author and researcher sided an observation made in her practice of patients that would come in after having a heart attack, and she said that every single patient she saw reported that they had eaten fried fatty foods the day before their heart attack. Now, this is not to say that these oils and fatty foods will cause you a heart attack, but there is most definitely some sort of a correlation between eating restaurant foods and having a lower quality of health.

I read the label of a sauce at a popular pizza fast food chain and there were over 70 ingredients. I think we all know that pizza sauce should contain maybe six ingredients: tomatoes, basil, garlic, oregano, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes if you’re feeling spicy.

So why so many ingredients? I believe the answer is simple. Billions of dollars are poured into research every year as to how to make the foods we buy in the grocery store and at restaurants, more addictive, so that we continue to purchase and consume them. I know, this is kind of shocking to learn, and I was incredibly surprised to learn it myself.

The bottom line is this: restaurants want us to keep coming back, as well as to increase their profit margin. For these reasons, most restaurants choose to use ingredients that are toxic, inflammatory, and addictive. 

The Solution 

If you are like me, you can choose simply to abstain from going to restaurants. When invited by family or friends, I will usually attend and choose not to eat anything, or I will invite them out for a different activity that is not centered around food, such as a hike, walk, or over to play games. 

Another solution that I really like, and I am not sponsored by them, but it is actually a really great resource, so I would recommend checking it out, is Seed Oil Scout. This app was created by like-minded people seeking to enjoy the social atmosphere of restaurants, with without consuming many of the nasty additives, including incredibly inflammatory seed oils, hence the name. 

This app is created by the people and for the people, in which users can collect information from a restaurant regarding the quality of their ingredients and then market it as a “safe” or “unsafe” restaurant, and include details about what the owner or manager has shared about the quality of their ingredients. Other app users can then see that information, and can add their own experiences as well.

Conclusion

Not all people care about eating foods such as the ones I have described today. Honestly, ignorance is bliss, and it is easier to continue to go about our lives, and to enjoy the foods served in restaurants. However, this can negatively impact your health. 

However, if you are not happy with the person you look at in the mirror every day, or feel disgusting or uncomfortable in your body after eating at restaurants or fast food places, I would recommend considering making a change in your life. Yes, it is less convenient and takes more , purposeful action from you, but you are the only one accountable for how you feel, look, and live your life.

How does the alkaline diet benefit me?

By choosing to eat a primarily alkaline diet, you may feel lower levels of inflammation, brain fog, and more energy. As someone who has eaten the alkaline diet for over a year now, I can say that I personally have more stable energy throughout the day, more focus, and improved brain function in my work. 

What is the alkaline diet?

To me, the alkaline diet is more of a lifestyle choice. Those who eat the alkaline diet, choose to put an emphasis on consuming foods that are more alkaline than acidic in nature. This means that those eating the alkaline diet choose to consume more leafy greens, alkaline fruits, vegetables, and low acid grains. Intern, they choose to eat less refined, carbohydrates, sodas, meats, and acid-forming foods. 

Personally, I choose not to restrict myself 100% on the alkaline diet. Instead, I choose to focus on having every meal be primarily alkaline. I believe that meat has many essential minerals and vitamins, so I usually eat meat with an alkaline side. That side could be a salad, roasted vegetables, or something else of the sort. I will provide several examples of meals that I eat later in this article.

The alkaline diet: fad or facts

There have been hundreds of fat diets circulating throughout the United States for many years. First, we had the low fat diet. This was followed by the low carbohydrate, diet, the Atkins diet, the Paleo diet, the super popular keto diet. Many of my friends have tried recently, and more. While there is no way to know which diet is best, I believe that the overall consensus is to focus on eating good, Whole Foods packed with nutrients in order to best benefit your body. 

Based on research, many foods that are more alkaline in nature, do you have enormous amounts of vitamins and minerals that have been shown to benefit the body. These nutrients can help with mineral absorption, as well as benefit your body and weighs like lowering your cholesterol, blood pressure, and blood sugar, as well as lowering your risk of chronic diseases, such as diabetes , heart issues, and premature death. 

As someone that eats the alkaline diet, I have also experienced some weight loss. This is weight that I gained while eating an excess of processed foods and refined carbohydrates. When I greatly limited these foods from my diet, and increased my intake of alkaline foods, I should wait like never before. This may not be the case for everyone, this is just my experience.

Foods to eat more of on the alkaline diet

Like I said, previously, I do not eat alkaline foods 100% of the time, as I believe that meat contains various sources of minerals and vitamins that I do not want to miss out on. I do, however, choose to implement foods into every meal, so that I can experience , the benefits of the alkaline diet.

Some of the foods on the alkaline diet that I choose to eat, basically every day would include avocados, limes ( in my avocados), chia, seeds or flax seeds, and berries, especially raspberries and blueberries. 

When beginning the alkaline diet, I don’t recommend going 0% to 100% on day one. Instead, what I would recommend is slowly implementing new foods into your diet. It can be hard at first, because we are as humans are creatures of habit. Whether it be an avocado with your eggs in the morning, or making your smoothie at home and choosing to add hemp seeds or Chia seeds. 

Foods that are acidic in nature contain a huge selection of fruits, vegetables, nuts, and grains. You do not have to feel restricted by the alkaline diet, instead, see it as a challenge to introduce new foods to your palette.

Most importantly, what I have found helped me to really make the crossover to an alkaline diet was no longer choosing to eat any of my meals at restaurants or fast food establishments. This can be a hard change for many people, as the convenience is a huge factor in many of our lives. When you take the extra steps and time to make food at home, it is so much easier to control the quality and the food that you are consuming. I am a strong believer that restaurants use ingredients meant to harm us and make us addicted to their food. This is my personal belief, and so I choose to abstain.

Foods to eat less of on the alkaline diet

The foods you will want to eat less of on the alkaline diet include refined, carbohydrates, and sugar, sodas, and foods that are acidic in nature, such as meat, poultry, and dairy products. 

Personally, I believe that meat and poultry can provide the body with substantial amounts of nutrients and minerals, and so I choose to eat those in moderation, and always accompanied by alkaline foods.  

However, it is definitely best to cut out refined grains and sugars, as well as sodas. Consuming foods like these regularly can’t have a large negative impact on your bodies, functions and well-being. Foods like these can cause major issues, such as chronic illness, as well as digestive issues, and you probably will not feel as clearheaded or good when you eat them. 

When I eat a certain Mexican fast food for lunch most days, I had stomach upset issues, trouble, focusing at work, and lacked stable energy throughout the day. When I chose to cut this food out, and make it myself at home with an emphasis on alkaline foods, I found that my stomach felt much better, I had an easier time focusing and stayed full for much longer.

Should I try the alkaline diet? 

Honestly, it depends on what your goals are. If you are trying to lose 10 pounds quickly, this may not be the diet for you. And that’s not because you won’t lose 10 pounds, but because you were probably looking for a quick fix and Wood put the 10 pounds right back on as soon as you went back to your normal diet.

Now, if you are looking for lasting change, and to improve your life, the alkaline diet may be for you. If you have some sort of a chronic illness, you are hoping to lessen the symptoms of the alkaline diet may help you do that. If you are looking for a diet with minimal restriction, and to help you feel better in your day-to-day life, I would recommend the alkaline diet. 

About a year ago, I chose to try the alkaline diet because I was feeling lots of anxiety, lack of focus, and overall did not feel my best. I would get lots of acne, and did not have stable energy, as previously mentioned. Slowly, I began to implement more alkaline foods into my diet, And I began to see improvements very quickly. I’ve found that the alkaline diet works well for me, and I recommend it to everybody I know. 

Personally, I don’t think that it can hurt to give it a try. Worst case, you will increase your fruit and vegetable intake for a couple of days. Regardless of whether or not the alkaline diet is a good fit for you, I would strongly recommend decreasing your intake of , standard fast food and restaurant foods, as I believe they are low quality and designed to make us sick.

Quality, nutrient dense food is becoming more difficult to find in the United States.

If you’re a chicken fanatic like me, then you probably know that chicken quality in the United States has drastically decreased over the past few years. Big Chicken companies breed their chickens in the most squalid conditions, pumping them full of antibiotics and growth hormones, on a diet filled with GMO soy and corn.

Naturally, eating the standard grocery store chicken makes me feel like crap. If you feel similarly when eating most chicken produced in the US, then stick around.

For years, I barely ate chicken because it just didn’t taste right. Any time I came across a brand I thought might be better, I would try it, but was never satisfied. That’s until a late-night internet search brought me to PastureBird.

What is PastureBird?

PastureBird is a small poultry production company based out of California. This company produces and sells organic, free-range chicken online. It was founded by a guy who developed an autoimmune disease. He realized he wanted better for himself and his family, so they started raising chickens in their backyard.

These chickens get to forage for food in their natural surroundings, no antibiotics or supplemental grains. One thing let to another, and this small family began shipping their chicken all over the US.

My First Impression

The PastureBird website welcomed me with a fun and inspiring message, “Can our chicken change the world? We think so.”. In my late-night scrolling, I was immediately intrigued.

Is their chicken really that good? I asked myself.

I had to know.

The PastureBird Difference

On their website, PastureBird details the difference between their chicken and most chickens. The PastureBird chickens are fully pasture raised, with no supplemental grains or feed. They eat grass, worms, and bugs naturally found in their environment. They are rotated regularly, and spend every day out on the pasture. Their website states that this regiment makes “our birds are naturally happy with a strengthened health and immune system.”

The PastureBird website states that their chicken contains 3X the Omega 3’s, 50% more Vitamins A, D, and E, and 21% less saturated fat compared to standard grocery store chicken.

They claim that PastureBird raised chicken has a noticeable tase difference, due to their upbringing and lifestyle. At this point, I’m ready to try it for myself.

The PastureBird Selection

First off, PastureBird advertises with a little banner at the top of their site that orders over $99 will receive free shipping. I’m a sucker for free shipping, so I headed straight to the ‘Shop’ section to see what they had available.

And to note really quick- PastureBird has such beautiful images all over their website, including their products page. The visual appeal is 12/10. The imagery alone had me drooling.

In the ‘Shop’ section of their site, PastureBird lists their offerings, along with images to show what you’ll receive. Their supply includes a whole rotisserie chicken, ground chicken, drumsticks, wings, breast, and thighs.

They also offer a build-your-own subscription box, which I’m seriously considering at this point.

PastureBird Pricing

After paying grocery store prices in this inflated economy, I was hesitant to look at the pricing offered by PastureBird.

When I headed to the ‘Shop’ section, I was greeted by a pop-up for 10% off my first order. How nice is that?

Surprisingly, the pricing of PastureBird was really reasonable! A 1 lb package of drumsticks or wings is only $10, and they offer bulk pricing for bigger orders as well.

A whole rotisserie chicken goes for $25, and their chicken breast and thighs were sold out, so the pricing wasn’t displayed.

For the quality of product that PastureBird offers, I was really impressed by this pricing. They’re offering top-quality chicken at a price that competes with most organic chicken at the grocery store.

The Ordering Process

Once I added everything I wanted to my cart, I headed to checkout.

I love how PastureBird displays a cart preview after each item that you add to your cart. Here, you can see what’s in your cart, as well as your total. They also showed a ‘congratulations’ note to let me know I had added enough to my cart to qualify for free shipping.

The checkout process was quick and easy. I filled out my contact, billing, and card info, and voila! My PastureBird order was en route.

PastureBird sent me a link to track my order, as well as recommended downloading their app to track my order there.

Tasting The Chicken

Waiting for my PastureBird order felt like the longest days of my life. I filled my time hunting down some quality sauces to eat some of my drumsticks with.

For sauces, I always try to steer toward dressings that are seed-oil free and have minimal super processed ingredients. I ended up buying some Primal Kitchen Buffalo Sauce and Korean BBQ Sauce.

Within a few days, my PastureBird order had arrived. Yay! It came beautifully packaged in a big cardboard box. My chicken was kept frozen with dry ice and insulated packaging, so everything was frozen solid upon arrival.

I popped my oven on and picked out a package of wings.

The wings were smaller than those that you would get at a store or at a restaurant. They were pink and the skin felt thinner than most chickens. I gave them a good toss in olive oil, salt, and pepper, and tossed them in the oven.

Soon, the pleasant aroma of chicken filled my home. When the chicken was done, I pulled it out, and it smelled divine.

The first bite was like stepping back in time, to a day when chickens tasted like real chicken. The chicken was tender and juicy, but I could tell that these chickens had built muscles and moved their bodies. It’s hard to describe, but they were not super fatty, and the chicken was lean but chicken-y.

I usually don’t eat chicken skin, because I don’t like the chewy, gummy texture from standard chickens. The skin was thin, and my teeth easily broke it. It was flavorful and not gummy, and I thought the skin was fantastic as well. I know the skin is said to hold a lot of the nutrients, so I’m happy it was so good.

Honestly, I had to cook up another pack after eating the first one because the chicken was that darn good.

My Final Thoughts

Overall, I was super impressed with PastureBird. Their website is elegant, easy to navigate, and tells readers why their chicken is better. PastureBird offers great prices for a quality product, and delivery only took a few days. The chicken was some of the best I’ve had in years, and I’m probably going to cook some up as I type this.

If you’re dissatisfied with the chicken available in the grocery store, I would recommend PastureBird. Shoot, if you want some real, nutrient-dense chicken, head their way and place your order today. I wasn’t disappointed, and I don’t think you will be either.

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When I first started eating the Alkaline Diet, I was constantly researching the alkalinity of foods. ‘Are blueberries alkaline?’ and a million similar searches filled my browser history. I was constantly scrambling to find foods that I could eat without acid-bombing my body. When in doubt, I would opt for a smoothie since I knew most smoothie ingredients were alkaline. I found some amazing smoothie recipes in Dr. Sebi’s Detox Cookbook, which specializes in alkaline smoothies, juices, and recipes. That book pretty much saved my peace of mind, as I learned more about acidity and alkalinity of different foods. 

Did you know that a wide variety of fruits are acidic in nature, but alkalize as our body metabolizes them? This was one of the most challenging parts of this diet for me to understand, since a simple Google search of ‘alkalinity of tomato’ will tell you that tomatoes are acidic. When you look further into it, you’ll learn that tomatoes are considered alkaline, due to their low PRAL’s. 

What is PRAL’s?

PRAL stands for Potential Renal Acid Load. This means the acid load your kidneys need to get rid of to keep a balanced pH. So for example, dairy has a high PRAL, so when you drink a big milkshake, your body needs to get rid of more acid to keep your body pH balanced. 

If you eat a big salad full of low PRAL foods like tomatoes and avocados, you are consuming less acid that your kidneys need to get rid of in order to keep your pH balanced. 

I made this visual for you to gain a bit better of an idea where different foods fall on the acidity and alkalinity range, but there’s more to it!

Viewing the chart, we can easily gather an understanding of foods that are acidic and alkaline. Certain food groups tend to lean a specific way, such as meat falling more acidic, where vegetables tend to fall on the alkaline side. 

This chart is not a fully comprehensive list of the alkalinity and acidity of different foods, but we have a free PDF you can download here! 

This PDF is an incredibly simple resource, I use it daily to determine just how alkaline or acidic my meal is about to be, and what steps I can take to make sure I’m eating an alkaline serving of food. On it, I’ve make a detailed list of different foods, sorted by alkalinity and acidity. Next to each food, I’ve listed its specific pH, so that you can begin to understand the pH balance of different foods. 

The alkaline diet is very flexible, while also being somewhat restrictive. For example, I’ve completely cut out alcohol and coffee, but I like to have a piece of dark chocolate (pH 7) every so often as a treat. I think the alkaline diet is a great way to begin exploring new foods and to get back to a more whole food based lifestyle. 

When you begin the alkaline diet, there are many steps you can take to help your body become more alkaline. I recommend drinking spring water rather than tap water. Both have a pH around 7, but tap water contains many solvents and chemicals that can be harmful to your gut health. Spring water is pure and contains minerals that your body loves. This is the spring water I drink every day!

There is a wide range of supplements that you can take to help alkalize your body while eating an alkaline diet. One of the supplements that is backed by the most clinical studies is potassium bicarbonate. Research has also shown that magnesium and calcium have alkalizing effects on the body. The supplements linked are free of unnecessary additives or seed oils, which many supplement companies have sneakily begun to use. I believe in using supplements that are devoid of nasty fake ingredients, and did research to find those that have the least chemicals possible. 

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You may be asking yourself “How do I eat alkaline while on this 30 hour roadtrip?“.

Simply put, the answer is by planning in advance and taking the time to prepare.

The alkaline diet may just be the best diet I’ve ever eaten, but boy is it challenging to keep with while traveling. My childhood consisted of many 10-15 hour roadtrips that we would start before the sun was up. My parents would always take us to Cracker Barrel or somewhere for breakfast, then we would just have our roadtrip snacks for the day. If you’re eating the alkaline diet, you already know that what I just described was not alkaline in the slightest. This most recent trip was my first on the alkaline diet, and I learned a whole lot from it. 

Prior to the start of our roadtrip, we knew that we would need to bring snacks that would be more alkaline than not, so we headed to our local health food store and shopped around. To snack, we brought bananas, apples, almond butter, macadamia nuts, these delicious brown rice snaps, and homemade guacamole. We brought plenty of water, including a big bottle of homemade lime water. You can read more about the benefits of lime water here. 

Ten hours of driving later, I arrived in Oregon tired and hungry. We headed to a local health food store, Market of Choice. It may have been the best grocery store I’ve ever been to. Those who have visited Utah know that the healthy grocery store options are pretty limited, which can be hard if you’re traveling to Utah. Having to figure out food in a time crunch, I planned for Cowboy Caviar, a delicious mix of beans, avocados, tomatoes, onion, cilantro, and lime. You can add other ingredients like corn, bell peppers, jalapeño, or any other similar alkaline foods. I think for a sweet mix you could even add mango to it. I know everybody does Cowboy Caviar different, and it’s honestly what you make it. On the go, it’s one of the easiest things to make. All you need is a strainer and a can opener! My hotel ended up not having a can opener, but I was able to make do and get the cans of beans opened. 

Plenty of almond butter and fresh produce later, I learned that it isn’t the easiest to travel on the alkaline diet. A big part of the American lifestyle is the simplicity of consumerism. When traveling, I learned that it is critical to stay in a place with kitchen access, whether it be a condo, Airbnb, or friends house. Kitchen access makes sticking to your lifestyle much easier and gives you access to a much wider range of possibilities. 

The alkaline diet follows a simple set of guidelines. Eat foods that have an alkalizing effect on the body, and minimize foods that have an acidic effect on the body. Generally, alkalizing foods fall in the category of leafy greens, beans, berries and some nuts. Acidic foods fall primarily into the groups of meat, dairy, grains, and sugars. We don’t like to advocate for the vegan lifestyle, since meat carries so many valuable nutrients in quantities so much greater than in any plant based sources. For this reason, the general rule of thumb with this diet is to aim to eat 80% alkalizing foods and 20% acidic, so that you can make sure you are getting plenty of minerals and nutrients from the best sources possible. 

Eating an alkaline diet is much easier than it sounds like. I usually start my day with a big glass of spring water, which is the most pure, mineral rich form of water. I try to avoid tap water and filtered water, which is just filtered tap water. You can learn more about my picky water preferences here. 

From there, I will usually have a green smoothie and sometimes a hash-brown as well. I have this smoothie around the 11-1 timeframe, and it is the first thing I usually eat. My green smoothies vary in ingredients, but I have a rotating list of alkaline ingredients that I’ll use:

• avocado
• celery
• kale
• mixed greens
• spinach
• bananas
• apple
• frozen berries
• pineapple
• chia seeds
• flax seeds
• grapefruit juice
• coconut water

I usually will choose a base like banana or avocado, a leafy green, and a sweeter berry to bring some sweet flavor into the mix. I try to always add what seeds I have available, since they are alkaline and a great source of antioxidants. One of these smoothies always gets my day off to a good start. For some great inspiration for delicious alkaline smoothies, I recommend reading this amazing book that is filled cover to cover with delicious smoothie recipes. If for some reason I’m particularly hungry, I’ll make a hash-brown as well. Potatoes are slightly acidic, but the goal is 80/20 and a potato does a great job of filling my tummy if the smoothie doesn’t do it. When I don’t have smoothie ingredients or aren’t in the mood, I’ll usually opt for some eggs and avocado, or leftovers from my dinner the night before. I try to keep my breakfast pretty quick and simple, so that I can get on with my day. 

For my next meal, I usually have a mid-afternoon snack. I am a snacker, but if you aren’t then just keep with what feels best for you! For my mid-afternoon snack, I’ll usually munch on some macadamia nuts, rice cakeswith almond butter, or whip up some quick eggs and avocado. I try to always keep avocados on hand because of their alkaline nature and ability to fit easily into almost any meal. 

By the time dinner rolls around, I’m always excited to cook up a delicious meal. I’ve been experimenting with some different alkaline recipes and trying to expand my horizons. Some tasty creations I’ve tried so far are:

1. Cowboy Caviar – This delightful concoction can be altered to suit your tastes, but I usually include black beans, garbanzo beans, black eyed peas, avocado of course, tomatoes, onion (red or white, whatever I have on hand), cilantro, and I make a simple dressing with lime juice and a little red wine vinegar. This is a great meal for on-the-go, and you can switch it up by using different beans, adding corn or bell peppers, tossing in hot peppers for a little kick, or using it to fill up your favorite tortillas. 
2. Vegetable Chili – I LOVE chili, and this recipe did not disappoint. I found it in the book In Balance for Life by Alex Guerrero. His book is super helpful breaking down the facets of the alkaline diet, how the foods we eat impact our bodies, and provides some great starter recipes for those transitioning into this lifestyle. His vegetable chili recipe contained rich bell peppers, crunchy celery, and plenty of beans. One way I’d like to spice this recipe up next time is with some jalapeño and carrots. Of course, he advises to garnish with avocado, which I’ll have to agree with. 
3. Homemade Fajita Bowls – Inspired by Chipotle’s fajitas, I recently went into a fajita making craze. They’re so easy to make and so delicious. All you need for fajitas is an onion, two bell peppers (I do red and green), olive oil for cooking, and some paprika and cumin. Slice up the onions and peppers into long thin strips and get them cooking! I season them with salt and plenty of the paprika and cumin. One they’re well cooked, enjoy them with a delicious mix of ingredients! In my fajita bowls, I’ve done fajitas, avocado, pinto beans, and a bit of cilantro-lime rice. Another great fajita bowl I made was a breakfast bowl, with a hash brown, fajitas, scrambled eggs, and avocado. These bowls are variable and you can get creative with them! Fajitas are super alkaline and I always feel awesome and satisfied after eating them, so I would highly recommend trying them. 

To sum it all up, the alkaline diet is super simple and involves a lot of home cooking. Why do you have a kitchen if you aren’t going to use it? No really though, this diet is easy to follow and just takes a little extra time to do. How good you’ll feel on this diet is so worth every extra second you’ll take in the kitchen though, mark my words. I always feel my best when I’m eating plenty of good alkaline meals. After dinner I’ll usually want a little sweet treat, as many of us do. If you find yourself in this position, I recommend trying some fresh fruit, maybe some mango slices or a few dates, and if you must you could go for a few bites of dark chocolate. I am a dark chocolate fan and will absolutely treat myself to it from time to time. Again, this diet isn’t about being perfect, it’s about consistently eating 80% alkaline, 20% acidic. If you take care to really push for these guidelines, I’m confident that you’ll start to feel really good both physically and mentally. 

To start, consider the 2-3 times you are most at risk of getting sick. In times like these it is best to give your body as many antioxidants as you can get in order to avoid sickness or if you do get sick, it likely won’t turn out as bad.

1. Winter, Winter is a time when Vitamin D levels drop, and on average people are inside more and moving less, as well as some people who have stress over holidays as they can be a higher stress time for certain people.
2. Traveling. I have only been sick twice in the last 2 years, and the last flight I took there was a lot of sick people on it, and I ended up getting a bug and since my immune system was a little bit lower and it took me some time to recover.
3. Stress, I ironically got sick in the summer, which I really thought that I couldn’t get sick in the summer due to my Vitamin D levels being high, but I made a tough hire at one of my companies and it really took a toll on my stress levels and I was under the weather for a few days in the summer.

Luckily, these 4 alternatives to supplements are real, raw food superfoods with no preservatives or added ingredients, and should provide a much needed boost, especially in the winters.

First, before we dive in, lets go over why this is my preferred route compared to supplements.

1. Supplements contain added ingredients a lot of time
2. Supplements are most often made in a lab and contain cross contaminants like gluten, dairy, and they are most often pulled from sources that may or may not be healthy for you. There are a few supplement groups that do use good, raw, healthy ingredients, and I will write a post soon on which brands these are. In the meantime, know that I personally actually avoid most supplements. 

Now, lets get to the 4 powders that will give your body some nourishment in much needed times.

1. Camu Camu powder – This boasts an incredible amount of Vitamin C, tastes great in smoothies, and is a must have during these long, cold winter months. I highly recommend the Nativas Camu Camu Powder, which is certified organic and sourced from Peru. 
2. Acai Juice Powder – This Brazilian superfood always makes me feel so good, and I wish I could find some at the store without sunflower oil, one of the worst foods. Side note: I don’t think sunflower oil can qualify as a food, it is more of a lab processed solvent and has only been around since the mid 1900’s, ironically when this countries health started to deteriorate and has continued declining since. Ive found several 100% acai juice powders that can be ordered online though, thank goodness. 
3. Beet Root Powder – This powder boasts some incredible health benefits such as liver support, immune support, and overall feeling better.
4. Any Greens Powder, Kale, Without Added Ingredients – This kale powder and this spinach powder are both certified organic and are great for smoothies that do not have added ingredients, and these sneaky added ingredients are really something you have to be careful of. For example, a lot of protein powders will contain soy lecithin. This is not a healthy food and vegetable oils as well as emulsifiers like soy lecithin have been linked to weight gain.

If you have questions about an ingredient in any powder you’re considering buying, email me and I’m happy to help you learn more! My email is sbrenden59@gmail.com. 

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