We strive for balance in our life and we most certainly can also benefit from balance in our diet. Achieving the perfect balance depends predominately on understanding and applying the acid/alkaline balance to your diet. As a vegan restaurant in Vancouver, we are being asked all the time about your commitment to serve nutritious food which essentially must be plant-based in order to deliver healthful nutritional value.
Another perspective on health-giving food is our foundational understanding if our diet is actually acidic or alkaline.
Did you know that the mineral content of the food determines if it is alkaline or acidic? Minerals such as calcium, magnesium, iron, sodium and manganese create alkalinity in the body.
Foods rich in acidic minerals such as iodine, chlorine, phosphorus, and nitrogen create acidity in the body. We need both alkaline and acid forming minerals to be healthy and in balance, therefore acid forming foods are not harmful but it is essential to maintain balance by prioritizing diversity, quality and healthful choices.
“An excess of acidity is, however, quite harmful over the short and long term, at it leads to inflammation, contraction, stiffness, tissue degeneration, water retention, itchy skin, calcification, and more.” – said David ‘Avocado’ Wolfe.
David Wolfe also has a simple way of understanding what foods are acidic or alkaline.
Alkaline minerals are found in the leaves and stems of plants and in the bones of animals. Acidic minerals are found in the seeds and roots of plants as well as the muscles of animals. Fruits and flowers can be slightly acidic, slightly alkaline, or neutral.
Our ideal blood pH range is from 7.35to 7.40. Other tissues in our bodies are more acidic, such as muscles and skin. (6.8 pH)
Generally the higher concentration of minerals within a food, the better. Wild foods. wild greens and leafy greens on average have the most minerals. Homegrown and organic foods also contain a significant quantity of minerals as compared to commercial, chemically grown foods. This is why we believe in sourcing from local farmers.
Chemicals and drugs have a harsh edge to them. They deplete essential nutrients, exhaust the adrenal glands, and irritate and thicken the skin, lungs, and other organs. A major factor in overcoming these “addictions” and toxins is to create is to create an alkaline/acid balance in the body.
Eating green-leafy foods delivers to the body what it needs – vital alkalinity – and begins to displace addictive behaviour. So one green smoothie or juice a day can start the start of something deeply transformational!
