Growing up we always heard, ?Eat your greens?. And reluctantly, we may have listened?and obeyed… Often with a following promise of dessert or some other form of motivation. However, as we further progress in this journey we call life – we tend to?actually look for nutrient dense and alkaline foods that will help enrich our health and wellbeing.
The most alkaline foods, as determined by their quantity of nutrients that make them?alkaline-forming are:
- Spinach
- Kale
- Cucumber
- Broccoli
- Avocado
- Celery
- Bell Pepper
Granted this list could go on and on into the hundreds, but really if you focus even on?only these seven foods – you?ll be bursting with energy and vitality!
Spinach
The base for ALL of our meals should be some form of leafy greens. Spinach being a?common favorite. Whether it’s baby spinach or full grown, all forms are nutritional?powerhouses which are incredibly alkaline. We recommend buying spinach organic as?often as possible. Shopping at your local farmer?s markets can help to ease the costs.
Spinach is rich in chlorophyll (along with all green foods) which is a potent alkalizer and?blood builder.?It?s also rich in vitamin K, vitamin A, manganese, folate, magnesium, iron, vitamin C,?vitamin B2, calcium, potassium, vitamin E, dietary fiber? need we go on?
Spinach easily comes in as one of the all-round healthiest foods on earth! We highly?encourage you to incorporate spinach into as many meals as you can throughout the?day, every day.
Kale
Another alkaline leafy green, kale, comes in at second (which is also how it is most often?preferred on the plate). Although we personally love kale, we understand that this is not?such a common love affair. Perhaps because of its slight bitter taste, kale is not as?frequently enjoyed as spinach. However, when served in a good recipe, your mind will most likely change.
Experimenting with the taste is well worth the effort. Kale is a cancer-fighting,?cholesterol-lowering, antioxidant-rich, detoxifying powerhouse. If you consume it even?2-3 times a week, you are likely to feel the difference. Similar to spinach, it is super high?in vitamin K, vitamin A and vitamin C. Plus as we mentioned about leafy greens, it also?has a huge chlorophyll content.
You?ll be pleased to learn that a steamed version of kale is actually more effective in?lowering cholesterol than it is in its raw version.?When it comes to cancer fighting properties, we recommend preparing it whichever way?will inspire you to eat it most! Kale contains glucosinolates which convert into cancer?fighting components once digested.
Can we get a Kale Yeah?!
Cucumber
Cucumbers are slices of heaven. They are actually 95% water – making them incredibly hydrating! Not to mention they contain incredible amounts of antioxidants.
Cucumbers miraculously contain 3 lignans that have a strong history of?research supporting their connection to reduced risk of cardiovascular disease as well?as several cancers. These include?breast, uterine, ovarian, and prostate cancers.
With such great properties, cucumbers play a key role in alkaline soup recipes,?smoothies, and juices.
They contain the following alkaline minerals: calcium, iron, phosphorus, potassium,?magnesium, selenium, copper, manganese, iron, and zinc.
Basically, cucumbers are a?multi-vitamin that can be used as a nutritious base that will taste great and hydrate!
Be sure to buy organic since the skin is where so many of the nutrients reside.
Broccoli
A much more common favorite – broccoli is a pillar of healing living, energy, and vitality.?Broccoli has been repeatedly proven to be astonishingly powerful in inhibiting cancers,?supporting the digestive system, cardiovascular system, the detoxification process in?the body and also supporting the skin, metabolism, immune system, providing ample?antioxidants and being an anti-inflammatory.
If you truly want to inhibit an alkaline, or even overall healthy lifestyle, please incorporate broccoli into your meals every day or at the least 4 times a week. Again, do your best to buy organic so you can receive more of the benefits and ensure that you are avoiding unnecessary pesticides.
You can prepare it steamed or raw – again, whichever way will encourage you to eat the?most of it! You can even roast / steam it with other veggies.
At each meal ask yourself, ?How can I get some broccoli in here??
Avocado
Avocado?s fat content is not to be confused with artery-clogging, cholesterol raising?types of fats. Avocado actually contains good fats that will not make you gain weight. In?fact, due to the high content of oleic acid (an omega 9 fat making it very similar to olive?oil), it can lower total cholesterol level and raise levels of high-density lipoproteins?(HDLs aka ?good? cholesterol) while lowering low-density lipoproteins (LDLs aka ?bad??cholesterol). Oleic acid has also been shown to slow the development of heart disease and promote the production of antioxidants.
Just 1/2 an avocado a day can provide great benefits and serve as a ?healthy? fat to?include in a meal.?Believe it or not, the beneficial omega oils found in avocados also help to speed the?metabolism, which can lead to weight loss rather than weight gain so don’t be deterred?by its misleading fat content. As the picture states, this is the good type of fat!
Now that we?ve cleared the elephant in the room, we should share with you that?avocado also contains a wide range of other nutrients that have serious anti-inflammatory, heart health, cardiovascular health, anti-cancer, and blood sugar benefits.?So many benefits and there may be another. Considering that we do not eat the skin of?avocados, there?s not as strong of an emphasis to buy them organic as with the other?veggies of this group.
Celery
Similarly to cucumber, celery is very high in water content. This means it also makes a?great base for juices and soups (not so much in smoothies though).
Many people may not be aware of all of celery?s benefits. One of these being that they?contain phthalates which have been shown to lower cholesterol. ?Secondly, they also contain coumarins which have been shown to inhibit several cancers.
On top of that and more commonly recognized is its vitamin C level which can help with?some of the most common and challenging health concerns. They support the immune?system, inflammation (so it helps with arthritis, osteoporosis, asthma, etc), and vitamin?C also significantly helps with cardiovascular health.
Those on a weight loss journey will be happy to learn that celery is a diuretic thanks to?it?s levels of potassium and sodium – meaning that it helps to rid the body of excess?fluids.
We strongly recommend purchasing these organic. The investment is only slightly higher, and offers undeniable benefits.
Bell Peppers
Last but certainly not a least favorite – bell peppers. These antioxidant rich powerhouses are sweet, crunchy, and refreshingly delicious – wouldn’t you agree?
People are surprised to learn that peppers even contain twice as much vitamin C than oranges. Talk about immune-boosting!
Then of the many antioxidants that they contain, the most interesting are the?carotenoids. Spectacularly beneficial to our health, carotenoids are highly researched?for decreasing the risk of disease, particularly in certain cancers and eye disease. Bell?peppers contain over 30 different members of the carotenoid nutrient family. The only?other food that comes close to this is tomato.
Bell peppers have shown up in research relating to decreasing the risk of cardiovascular?disease, type II diabetes, macular degeneration, cancer, inflammation and more.
You can probably guess our prediction upon whether to buy them organic or not, right?
Anytime we are eating the skin of a fruit or vegetable, it is very important to buy it?organically grown.
Purchasing organic can cost a little more at the register, but it goes a long way. Your purchases?help to support the organic movement and remind our food suppliers that we care about?quality.
Shop with the sales, buy produce in season, ?and search your local farmer?s markets as they often will have lower prices. This is a great way to improve your health and?promote an alkaline environment for your body all while?helping to support local businesses as well.
It’s a Win – Win!
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