Although the term alkaline food seems very scientific and bewildering, we are discussing plain, wholesome foods that can be bought today from any supermarket. Most of us have always thought of foods in terms of how many calories or how much sugar and fat they contain, but another way of thinking about food is to understand what it does when it is actually inside the body.

When they get past your lips and have pleased your taste buds, all foods are broken down inside the body so they can be processed through the blood stream and digestive organs and either utilized for operating needs or pushed out of the body as waste. There are particles and residues of these foods left behind and some will have an alkaline-forming action, while others are acid-forming in nature.

Higher alkalinity is a direct consequence of alkaline-forming minerals being present in the food, such as calcium and potassium.

An alkaline food is those that leave behind residue and particles that are more alkalizing than acidifying. Given that the human body is healthiest and happiest when it is a bit on the alkaline side, these foods are more beneficial to the body and promote good health, greater energy levels, and a robust immune system.

It turns out that alkaline food is whole food that is full of nutrients and vitamins that the human body needs to work correctly. This includes most vegetables and fruits, as well as a few grains such as buckwheat, and a wide variety of nuts and seeds. While potatoes have gotten a bad rap over the years for being overly starchy or carbohydrate-rich to be wholesome, they are really an encouraged staple on an alkaline diet due to the fact that they are alkalizing once they are eaten.

One thing worth noting is that foods that are acidic in their natural state, such as oranges and grapefruit, are not invariably acidic when inside the body!