Acid or Alkaline Foods

Yin Yang Foods Healthy Food, Healthy Living

Mindful Eating with Delicious Vegan Raw Recipes 

A book excerpt by Nataša Pantović

Yin and Yang of Foods

Acid or Alkaline Foods, The Key to Good Healthy Diet

Foods either produce acid or alkaline in the body after they are metabolized.  In most cases, people consume more acidic foods than alkaline foods.

Our diet should consist of 80 percent alkaline foods and 20 percent acidic foods.

Yin and Yang of foods. Mindful Eating Conscious Living Quote by Nataša Pantović

YIN and YANG of food

Viruses, cancer and most diseases thrive in an acidic environment

The Key to good healthy diet is to eat predominantly alkaline foods.

When our diet is based on acid producing foods, our body is forced to borrow minerals (calcium, sodium, potassium and magnesium) from vital organs and bones to neutralize the acidity and to balance the acid vs alkaline levels and this can cause disease.

Acid Foods

 Most diets consist of acid-producing foods.  The most acidic foods are food filled with sugars, table salt, yeast, animal products, fried and processed foods.  Other acid producing proteins are eggs,white rice and white bread.  These foods should be avoided.

The food's acid or alkaline forming tendency has nothing to do with the actual pH of the food itself.  For example, lemon, apple vinager, or lime are all very acidic, but after they are digested, they produce an alkaline environment in the body.  Likewise, meat will test alkaline but when digested  it leaves very acidic residue in the body.  

Alkaline Foods

Foods that produce the strongest amounts of alkaline are baking soda, sea salt and mineral water.

Most vegetables and fruits are alkaline-producing foods.

Most fruits are alkaline-producing, even acid fruits such as lemons and lime.

A Useful Tip: For a neutralizing drink, mix the juice of 1/2 lime, lemon or apple cider vinegar in water

Chinese food therapy, Yin and Yang Food Pyramid

Chinese food therapy is a practice of healing using foods instead of medications.  Chinese food therapy dates back as early as 2000 BC.  It is based on the concept of yin and yang of food.

Macrobiotics is based on the philosophy that regards food and food quality as a powerful agent affecting health, well-being, and happiness. Food is bought in season and it is local and organic. Highly processed and refined foods and most animal products are avoided.

Japanese macrobiotics emphasizes locally grown produce combined into meals according to the principle of balance between YIN and YANG.  Whole grains and whole-grain products such as brown rice, whole grains such as barley, millet, oats, quinoa, spelt, rye, a variety of cooked and raw vegetables, beans, mild natural seasonings, nuts and seads are recommended.  Foods that have yin and yang in balance should be used regularly. Foods that are too Yin or too Yang should be avoided.

Yin Food Items that should be avoided

Foods that are too YIN are overstimulating and can exhaust the body and mind.  They should be avoided:

• Sugar
• Alcohol
• Coffee
• Chocolate
• White flour products
• Very hot spices
• Drugs
• Any additives and preservatives
• Milk Products

Foods that are too YANG and should be avoided

Foods that are too Yang are too heavy, create stagnation should also be avoided.  They are:

• Poultry
• Meat
• Eggs
• Refined salt

Cooking and the time of the year

What to Eat in Spring:

• Eat seasonal veggies
• Eat lots of greens
• Use mild natural seasonings
• Use very light cooking: 
  • slight steaming, or 
  • cooking for a very short time

What to Eat in Summer:

• Eat Seasonal Veggies
• Large-leaved greens
• Sweet corn
• Seasonal fruits
• Summer pumpkins
• Eat more raw foods: summer fruits
• Raw salads and veggies
• Lighter grains, such as:
  • barley, and 
  • bulghur

 What to Eat in Autumn:

• Root vegetables, pumpkins, 
• Nuts and dried fruits
• Various beans, cereals, etc.
• Heavier grains such as: 
  • rice and 
  • millet

What to Eat in Winter:

• Round vegetables, pickles, root vegetables, etc.
• More miso, soy sauce, oil, and sea salt
• Heavier grains such as millet, buckwheat, fried rice, etc.
• Cooked for a longer period of time

Yin and Yang pyramid has many similarities to the balanced diet required by nutritionist that observe the acid and alkaline producing effects of foods on the body.  The NO NOs are the same all through the cultures...

So, we are either eating ourselves into poor health, chronic disease and early death, or make smart food choices that bring us health and happiness all through the life. 

Check this interesting video

acid or alkaline producing foods

This inspiring video is:

Alan Watts theory on Philosophy of the Yin_Yang

 

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