Alkaline CookBook + Superfoods

1. Raw Almonds

Almonds are loaded with nutrients. They contain vitamin B2 and E (great for your skin) copper, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus and protein (to keep your muscles healthy).

Raw Almonds are best because they are rich in monounsaturated fat, which helps you feel fuller for longer.

In addition to healthy fats and vitamin E, a quarter-cup of almonds contains almost 99 mg of magnesium (that's 24.7% of the daily value for this important mineral), plus 257 mg of potassium. Their high-fibre content prevents hunger pangs. Best of all, almonds are very alkalizing.

2. Fresh Green Leafy Celery

Celery is rich in vitamins B1, B2, B6, vitamin C, beta carotene, folic acid, calcium, manganese, molybdenum, magnesium, fibre, phosphorous and potassium!

Vitamin C-rich foods like celery may help reduce cold symptoms or severity of cold symptoms. It's good on kidney and will help eliminate body's waste through the urine. 

Celery contains compounds called coumarins that help prevent free radicals from damaging cells, thus decreasing the mutations that increase the potential for cells to become cancerous. Celery will keep your energy levels high. Always go for fresh, crunchy celery - ideally organic.

Celery will also cleanse your body of acid waste, impurities and toxins.

3. Sour Cherry

This healthy low-calorie food is bursting with nutrients. Sour Cherries contain vitamin C, vitamins B-complex, calcium, magnesium, potassium, boron, phosphorous, fibre, flavonoids, folic acid and beta-carotene.

They also have a very low GI. Sour Cherries contain ellagic acid - a supernutrient that fights cancer. Cherries also have superb powers of detoxification. They are great for your digestive system. Cherries are rich in antioxidants that keep your body healthy and virus free.

Do you get painful joints and muscles? Sour Cherries could help. They contain anthocyanin that acts as a powerful anti-inflammatory agent. Plus, cherries give you the same heart-protective effects as red wine. Best of all, sour cherries have a very alkalizing effect on your body.

4. Fresh Asparagus

Asparagus contains varying amounts of calcium, phosphorus, sodium, potassium and iron, as well as vitamins A, B1, B2, C and niacin—all necessary for a healthful diet. Asparagus is loaded with folate, which is essential for a healthy cardiovascular system.

Asparagus is a very good source of potassium (288 mg per cup) and quite low in sodium (19.8 mg per cup. Its mineral profile, combined with an active amino acid in asparagus, asparagine, gives asparagus a diuretic effect.

Asparagus contains a special kind of carbohydrate called inulin that we don't digest, but the health-promoting friendly bacteria in our large intestine. That in itself is good reason to include asparagus in your diet. Both white and green asparagus is cultivated, green combines higher food value with better flavour.

5. Fresh Organic Tomatoes

Botanically the tomato is a fruit because it is a berry containing seeds. However, most people think of it as a vegetable, as it is usually eaten with the main course of a meal. This tasty food has a fascinating past. Did you know that varieties can be yellow, orange, pink, purple, brown, white, or green, and some are even striped? Not all are round. Some are flat or plum- or pear-shaped. They can be as small as a pea or as large as a man's clenched fist.

Tomatoes contain vitamins A, C, and E, as well as potassium, calcium, and mineral salts. Researchers are discovering that they are also an excellent source of lycopene, a powerful antioxidant, which, it is suggested, lowers the risk of certain illnesses, such as cancer and heart disease. Tomatoes are 93 to 95 percent water, and weight watchers will be glad to know that they are very low in calories.

6. Raw Spinach

We all know that eating spinach made Popeye super strong, but you may be surprised to learn that he may also have been protecting himself against osteoporosis, heart disease, colon cancer, arthritis, and other diseases at the same time.

Researchers have identified at least 13 different flavonoid compounds in spinach that function as antioxidants and as anti-cancer agents. Spinach is low in calories and fat. It is loaded with vitamin A, C, K and E. It also contains calcium, folate and of course iron.

7. Tofu

Tofu is mild, delicate, and almost tasteless. Therefore, tofu can be used in a wide variety of ways. Tofu enhances dressings, sauces, salads, soups, egg dishes, dairy substitutes, casseroles, and, of course, Oriental cuisine. Tofu is "cholesterol-free and low in saturated fats."

The World Book Encyclopedia further highlights the soybean's worth by stating: "It has more protein than beef, more calcium than milk, and more of a fatty substance called lecithin than eggs. . . . Soybeans also are rich in vitamins, minerals, and amino acids."

Soybeans rank among the highest in plant food protein, and since tofu is made from soybeans, it is an excellent source of protein. 

Soy protein has been found to have great benefit reducing cardiovasticular issues.

The estrogenic compounds in tofu from soy protein helps reduce cholesterol in our bodies and are tissue specific which have no effect the reproductive organs. 

8. Cauliflower

Of course, cauliflower is an excellent source of fibre, which helps to improve colon health and can even help prevent cancer. And, most recently, it has been discovered that cauliflower, as well as other cruciferous vegetables, such as brussel sprouts and cabbage, contain indole-3-carbinol, a substance that can affect the metabolism of estrogen in the body, and prevent breast and other female cancers.

Cauliflower and other cruciferous vegetables, such as broccoli, cabbage, and kale, contain compounds that may help prevent cancer. These compounds appear to stop enzymes from activating cancer-causing agents in the body, and they increase the activity of enzymes that disable and eliminate carcinogens.

9. Whole Potatoes

Potatoes are a fair source of vitamin C. One medium-size baked potato has about 15 milligrams of vitamin C. The A and B vitamins are also present. Iron, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus and potassium are some of the mineral contributions of the potato.

According to the volume The Complete Book of Food and Nutrition, by J. I. Rodale, potatoes "contain so many minerals and vitamins that they are quite capable of sustaining life over a period of time, even if no other food at all is available."

To preserve the largest possible amount of vitamins and minerals it is recommended boiling potatoes in their jackets. Rodale claims that "pressure cooking and baking destroys only a little of these food elements," it adds. But "paring the potatoes, then boiling them, results in a 47 per cent loss of vitamin C. Mashing such potatoes then destroys another 10 per cent."

10. Raw Carrot

Use carrot sticks in the place of or in addition to green salads for dinner or when having a party. If you have a vegetable juicer you no doubt are already acquainted with the pleasure and benefit derived from drinking carrot juice. Carrots serve as well as celery sticks, and some like them even better. One average-size carrot will give you all of that vitamin you need for one day.

Your body needs vitamin A for strengthening the eyesight, and to help to ward off infections in the throat and in the urinary tract. Carrots contain significant amounts of vitamins B2 and C as well as iron, phosphorus, chlorine and calcium.

For weight watchers it is a comfort to know that a medium-size carrot has but twenty-one calories - that's simply amazing!

Carrots are loaded with fibre, which helps prevent that sugar from rushing into the bloodstream and causing a spike in your insulin level. Carrots are virtually the only dietary source of FALCARINOL, a compound that has been shown to reduce colon-cancer risk in animal studies. Along with its cousin beta, the ALPHA-CAROTENE in carrots tackles tumour-triggering cells, as well.

Alpha and beta don't get all the glory - other carotenoids found in carrots, including LUTEIN and BETA-CRYPTOXANTHIN, are known for helping you breathe easier and improving overall lung strength and function. Hefty doses of vitamin K in carrots work to build strong bones and promote rapid blood clotting.

11. Artichokes

Artichokes are nutrient dense and contain 16 essential nutrients. Yet, only 50 calories!

They contain magnesium, chromium, zinc, manganese, potassium, phosphorous, iron, calcium, fibre, Vitamin C. Artichokes are a good source of folate. Artichoke contains a compound called cynaropicrin, which accounts for its characteristic bitter taste.

Another substance in artichokes, cynarin, promotes bile flow and enhances liver function. The globe brings blood to the liver and supports regeneration. It also reduces blood fats, including cholesterol, and effectively treats gallstones--benefits that make it a valuable therapy for treating obesity.

One study showed significant reductions in total cholesterol (12.2 percent) and triglycerides (5.7 percent) with artichoke extract. Subjects in this study also lost weight. A newer study involving artichoke extract produced a significant reduction of cholesterol and an 11 percent improvement in general well-being in 12 weeks. Artichokes stimulate the sweetness receptors in the taste buds in some people, making foods eaten with them also taste sweet.

12. Broccoli

Broccoli is extremely nutritious. It's loaded with vitamins and has many health benefits. Broccoli is nutrient dense and it's low in calories, one cup is only 45 calories. It contains Vitamins C, K, A, B6, B2, E, B1, B3, B5, folate, manganese, fibre, tryptohphan, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, protein, omega 3 fatty acids, iron, calcium, and zinc.

Broccoli is high in fibre, which helps maintain a healthy gastrointestinal (GI) tract. It also helps in the reduction of cholesterol levels in the blood. It contains large amounts of calcium. This helps prevent osteoporosis. Calcium promotes healthy bones as well as helps speed fat burn. It also slows down the body's production of cortisol, a stress hormone. This has been connected to stomach fat and food cravings.