Many holistic doctors who recommend an alkaline diet consider a properly balanced diet to be important for optimal health and preventing diseases like cancer. Our body’s pH is alkaline, about 7.4 and the theory behind an alkaline diet is that our intake should also be slightly alkaline. Many holistic practitioners believe that foods containing animal protein, sugar, caffeine, and processed foods diet are high in acidic content and tend to disrupt this balance. It is believed they deplete the body of alkaline minerals such as sodium, potassium, magnesium, and calcium, making people prone to chronic and degenerative disease. The alkaline diet is opposite the high protein, high fat and low-carb diets.

In general most grains, dairy products, meats, seeds and legumes tend to have an acid ash i.e. the residue after metabolism in the body. Most fruits and vegetables tend to have an alkaline ash. Cooked foods tend to be more alkaline than raw foods.

The following foods are considered to be alkaline: Potatoes green vegetables, raw or cooked like salad greens, beans, cabbage etc. colored vegetables like carrots, beets, except for tomatoes, corn, bananas and most dried fruit. Orange juice and lemon juice are acidic but turn alkaline after they have been metabolized in the body and are usually considered to be alkaline.