If you have paid close attention to your chemistry lessons during school, you will be familiar with the concept of acid and alkali. If not, then here's a quick brush up: Acids are basically aqueous solutions that have a pH level of less than 7.0 whereas alkalis have a pH level of more than 7.0, water being the neutral component with a pH of 7.0. In simpler terms, acids are sour in taste and corrosive in nature, whereas alkalis are elements that neutralise acids.

During the process of digestion, our stomach secretes gastric acids, which help in breaking down food. The stomach has a pH balance which ranges from 2.0 to 3.5, which is highly acidic but necessary for the process of digestion. However, sometimes, due to unhealthy lifestyle and food habits, the acidic level in the body goes haywire, leading to acidity, acid refluxes and other gastric ailments. If you review the daily diet of most urban dwellers, it contains large amounts of acidic foods such as burger, samosa, pizza, rolls, cheese sandwiches, sausages, bacon, kebabs, colas, doughnuts, pastries, etc - which in the long run can hamper the acidic balance in the stomach. These foods when broken down leaves behind residues that are referred to as acid ash, the main cause of your tummy troubles.

Ingredients that are acidic in nature when digested by the body are meats, dairy products, eggs, certain whole grains, refined sugars and processed food items. It is important to note that an ingredient's acid or alkaline forming tendency in the body has nothing to do with the actual pH of the food itself. Citrus fruits are acidic in nature, but citric acid actually has an alkalising effect in our body.

Alkaline foods are important so as to bring about a balance. Like all experts and doctors have been saying for years, we should have a balanced meal with a good mix of everything, rather than restraining ourselves to have only a certain category of food items. Alkaline foods therefore help in countering the risks of acidity and acid refluxes, bringing some sort of relief. Most traditional Indian meals contain alkaline food items to create a balanced diet. If you have ever tried a typical Assamese lunch, it always starts with a dish called Khar. Khar also refers to the main ingredient in the dish, which is an alkali extracted from the peels of a banana varietal known as Bhim Kol. The peels are dry roasted and preserved, and before preparing the dish, are soaked in warm water to obtain a brownish filtrate which is then used in cooking. The dish can be made with different ingredients, but the one made with raw papaya is most cherished, known as Amitar Khar. If raw papaya isn't available then cabbage or squash is used as well. Sometimes, a fried fish head is scrambled into the dish during the later stages of the cooking process. Khar is believed to be good for the stomach, easing digestion.

Alkaline Foods for Your Daily Diet

If you have been indulging in excessive red meat, processed and junk food, it's about time you included some alkaline food in your diet. Here's a list to get you started -

1. Green Leafy Vegetables

Most green leafy vegetables are said to have an alkaline effect in our system. It is not without reason that our elders and health experts always advise us to include greens in our daily diet. They contain essential minerals which are necessary for the body to carry out various functions. Try including spinach, lettuce, kale, celery, parsley, argula and mustard greens in your meals.

2. Cauliflower and Broccoli

If you love sautéed broccoli in Asian spices or gobi matar, they are both good for you. They contain several phytochemicals that are essential for your body. Toss it up with other veggies like capsicum, beans and green peas and you have your health dose right there.

3. Citrus Fruits

Contrary to the belief that citrus fruits are highly acidic and would have an acidic effect on the body, they are the best source of alkaline foods. Lemon, lime and oranges are loaded with Vitamin C and are known to help in detoxifying the system, including providing relief from acidity and heart burn.

4. Seaweed and Sea Salt

Did you know that seaweed or sea vegetables have 10-12 times more mineral content than those grown on land? They are also considered to be highly alkaline food sources and are known to bring about various benefits to the body system. You can tip in nori or kelp into your bowl of soup or stir-fries or make sushi at home. Or just sprinkle some sea salt into your salads, soups, omelette, etc.

5. Root Vegetables

Root vegetables like sweet potato, taro root, lotus root, beets and carrots are great sources of alkali. They taste best when roasted with a little sprinkling of spices and other seasonings. Most often, they are overcooked which makes them lose out all their goodness. Pay attention while cooking and you will fall in love with root veggies as you learn to include them in soups, stir-fries, salads and more.

6. Seasonal Fruits

Every nutritionist and health expert will tell you that adding seasonal fruits in your daily diet can prove to be beneficial to your health. They come packed with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that take care of various functions in the body. They are good alkaline food sources too, especially kiwi, pineapple, persimmon, nectarine, watermelon, grapefruit, apricots and apples.

7. Nuts

Love to munch on nuts when hunger pangs kick in? Besides being sources of good fats, they also produce an alkaline effect in the body. However, since they are high in calories, it is important to have limited quantities of nuts. Include cashews, chestnuts and almonds in your daily meal plan.

8. Onion, Garlic and Ginger

Among the most important ingredients in Indian cooking, onion, garlic and ginger are great flavour enhancers too. You can use them in numerous other ways - garlic to spruce up your morning toast, grated ginger in your soup or tea, freshly sliced onions in salads, etc.

Now that you have this list of alkaline food sources, try and include them in your diet to make the most of their incredible benefit.

By now, about 80 percent of us have long since given up on our New Year’s resolutions. However, as the warmer months approach, we might get back on the diet we abandoned to shed some pounds in time for summer. The alkaline diet—touted by the likes of athletes who have stayed in the game well past their prime—is one of the latest in a trend of popular nutritional regimens.

The idea behind the alkaline diet is that you must “alkalize” your body through the foods you eat to offset acids in your body. Excess acidity, according to proponents, is at the root of numerous health conditions, from acne to cancer. However, different parts of our bodies have different levels of acidity to perform their natural functions. For example, the stomach is extremely acidic to help us digest our food.

While the diet promotes adopting healthy eating habits, like eating more fruit and veggies, the science behind some of its claims is flawed. Below are the truths that debunk some of the alkaline diet’s assertions.

Proponents of this diet wrongly attribute blood acidity to the foods we eat. For humans to survive, our blood pH has to rest between 7.35 and 7.45. Values either below or above this range would kill us. Our body maintains a neutral pH around 7.4 through natural bodily functions, such as breathing and urinating. No matter how much acidic food you are eating, you won’t just enter into respiratory or metabolic acidosis without there being something wrong with the body.

So, eating acidic foods like fish or lemons will not make your blood pH suddenly become acidic. Lemons and other sour fruits are a great source of vitamins and minerals. They also function as a great, low-calorie way to add flavor to water or vegetables.

Just because your urine is acidic, it does not mean that your blood is. Remember, our blood has to remain pretty stable to keep us alive. What we eat and drink impacts the acidity of our urine—think about it in the same way that our poop can change smell, color and consistency, depending on what we consume.

The stomach, for example, is a very acidic environment. Its acids help facilitate protein breakdown for digestion. Stomach acid also prevents harmful bacteria and organisms from entering our intestines and making us sick.

The alkaline diet warns wary dieters to abstain from most protein, even plant-based protein, such as beans, legumes and grains, and lean animal-based protein because of their “acidic-load.”

Though high amounts might give you a case of bad breath, protein is beneficial for muscle growth and weight loss. It also helps you feel fuller after a meal. In appropriate amounts, protein actually helps you excrete acid. The daily recommended amount of protein depends on certain factors, including a person’s gender, lean body mass and activity level. Consult with your primary care provider or registered dietitian for more information.

You know something is a little shady when a diet tells you to shy away from nutrient-packed plants. “Nightshade” plants, like tomatoes, peppers and eggplants, are part of the Solanaceae plant family. And just because some bad apple—or should I say, plants—in the family are poisonous, it doesn’t mean all of them are. All of the fear simply comes from this confusion.

Now, parts of some nightshade plants, like tomato leaves, can be toxic to humans. The answer is just do not eat the plant’s leaves or stems, but rather to eat the fruit or vegetable itself. I mean, how often are you going to the grocery store and asking for a bag of tomato leaves?

Your body gets much-needed nutrients from eating some nightshade plants:

• Peppers: vitamins C, E and A, folate, potassium
• Tomatoes: lycopene, potassium and vitamins C and K
• Eggplants: potassium, manganese, vitamins C and K

An overall healthy diet, which includes acidic foods, can help reduce inflammation and reduce risk for major diseases that have been linked to chronic inflammation.

Some foods do contribute to inflammation and should be limited in your diet. These include refined carbohydrates, such as white breads and pastries, fried foods and sugar-sweetened beverages. You should also limit your consumption of red meat and other processed meats. These meats, when consumed in excess, can also contribute to weight gain, which itself increases inflammation.

There are a few things that I like about the alkaline diet. The main benefit is the promotion of more fruit and vegetable consumption. So load those up on your plate! I also like that the alkaline diet encourages people to cut back on refined sugar and processed meats.

There is much research demonstrating the benefit of a whole food, plant-based diet in overall health and disease prevention. So don’t feel inclined toward the alkaline and get a variety of nutrient-packed plants into your diet.

If you want reliable advice online, search for dieting tips on reputable websites. The American Heart Association, the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion and the American Diabetes Association provide accurate information. These sites are peer-reviewed and have a more balanced approach. They also tend to align with recommendations by most health professionals.

It is equally important to discuss any dieting plans with your primary health care provider.