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!