One question many people write in and ask me is “What are the best alkaline diet foods?” closely followed by “Isn’t the raw food/alkaline diet expensive?”. This page is here to answer the first question, giving my top high alkaline foods and to dispel the expense notion of the second question.
In the list below, you’ll find the very best alkaline forming foods that you can eat and the vast majority are ones you can buy pretty much anywhere and pretty cheaply too 🙂 I advise eating organic foods and they can still be pretty cheap, especially if you join a local vegbox scheme like I do.
Alkaline diet foods are best eaten raw, as they lose around 80% of their nutrients when cooked but cooked alkaline foods are still immeasurably better than meat, dairy and processed foods.
Here we are, in no particular order…
1. Spinach & Leafy Greens
Full of calcium, vitamin C and PROTEIN (the perpetual and unfounded worry of the raw and vegan diet rookie – not getting enough lol). Make huge a huge veg salad for a powerhouse alkaline meal.
2. Lemons
Yep, they’re acidic in physical form but produce an alkaline ash when they are metabolised by our bodies, so classed as alkaline foods. Drink lemon juice first thing in warm water for a great alkalising liver detox.
3. Grapefruits
Beautiful alkaline citrus fruits. Only 100 calories per grapefruit but take about 20 minutes to peel and eat, so it feels like you’re having a proper meal. All the good feelings associated with eating but a fraction of the calories of a normal 20 minutes’ eating session!
4. Avocados
Contain essential fats and a great addition to your green smoothies, especially if you are looking to either gain weight or not lose any.
5. Cucumbers
Ah the phallic vegetable lol. Put this alkaline diet food in your salads, green smoothies (see my ‘Activator’ green smoothie recipe) or as a vegetable crudité with hoummous.
6. Celery
Goes hand in hand with the cucumber in salads, smoothies and as a crudité. Also, a little known fact is that if you have an upset stomach from poor food combining etc, eat a stick of celery and you’ll feel better in a few minutes most of the time! Worked many a time for me when I’ve eaten fruit on top of something else (oops, naughty!)
7. Kale & Cabbage
Full of green chlorophyll which helps build and cleanse our blood, kale and cabbage are excellent alkaline diet foods. If you’re up for it, juice a whole bag of kale or whole cabbage and drink it straight. Super hard core alkaline kudos if you do! Mega energising!
8. Wheatgrass Juice
Hailed as nature’s superfood. Wheatgrass juice is a pure panacea of the food world. Packed full of essential vitamins, minerals and amino acids (protein building blocks). If you can grow and juice your own, this is fantastic but if not, buy yourself a high quality wheatgrass powder, such as Megagreens.
TIP: Wheatgrass Juice is Probably the Best Addition You Can Make to Your Alkaline Diet Foods Regime
9. Tomatoes
So versatile and one of the rare alkaline diet foods that releases its nutrients when cooked (lycopene – better utilised by us humans in cooked tomatoes).
10. Bell Peppers
Red, green orange…eat in salads, stuff them or use as crudités with hoummous, yum.
11. Coconut Water
Refreshing and light and full of electrolytes that help balance your body’s biochemistry – a great post-workout drink.
12. Broccoli
Full of chlorophyll and a good source of calcium, these little green trees should be part of your every day diet
13. Coconut Milk
Is a great alkaline alternative to dairy milk – it won’t cause any lactose intolerance issues and won’t damage your bones like dairy does. (See my post on the Dangers of Dairy for more on this.)
14. Sweet Potatoes
Great alternative to potatoes and rice and nice and filling.
15. Sprouted Seeds
You can sprout just about any seed in a matter of a few days and they are packed full of energy and nutrients. Try alfalfa, broccoli, chickpea and beansprouts for starters and use in salads.
Your mission is to incorporate these alkaline diet foods into your daily meals as much as possible.
Back to: Alkaline Foods Can Make You Feel Amazing in Less Than A Week
Next Page…Thriving on Alkaline Foods
Alkaline Diet Health Tips Home
Leave a comment below telling me your favourite recipe with any of these alkaline diet foods
Thank you Laura for your book and for inspiring so much a lot of people. I just bought your ebook and I was very happy and surprise to read that in 2008 you were at the UPW of Tony. We were both there and that’s amazing! I’m so grateful. Big hug
Aww thanks Francesca! Small world hey! I hope the book blesses you and that you have abundant health
Love to you in Italy!
Laura x
I’d like to thank you for the efforts you have put in penning
this website. I really hope to view the same high-grade blog posts by you in the future as well.
In fact, your creative writing abilities has inspired me to get my own site now 😉
Thank you so much Laura for sharing all this wonderful info. I’m enjoying most of these foods every day and even manage gulping down the wheatgrass! I do struggle with grapefruit and celery though. One question, how does kombucha rate alkaline wise? Many thanks!
Hi Carla,
You’re very welcome Carla, it’s my mission and passion to share this info 🙂 good going with the wheatgrass, best food ever!! Are you getting it fresh or powdered? If you’re interested in juicing your won, here’s the juicer I use and recommend http://www.alkaline-diet-health-tips.com/omegajuicer.
Kombucha, whilst not strictly alkaline, is great for balancing your intestinal bacteria. It’s been used for good health for hundreds of years and recommended by Indians very highly. I drink it in replacement of alcohol – rocked up to a party recently with my bottle of kombucha, much to the intrigue of other guests. Felt great the next morn! 😉
Hope that helps
Laura
I have been diagnosed with High Copper in November 2013. I was eating healthy foods as you have listed here now I am on low copper foods and my body has been more acidic. Do you have any information for me? Debby
Hi Debby,
High copper, wow, what is the cause of that do you know? I recommend my Alkaline 5 Diet book to get back into alkaline balance and sustain it over the long term – healthy an delicious meals that you can stick with, I’ve done it for 10 years, check it out here http://www.alkaline-diet-health-tips.com/alkaline5diet
Laura