Alkali Foods – 30 Must Haves In Your Diet
Fresh fruit, vegetables, roots, nuts, and legumes are all good. Dates, figs, grapefruit, lemon, lime, fennel, broccoli, artichoke, asparagus, beetroot, kale, spinach, watercress and cauliflower are considered the most alkaline.
Alkali foods can improve energy levels and memory and help prevent headaches, bloating, heart disease, muscle pain and insomnia.
Alkaline foods are easier for the digestive system to break down and therefore vitamins and minerals are more easily absorbed. Plus, the seeds and nuts recommended as part of the diet are rich in essential fats which help to improve skin tone.
Here is a list of alkali foods that you can add into your daily meals.
1. Almonds & Almond Milk
Almonds consistently rank on the list of healthiest foods to eat, so it’s no wonder that they’re also an alkaline food. They’ve also been linked to increased muscle gain, a lowering of cholesterol levels, and are able to assist with fat loss. You don’t have to eat a lot of almonds in order to enjoy their benefits, but they do make a great snack that you can take anywhere and can help you between meals.
Top stats (per 100g):
Calcium – 27%
Iron – 25%
Protein – 44%
2. Amaranth
This is a grain that not many people are familiar with, but that makes a great addition to any alkaline-focused diet plan. In addition to being an alkaline forming food, it’s also known for its relatively high levels of protein for a grain, and it’s full of vitamins and minerals that are essential for overall health. If you’re not sure how to prepare it for you and your family, there are plenty of recipes available to bring you up to speed.
Top stats (per 100g):
Calcium – 16%
Iron – 42%
Protein – 14g
3. Artichokes
Artichokes are often seen on top of salads, or used in a dip, but there are a number of reasons why you can bring them to the forefront of your diet. One of those reasons is their alkalinity, helping to raise your body’s pH levels. They’re also full of antioxidants, help to purify the liver, and aid in digestion. So having a salad with leafy greens and topped with a hearty amount of artichokes is a great idea.
Top stats (per 100g):
Vitamin C – 20%
Vitamin K – 12%
Folates – 17%
4. Asparagus
Asparagus has an alkaline effect on the body, and it just so happens that it’s one of the strongest foods you can eat in terms of alkalinity. Each food is ranked according to how alkaline it is, and asparagus is one of the “big dogs”. But it brings a lot more than that to the table, including antioxidants, nutrients, and plenty of detoxifying qualities. It’s even been noted that asparagus has anti-aging benefits, which is enough for most people to start adding more of it to their menu.
Top stats (per 100g):
Vitamin A – 15%
Vitamin C – 9%
Iron – 12%
5. Avocado & Avocado Oil
It’s no surprise that avocado is on our list of alkaline foods. It’s managed to make it onto our list of superfoods as well, so you know it’s packing a nutritional punch. Avocados are high in potassium as well as healthy fat, so in addition to helping you be more alkaline, you’re getting other perks as well. You can also use avocado oil in favor of other oils that don’t provide any alkaline benefit, or worse are acid-forming in the body.
Top stats (per 100g):
Vitamin C – 17%
Vitamin A – 3%
Fiber – 27%
6. Basil
You might not have thought that the herbs and spices you use on your food have an effect on how alkaline or acidic your pH levels are. But as it turns out there are good spices and bad spices. Basil happens to be one of the ones that helps keep you alkaline, and it also has plenty of other things going for it, such as the flavonoids it contains. These help the body to heal and basil in general can help with several different areas of the body.
Top stats (per 100g):
Vitamin A – 175%
Vitamin K – 345%
Calcium – 18%
7. Beetroot
Beetroot gets more attention now than ever before, and it’s one of the foods out there that will act to help raise your pH levels. The reason it’s an important vegetable to include in your arsenal is because it’s one of the only sources of the phytonutrient betalain which may have anti-cancer properties. Add these as a side, or use them as a salad topper. Be sure to buy this one fresh and steam it, as the pickled variety has reduced nutritional value.
Top stats (per 100g):
Vitamin C – 8%
Vitamin K – 11%
Folate – 75%
8. Broccoli
This is a quintessential healthy food and it’s easy to understand that it’s an alkaline food. Broccoli is one of those vegetables that has so much going on you simply have to make an extra effort to get more of it into your system. Some people eat broccoli every day as a way to maintain good health and make sure they’re on the alkaline side. You at least want to eat it multiple times a week, with 3 or 4 times being a good rule of thumb.
Top stats (per 100g):
Vitamin C – 135%
Vitamin A – 11%
Calcium – 4%
9. Brussels Sprouts
Maybe you left your Brussels sprouts on your plate untouched as a child, but it’s time to get over it and learn to like these healthy vegetables. They’ve been shown to be able to help the body break down the acids caused by acid-forming foods, which boosts your pH levels and helps you get to or maintain an alkaline state. In addition to that, they’re also packed with vitamins, minerals, and fiber, so they make a great side dish to any meal. It’s best to buy them fresh and steam them.
Top stats (per 100g):
Vitamin C – 142%
Vitamin A – 15%
Iron – 8%
10. Buckwheat
Buckwheat gets mentioned a lot in health food circles because it doesn’t contain wheat, but has a similar texture when it’s in noodle form. Great for gluten-free followers. It’s also an alkaline food, so you can eat it without worrying if it will be acidic in your system. It’s also a surprisingly good source of protein, and has a decent amount of iron in it as well. If you’ve never used buckwheat in your cooking before, there are plenty of recipes available to get your feet wet.
Top stats (per 100g):
Iron – 12%
Calcium – 2%
Protein – 13.3g
11. Cabbage
If you don’t like the taste of cabbage, keep an open mind. It could be that you just haven’t found a good recipe for it. It’s really easy to cook cabbage poorly, so give it another try if it’s on your Do Not Eat list. In addition to its alkalinity, it’s also been shown to be very effective in preventing as well as reversing certain cancers. Add to it the fiber content, and the low caloric load, and it’s a winner for just about every diet out there.
Top stats (per 100g):
Vitamin C – 54%
Vitamin A – 3%
Calcium – 5%
12. Carrot
Carrots are good for the eyes, but their overall effect is also an alkaline one. This makes them doubly good to eat, and they are tasty both raw, and steamed so they’re easier to chew up. Aside from the assist to the eyes, carrots also have plenty of vitamins, fiber, and potassium, making them a very well-rounded veggie. So make like Bugs Bunny and be sure to get your carrot fix every now and then.
Top stats (per 100g):
Vitamin A – 336%
Vitamin C – 10%
Calcium – 3%
13. Cauliflower
Cauliflower is in the same vegetable family as broccoli and Brussels sprouts, and shares many of the same healthy characteristics, including being an alkaline food. It has a good amount of fiber, and it’s a great non-fruit source of Vitamin C. It’s also very easy to prepare, but to keep as much of its alkaline nature as possible, eat it raw on salads or steam it until it’s tender and easy to eat. If you’re stuck on ideas for how to prepare it and
Top stats (per 100g):
Vitamin C – 77%
Calcium – 2%
Iron – 2%
14. Celery
You’ve got to love celery, even if you don’t necessarily love the taste. In addition to being an alkaline food it’s also very low in calories, and can help you body with a host of different benefits. If you don’t like crunching it up and having the strands get stuck in your teeth, pulverize it in a blender while you’re making a green smoothie. It also plays well in a fruit smoothie, adding a bit of spiciness without overshadowing the fruit flavors.
Top stats (per 100g):
Vitamin A – 4%
Vitamin C – 2%
Calcium – 2%
15. Chia
You might not think that these little seeds could pack such a nutritional punch, or have any effect on your body’s pH levels, but it turns out that they help with your alkalinity. The nice thing about them is you can sprinkle them on just about anything. Think about making a soup out of the veggies on this list, and then sprinkling in some chia seeds for good measure. Or add them to a smoothie to help tip it to the alkaline side. Be creative!
Top stats (per 100g):
Iron – 20%
Calcium – 20%
Vitamin A – 10%
16. Chives
It’s time to increase your intake of chives, and since they don’t typically find their way onto the plate, you’ll have to seek them out. They can assist the body because their alkaline producing, and they also do a good job of flavoring up a meal, so you can think of new ways to use them. One good thing they can go on is new potatoes, which makes this alkaline list and would provide you with additional nutritional benefits.
Top stats (per 100g):
Vitamin A – 3%
Vitamin C – 3%
17. Coconut
Coconut is such a natural food that it’s no surprise that much of what’s inside is good for you. The health benefits of coconut milk, juice, and flesh are all well-documented, and now you can add alkalinity to its list of features. It’s sometimes hard to think of ways to add more coconut into your life, since you’ll want to avoid the packaged coconuts shavings used in baking. You’ll want to stick to things like coconut oil, and fresh coconut flesh in order to reap the rewards.
Top stats (per 100g):
Iron – 11%
Vitamin C – 4%
Calcium – 1%
18. Cucumber
Here’s a heavy hitter that you’ll want to keep a stock of in your refrigerator. It’s alkaline, and contains so much water that it’s a very hydrating vegetable. Keep the peels on for the best results, but if that’s just too much for you one way to split the difference is to just peel strips of the peel off, creating a sort of pinwheel effect. this not only adds to the presentation but also makes it healthier for you.
Top stats (per 100g):
Vitamin C – 2%
Vitamin A – 1%
Calcium – 1%
19. Cumin
Cumin is one of those spices that you either have in your home, or you don’t, depending on the type of food you’re used to cooking. If you already use it often, just keep it up, but if you’re not too familiar with it, it’s time to add it to your cart the next time you’re out shopping. It’s a spice that can actually help your body neutralize the acidic foods you eat, which means that it’s going to have a doubling effect when used in conjunction with vegetables and other alkaline foods.
Top stats (per 100g):
Iron – 8%
Calcium – 2%
Vitamin A – 1%
20. Eggplant
Eggplant is a versatile vegetable to add to your basket each time you’re veggie shopping. It also provides an alkaline effect, and are one of the foods that you can eat as much as you’d like. They’re low in calories, will help to fill you up and keep you feeling full, and will help balance out some of the acidic foods you eat each day. And talk about having a ton of recipes, it’s one of the most popular vegetables, with side dishes and entree recipes galore.
Top stats (per 100g):
Vitamin C – 3%
Calcium – 1%
Iron – 1%
21. Flax Oil & Flax Seeds
There are plenty of benefits to flax, both in seed form and in oil form, and one of those is its ability to help the body stay alkaline. The seeds are easy enough to sprinkle on just about any dish, and don’t really have much of a flavor of their own, so you can add them without worrying about changing the dynamic of your meal. They also blend easily into a smoothie. You can use the oil to cook with, and it will help nutritious veggies become even more nutritious.
Top stats (per 100g):
Iron – 46%
Calcium – 37%
Vitamin C – 2%
22. Garlic
Garlic has long been known to be a cleansing food, and one that can add flavor to a meal, but it also helps if you’re trying to follow an alkaline diet. It’s a big help in fighting cancer, or staving it off, and also helps to lower blood pressure. It also helps to detoxify the body, so you’re getting multiple benefits just by adding more garlic to the mix. Try stir frying alkaline vegetables with a couple of cloves of garlic. Yum!
Top stats (per clove):
Vitamin C – 2%
23. Ginger
Ginger is a root that is becoming more popular as more people realize all of its health benefits. Ginger is a superfood, and has plenty of detoxing properties. It’s also an alkaline food, so it’s something that you can add to a meal and know that it’s only helping it to be alkaline for you. It is so impressive that we did a full ginger benefits list on it. There are also plenty of recipes featured here that include ginger as an ingredient.
Top stats (per tsp):
Potassium – 8mg
24. Grapefruit
Here’s a superstar food that shows up all over the place. It’s a superfood, it helps to lose weight by boosting your metabolism, and it’s even been dubbed one of the healthiest foods on Earth. So what else can this wonderkid do? Turns out it’s also alkaline. Its low sugar count makes this a fruit you can enjoy, even though it may taste sour and acidic, it has an alkalizing effect on the body once consumed.
Top stats (per half):
Vitamin C – 73%
Calcium – 2%
Iron – 1%
25. Herbal Teas
To help you get or stay alkaline you’ll want to avoid regular tea, and stick to the herbal varieties. Ordinary black tea has an acidic effect on the body, as does coffee, so you’ll want to make sure that you’re drinking things like ginger tea, or chamomile tea. One surprising tea that doesn’t make the alkaline list is green tea, as the caffeine means it’s going to be acidic for the body. The surprising part is that green tea has so many antioxidants, it is often brought up as a beneficial beverage and cancer fighting agent.
26. Kale
You’ve just gotta jump on board the kale train, because it has so many health benefits you’re really missing out on if you don’t. Often brought up in the same sentence as spinach and other leafy greens, kale knocks it out of the park when it comes to its array of vitamins and minerals. Consider its hefty supply of Vitamin A and Vitamin C, and then add to it that you’re getting a calcium top-up, fighting cancer, and getting more fiber. A force to be reckoned with!
Top stats (per cup):
Vitamin A – 206%
Vitamin C – 134%
Calcium – 9%
27. Lemon
This is a surprising entry on our list because your mouth may be puckering by just reading the word lemon. It’s so sour and tastes so acidic that many believe this must be acid forming. On the contrary, it produces an alkaline response by the body, and it’s very low in sugar so it’s not going to set you back the way sweet fruits do. It also has a cleansing effect on the digestive system, as well as a good dose of Vitamin C so it’s good to use more of it each day.
Top stats (per 100g):
Vitamin C – 51%
Calcium – 2%
Iron – 2%
28. Lentils
Lentils are an often overlooked food that is gaining more notoriety in recent years, after being featured in the best-selling book The Four Hour Body. In addition to being digested slowly by the body, and adding to your fiber intake, it’s also an alkaline food, and has a host of vitamins and minerals it brings to the table. You’ll get the best benefit by cooking them at home rather than buying them in a can, you simply boil them until they’re al dente.
Top stats (per cup):
Iron – 80%
Vitamin C – 14%
Calcium – 11%
29. Tomato
What can’t tomatoes do? They’ve got plenty of lycopene in them, as well as antioxidants, and they’ve been shown to help the heart and help us to live long and happy lives. In addition to that they’re an alkaline forming food. Just one more reason to start eating more tomatoes. Even though you might think of a tomato as being acidic because it can trigger the same sour taste buds as a lemon, it is not acid forming, and instead actually helps to raise your body’s overall pH.
Top stats (per med. tomato):
Vitamin C – 26%
Calcium – 1%
Iron – 2%
30. Peppers
No matter the color, you’ll be helping yourself stay alkaline. Both red, yellow, and green peppers each keep your pH levels up. They’re also very easy to cook with, and taste great fresh. If you do end up cooking them, they stir fry up nicely with onions and garlic, in just a little olive oil. Like many of the foods on this list they have multiple benefits, being a great source of Vitamin C, and also a decent source of Vitamin A.
Top stats (per cup, green):
Vitamin C – 200%
Vitamin A – 11%
Iron – 3%