Category Archives: vegetables

How To Get More Veggies Into Your Diet

by vegetables, vegetarian

Vegetables and whole foods are classic ingredients for a healthy diet. Most of us do not eat nearly enough, leaving us deficient in fiber and important nutrients. Integrating vegetables into daily recipes and menus for a family can be challenging if you're used to the standard meat-and-potatoes diet. Here's how to liven up your mealtimes with vegetables and whole foods that everyone will enjoy.

Make Superb Soups

Soup is cheap and very easy to make. When made with bone broth it's even better because the broth adds vitamins and minerals to the soup. Blending in a variety of vegetables is an ideal way to get more vitamins into your diet. Soups are great for using up old vegetables, and they also freeze well. Mix in a few extra lentils to bulk out the soup, and you have a hearty meal full of goodness on a cold day.

One-Pot Wonders

A one-pot meal is perfect for a supper dish, and adding vegetables is an excellent way of getting more fiber and vitamins in the diet. Try a tasty stew or curry which are simple to put together. Or, go for a Moroccan tagine, which is bursting with flavors and has dried fruits as well as vegetables within the dish. Don't forget to make double portions so you can freeze the surplus, saving you time in the kitchen.

Make a Colorful Plate

One of the great things about vegetables is the color. Instead of a meat and potato-colored plate of food, go for a variety of colors in the meal. You can even get kids to eat as many different colors as they can. Salads also look great with colorful vegetables, such as red radishes and tomatoes, yellow pepper and orange carrot. Add quinoa as a protein accompaniment, and you have a nutritious meal.

Get Organized with Packed Lunches

Being prepared with packed lunches saves money and avoids snacking on sugary food. Store lunches in the refrigerator overnight and take them to work or school the next day.  Pack the portions into lunch boxes and you have a cheap lunch full of vegetables to enjoy. Alternatively, chop some celery, carrot, and pepper the evening before and use them in a hummus dip for lunchtime. You can add grated carrot or chopped celery to a sandwich and take some vegetable sticks to work as a snack to enjoy on a break. If you take a salad to work, consider making a salad in a jar for a quick and easy delicious lunch that's got a lot of veggies.

Salad In A Jar
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Ingredients
  1. 1-4 T. dressing (lemon juice and extra virgin olive oil plus herbs is great)
  2. Then firm veggies (carrots, celery, jicama, etc)
  3. Then proteins (tuna, cooked egg, diced leftover chicken, etc)
  4. Then soft veggies (zucchini, avocado, cucumbers, etc)
  5. Then nuts and seeds salad greens (add a lot, stuff them in there)
  6. To serve the salad turn it over back and empty it onto a plate or into a bowl
  7. Dressing will wind up on top, coating your salad.
Instructions
  1. These can be made 3-5 days worth at a time for a quick grab-and-go lunch
The Ingredient Guru, Mira Dessy https://theingredientguru.com/

 

Have a Meat-Free Day

Going at least one day a week without eating meat allows you to be creative with using a variety of vegetables and whole foods. A vegetable curry can be made with carrot, eggplant, and other vegetables but can be bulked out with chickpeas or lentils. Try a stir-fry with corn, mushrooms, and peppers or create a tasty salad with whole grains and a variety of vegetables.

Create Some Juices

Vegetables in juices can taste surprisingly good and are an excellent way to increase your vitamin uptake. They can be mixed with fruits or combined with other vegetables to make a variety of drinks. Try mixing kale or carrots to create a range of colorful juices to enjoy with breakfast. While there is some controversy over the juicing versus smoothies issue I believe there's room for both. Juicing can add a lot of enzymes and nutrients to the diet, especially beneficial when you've been eating away from home or “off plan.” 

Grow Your Own

One of the best ways to get kids and fussy eaters to eat more vegetables is to get them to grown their own. Salads, tomatoes, beans and many other vegetables can be grown in just a few square feet of dirt. Many can even be grown in a pot for container gardening. Adding a few herbs gives you a choice of flavors for salads and cooking. Anything homegrown is sure to look good on a plate and taste even better.

By taking a few simple steps your vegetable intake will increase with very little effort and you'll enjoy some fabulous flavors.

Oven Dried Tomatoes

by questions, tomatoes, vegetables

Sam writes and asks, “We have a bunch of beefsteak tomatoes that my sister wants dried. We have a gas oven but no dehydrator. What is the best way to do this?”

You can dry or dehydrate foods in the oven and tomatoes do very well when preserved this way.  The first thing to do is figure out if you want your oven-dried tomatoes in slices or in sections (i.e., slicing into quarters or eighths).

1. Start by washing the fruit well and discarding any that is over-ripe or bruised.  

An easy way to wash it is to put the tomatoes in the sink, fill it with water and add approximately 1/2 cup of vinegar plus the juice of 1/2 lemon per gallon.

2. Drain the fruit well and core it before slicing.

3. Preheat your oven to 200 degrees F.

4. Prep your “drying tray” by placing cooling racks (fine mesh ones work best but the others will still work) on top of cookie sheets.  

This will allow maximum air circulation around the tomatoes and help them to dry faster.  In case you're interested this is also how I cook bacon in order to avoid bacon grease splatter all over the stovetop [20 minutes at 325].

5. Slice your tomatoes. 

If you are going to dry your tomatoes in sections you'll need to pierce the skin in a few places to make sure all of the moisture can get out during the drying process. I find that when dehydrating tomatoes it goes faster and works better if I remove most of the seeds and the pulp.  That's a personal choice though, some people like the seeds in it.  If you're removing the seeds this is the time to do so.

6. Gently toss them with a little bit of olive oil and then arrange them on the cooling racks.  Lightly sprinkle with sea salt or minced herbs if desired.  

7. Bake. 

This is where it gets a bit tricky. How long to cook them for.  Well, that depends.  On how thickly they are cut, on how juicy they are, on the ambient humidity, and how dry you want them.  If you're looking for serious long-term storage it will probably take at least 8 hours.  You want the tomatoes to be very reduced in size, with curled-up edges and almost leathery looking.  They need to still be a bit flexible, you don't want to dehydrate them until they are brittle.

In order to use your oven-dried tomatoes, you'll need to rehydrate them for about 20-30 minutes in liquid. You can use either warm water, broth, wine, or even olive oil.  These amazing veggie treasures can be used in soups, chopped for salad topping, added to meatloaf, used to create an intense flavor in sauces, the variety of uses is only limited by your palate and your imagination.

September - cholesterol awareness month

September Is Cholesterol Awareness Month – Part 2

by fish, health, oats, tomatoes, Uncategorized, vegetables

More about cholesterol

In part one of this series of articles for Cholesterol Awareness Month, you learned some of the important facts you need to know about cholesterol and how it can affect your health.  In part two you're going to learn about some healthy foods to add to your diet which can help to reduce cholesterol and support better overall health.

Good for you food choices

Let's start by remembering that if a label says the product is low-fat or fat-free this often means it's been adulterated with chemicals that are probably not good for your health.  For optimal health it's important to avoid a highly processed SAD (Standard American Diet) plan and instead eat real, whole foods which are delicious as well as nutritious.

Omega 3 fatty acids

These are excellent for heart health.  Unfortunately, the modern/SAD diet tends to be very high in omega 6s and does not include nearly enough omega 3s 

  • cold water fatty fish: salmon, tuna steak, arctic char, mackerel, cod/sablefish, haddock, herring, anchovy, and sardines.
  • walnuts
  • flax seeds and chia seeds

While you do need omega 6 fatty acids in the diet, many people are getting too much of this and not as many of the omega 3's.  Plus certain omega 6s should be avoided; these are typically found in:

  • soybean oil
  • corn oil
  • canola oil
  • peanuts and peanut oil 
  • safflower oil
  • sunflower oil
  • grapeseed oil

Fiber

Adding fiber to your diet is a great idea not only for cardiac health but also for gut health.  A higher fiber diet will help to form bulk for your stools and also provides prebiotics, the food that the probiotics in your gut need to live.  

  • Whole grains such as buckwheat, quinoa, and oatmeal (old-fashioned rolled oats, oat groats, or steel-cut, NOT instant)
  • Legumes – beans, lentils, chickpeas

Note: if you're not used to eating fiber start slow as too much can cause intestinal distress.  

Olive oil 

A delicious way to cook, dress salads, or create a dipping sauce, olive oil is a heart-healthy food that you want to make sure is part of your pantry.  Be sure to choose extra virgin, cold-pressed olive oil as many “light” olive oils are highly processed and don't have the same benefits.

Vegetables

Sadly these days most people think that salad counts as a vegetable.  But what they're really eating is nutritionally deficient iceberg lettuce with a few pieces of other vegetables, croutons, candy-coated nuts, or dried fruit, and drowned in chemically laden, high-calorie dressing.  

If you're going to have some vegetables I want to encourage you to choose real vegetables packed with nutrients.   Colorful, tasty, and good-for-you choices include:

  • avocados (high in monounsaturated fats)
  • brassicas – broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage and Brussels sprouts(high in fiber and phytonutrients)
  • tomatoes (lycopene is great for reducing LDL)
  • sweet potatoes (high in beta-carotene and fiber)

Polyphenols

Found in a number of delicious foods this category of antioxidants is highly supportive of heart health and a very delicious way to support lowering your cholesterol.  

  • Green tea
  • Red wine
  • Grape juice
  • Cocoa products (such as dark chocolate or cocoa powder) – due to caffeine and/or sugars these need to be eaten in moderation

How much to eat

The following are appropriate serving sizes for the foods referenced above. Food journaling is a good way to monitor how much and when you are eating so you can build your nutritional plan to incorporate more of these foods:

Protein – 6-8 ounces of animal protein / 12-24 ounces of vegetable protein
Leafy Greens – 3-4 cups per day
Colorful veggies – 2-3 cups per day
Complex Carbs – .5-1.5 whole grains / 2-3 medium root vegetables
Fruit – .5-1.5 cups
Booster foods – 2-4 tablespoons (seaweeds, greens powders, nutritional yeast, seeds, spices, and herbs)
Liquids – 1-3 cups per day (nourishing broth, green tea)

note: 3 tablespoons = 1 teaspoon

Don't forget to check out the other articles in this series

If you enjoyed this article join The Ingredient Guru Community to get the ingredients for living a healthy life.

What’s In Season

by fruit, seasons, Uncategorized, vegetables

We're about to shift seasons again.  That means a whole new influx of fresh fruits and vegetables that are typically grown at this time of year.  While many of us are able to afford to eat whatever we want whenever we want it, we miss out by not eating seasonally.  By choosing to eat produce when it grows we are often able to get food that is more nutritious, that tastes better, and potentially is grown closer to home.

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Five Fabulous Fall Foods

by fruit, seasons, vegetables

Summer, that season of fresh salads, greens, berries, and melons all bursting with healthful vitamins and nutrients, has passed. Autumn, however, also please our palates, providing us with different gifts of nature. There are many seasonal fruits and vegetables, which are just as tasty as summer while delivering different health benefits. Here are some fabulous fall foods (depending on your location) and their health benefits.

Tomatoes – This berry provides high lycopene content, that rare plant pigment which imparts their red color to tomatoes and other fruits . According to several studies lycopene can prevent cancer, lower cholesterol, and appears to protect us from harmful ultraviolet radiation. In addition to lycopene, tomatoes are high in potassium, fiber and vitamin C, helps to strengthen the immune system before the influenza season.

Cabbage – High in fiber, which supports digestion, can lower cholesterol, and provides cardio-protective benefits, cabbage is also rich in antioxidants which can protect the body against many types of cancer (including breast, prostate and ovarian cancers). Another benefit of this versatile benefit is that cabbage juice has long been known for it's healing effects on stomach ulcers.

Persimmon – Another berry, persimmons are high in fiber, and antioxidants. They also provide vitamins A, C, D, iron, potassium, calcium, copper, magnesium, manganese, and iodine. Persimmons can provide a fair number of health benefits from lowering blood pressure to being cardioprotective to it's anti-tumor benefits. However, persimmons are also high in glucose and sucrose making them a poor choice for those suffering from diabetes.

Turnips – A root vegetable containing potassium, magnesium, sulfur, iron, sodium, iodine and manganese, turnips are anti-cancerous while their high fiber content make them a great choice to lower cholesterol and support a healthy digestive system. One of the great things about turnips are that you can eat the greens as well as the roots, making them a versatile food to add to your diet. And those greens are just as loaded with nutrients as the roots, containing vitamins A, C, K, and folate. Turnip greens are even high in calcium making them a good choice to support bone health.

Beetroot – Another root vegetable which has edible greens, beets are highly anti-inflammatory and support detoxification in the body. Beetroot is high in folate, manganese, fiber, potassium, and vitamin C while the greens are a great source of lutein and zeaxanthin, two phytonutrients which are especially supportive of eye health. While almost all products can be found in stores throughout the year, for freshness and higher nutritional content it is important to eat seasonally.

Adding these autumnal foods to your diet is not only tasty and easy, it's also good for you.

Korah Morrison has been working as a freelance writer for over 2 years. She writes essays on various topics at Essay-Point.com and loves her work.

photo:  Jean-Pol Grandmont

Un-Stuffed Cabbage Casserole

by recipes, vegetables, ,

This post, and delicious recipe, are from my friend Robin Horn over at Seasonal Eating.  A foodie from a very young age, Robin lives in Santa Cruz, California, and is a proponent of seasonal eating and CSAs.  

Cabbage is coming into season and there are so many delicious ways to serve it.  While I love stuffed cabbage I confess that the time it takes to make all those little rolls (especially compared to how quickly they get scarfed down) is somewhat of a deterrent.  This seems like a tasty solution, and since it makes 12 servings it would be great for a big family gathering (or for delicious leftovers).

Someday I will make stuffed cabbage leaves, the delicious galumkis that my mother and grandmother used to make…sort of. The family recipe was never written down, so this is a project for when time, patience, and creativity are simultaneously expanded.

In the meantime, working on my cooking goal of exploring my Polish cooking roots, I found a Weight Watchers stuffed cabbage casserole, and set out to make a no-beef, more easily prepared version.

Because the original recipe had a number of cabbage leaves wrapped around one mound of filling, it was tricky to cut and serve—and to fill in the first place. So, I simply chopped all of the cabbage and put half in the filling and half beneath the filling, where all the juices from the filling drip down deliciously.

I topped the filling with a thin tomato sauce. Originally I tried a layer of cabbage on the top, but the tomato sauce dried out instead of flavoring the cabbage. So I replaced this layer with a few thin cabbage strips. The meat and rice filling right below the tomato sauce draw the tomato flavor down into the casserole because the uncooked rice is “thirsty.”

While not as time-consuming as stuffed cabbage leaves, there are many steps in this recipe and it must cook for 1½  hours. Just like stuffed cabbage, the leaves must be precooked. Save time by having two people chop veggies, measure and mix meat filling ingredients,  make the sauce, and assemble the layers.

You can use lean ground beef in this recipe if you prefer. I added paprika from my family recipe. You could choose various herbs, garlic powder, and/or a hint of cayenne. If you’re braver than I am, you can blend the meat mixture with your hands, like my Mom did. It’s faster, and if I’d had some latex gloves, I would have tried it.

 
Note from Mira:  I find it's simple to mix meat mixtures like this in my blender.  And since I'm often working with cold ingredients I don't get that chilled effect on my hands which I find unpleasant.

 

Un-Stuffed Cabbage Casserole

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Servings 12

Ingredients
  

  • 2 ½ lbs. cabbage
  • 1 lb. ground turkey
  • 2/3 cup shredded carrot
  • ½ cup minced onion
  • ½ cup brown rice
  • ½ tsp. salt
  • 1½ tbsp. paprika
  • 1 large egg
  • 1¼ cup chicken or veggie broth
  • 24 oz jar tomato sauce
  • 2 tbsp. wine vinegar
  • 2 tsp. sugar
  • olive oil for greasing pan

Instructions
 

  • Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
    Remove 3 outer leaves from cabbage to make the strips of cabbage for the topping. 
    Cut remaining cabbage into quarters without removing core.
    Boil each quarter cabbage in water until tender, about 5 minutes. 
    Drain well and cool. 
    Chop cabbage quarters into ½ inch dice, discarding cores. 
    Boil the 3 cabbage leaves in water 3 - 4 minutes, until tender. 
    Remove with slotted spoon, drain and cool. 
    Cut out rib and make ½ inch strips of soft parts. 
    Dice ribs with quarter cabbages.
  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  • Put ground turkey into bowl and break up into pieces with wooden spatula. 
    Mix in carrot, onion, rice, salt, and paprika. 
    Beat egg together with ¼ cup broth till smooth. 
    Add this mixture and ½ cup tomato sauce to meat mixture and beat till evenly blended.
    Mix in half of the cooked chopped cabbage evenly. To make the sauce, combine the remaining tomato sauce with wine vinegar and sugar.
  • Lightly oil a 9” x 14” baking pan. 
    Spread the remaining half of the cabbage in the bottom of the pan. 
    Pour the remaining (1) cup of broth around the edges of the pan. 
    Spoon on the meat mixture. 
    Smooth out with a rubber spatula to make an even layer. 
  • Place the cabbage strips across the top, leaving space between them.
    Pour tomato sauce over top of meat mixture and cabbage strips and spread into even layer.
  • Bake for 1½  hours. 
    Let stand at least 20 minutes before serving so liquid is absorbed.

Swiss Chard Two Ways

by recipes, vegetables, vegetarian

The other night I picked the last of my Swiss chard from our garden for dinner. It's one of my favorite dark leafy green vegetables. Antioxidant-rich, loaded with vitamins K, A, and C, Swiss chard also provides a healthy dose of magnesium.

Often when we eat it I make simple sauteed greens. This time, however, I wanted to do something different and came up with these two recipes, using the entire leaf. 

Although most people throw out the stems, they are delicious and can be cooked in a variety of ways. These are the two recipes I created using all of the Swiss chard. I can't wait to plant more and enjoy this again.

Braised Carrots and Swiss Chard Stems

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Ingredients
  

  • ½ onion, diced
  • 8 carrots, sliced into ½ inch pieces
  • Stems from Swiss chard, cut into ½ inch pieces
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • ¼ cup water
  • Sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Instructions
 

  • In a large pan melt butter
  • Saute onions until starting to turn golden color
  • Add carrots and Swiss chard stems
  • Stir to coat with butter
  • Add water and bring to a boil
  • Reduce heat and cover
  • Cook until carrots are tender (about 15 minutes)
  • Add salt and pepper to taste

Creamed Swiss Chard

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Ingredients
  

  • Large bunch of Swiss chard
  • ½ cup boiling water
  • ½ onion, diced
  • 1 clove garlic, pressed
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • ½ cup organic sour cream
  •  ½ cup organic whole milk
  • sea salt and fresh ground nutmeg to taste

Instructions
 

  • Trim stems from Swiss chard
  • Cut leaves into 1” pieces
  • Wilt in boiling water until limp
  • In a large saucepan melt butter
  • Saute onions and garlic until onions start to turn golden color
  • Whisk sour cream and milk together
  • Pour over onions and heat until just starting to bubble
  • Add wilted Swiss chard leaves
  • Bring to a boil, stirring frequently
  • Reduce heat to just under boiling
  • Cook 5-7 minutes until sauce thickens slightly
  • Add sea salt and fresh ground nutmeg to taste

Cucumbers

by pickles, recipes, vegetables,

I've picked what I believe is the last cucumber of year from my garden.  The heat and the lessening rain have done a number on the plant which is shriveling and not likely to produce any more fruit.  Of course, there are also no more blossoms, another pretty good indicator.

Although we treat them like a vegetable, cucumbers are actually a fruit, related to melons like cantaloupe.  High in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory, cucumbers are a good source of vitamin K which is important to help the body properly utilize vitamin D.

Refreshing, hydrating, and delicious, cucumbers can be prepared a number of different ways, used raw in salads, creamy salads (such as raita or tzatziki), or pickled.

One of my absolute favorite ways to eat them is as a refrigerator pickle because in season I just keep throwing more cucumbers into the jar.  They only need to sit for a few days to be ready to eat.  It's important to remember that because these are not hot water bathed, they will not last outside the refrigerator and even stored in the refrigerator are probably not good to keep for more than two weeks,  I confess I eat them so quickly when I make them that I'm not really sure how long they would last.

cucumber pickles

Refrigerator Cucumber Pickles

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Ingredients
  

  • 1/2 gallon jar - sterilized
  • 2 cups raw, unfiltered apple cider vinegar
  • 6 cups of water
  • 1/2 cup pickling salt
  • 1 bunch fresh dill
  • 3-4 cloves garlic cut in half
  • 1 small vidalia onion, peeled and sliced - optional
  • Don't forget the cucumbers

Instructions
 

  • In a medium pan combine vinegar, water and salt
  • Bring to a slow boil, stirring until salt is completely dissolved
  • Remove from heat and let cool completely
  • Add remaining ingredients including onion slices if desired
  • Wash and prepare cucumbers by cutting into slices or spears
  • Put as many as will fit into jar and still be submerged
  • Let sit 2-3 days before eating

Roasted Corn Salad

by recipes, salad, vegetables,

I love summer and summer food.  For me, there is nothing better on a hot day than a quick simple barbecue with lots of tasty side salads.  My sister-in-law is a genius at the side salad thing, probably because she grew up in Texas where all my friends seem to be good at that.   Me?  Well, it's a learned thing, mostly started by her generous gift of two cookbooks loaded with salad recipes.

This is my latest creation.  It was late by the time we ate and I was too hungry to stop and get out the camera.  When I remembered to take this picture there was, I kid you not, only three spoonfuls of salad left.  That's how good it is.  The general family consensus is that it's a keeper.  Hope you think it is too.

Roasted Corn Salad

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Ingredients
  

  • 3 ears of corn
  • 1 red bell pepper diced
  • 3 spring onions, cleaned and diced
  • 1/2 cup celery diced
  • 1 clove garlic, pressed
  • 1 small bunch of cilantro minced
  • 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 small lime juiced
  • sea salt and pepper to taste

Instructions
 

  • Shuck the corn and cook in a pot of water until just starting to boil
  • Remove from the water, pat dry and place on a medium high grill
  • Turn corn occasionally to prevent burning (although my guinea pigs family says the darker bits are tasty too)
  • When corn is slightly browned all over remove from grill
  • Using a sharp knife remove kernels from cob and place into a bowl
  • Add bell pepper, spring onions, celery, garlic, and cilantro
  • Mix well
  • In a separate container whisk together olive oil, lime juice, salt, and pepper
  • Pour dressing over corn salad and toss well to coat evenly



Should You Care About Alkaline Beverages?

by drinks, health, vegetables, vinegar, , ,
Because the first thing you drink every day is really important why not start with something that's going to be good for your health?
 
When working with clients, I regularly remind people to start their day with an alkalizing beverage.  This invariably brings up the question, "What is an alkalizing beverage and why do I need to drink it?"
 

Second question first. Your body does better when it is in a more alkaline state. If you happen to remember from your high school biology class, a pH of 7.0 is base or neutral. You should be somewhere between 7.2-7.4 in order to be healthy.  When your body is in a more acidic state you can potentially be prone to illness.  

 

Effects of PH imbalance 

 

Maintaining an acidic body state for a long period of time can cause a wide variety of illnesses such as headaches, inflammation, bloating, acne, hair or nails that break easily, and other symptoms.

Because the body seeks balance, if it is too acidic it will pull minerals from your bones and from muscle tissue.  Eventually, you can experience a significant depletion of minerals.

 

How to maintain PH balance

 

However, simply drinking alkalizing beverages isn't enough. You actually need to consume a more alkaline diet.

Our modern American diet tends to be highly acidic, especially when it's high in processed foods and animal products. So in order to shift away from high acidity, it's a good idea to include more alkalizing foods in your diet. 

Ideally, most people appear to do best when they consume a diet that is 60-70% alkalizing foods.  This includes:

In addition to making sure you add alkalizing foods to your diet, it can be a good idea to start the day with an alkalizing drink. 

However, it's important to know that just drinking alkaline water isn't going to alkalize your body.  Studies indicate that drinking alkaline water does not increase body pH.

That doesn't mean there aren't any benefits though.  Drinking naturally alkaline water may help decrease the enzyme that can cause acid reflux. Other research seems to indicate that drinking alkaline water may be beneficial for people with conditions such as diabetes, high cholesterol, and/or high blood pressure.

 

What is an alkalizing beverage? 

 

Rather than simply drinking alkaline water, consider having a glass of water with 1-2 tablespoons of lemon juice or raw apple cider vinegar. If you're not used to the tartness of either of these you may have to work up to it by starting with 1 teaspoon in a glass of water and increasing a teaspoon at a time.   

Adding a greens powder to water or a morning smoothie is another way to get an alkalizing beverage into your day.  Another option would be to drink kombucha or water kefir, either plain or adding a healthy slug to water glass.  This can be a great start to the day and one that has the added benefit of probiotics to further support gut health.

 

Vinegar and lemons are acidic so how can they be alkalizing?

 

 It's one of the odd properties of acid-alkaline balance.  Yes, we do consider them to be acidic however their ash, or residue after they have been broken down, is alkaline.  That makes them alkalizing food.  This alkalizing effect is also found with limes and grapefruits however not with oranges.

If you want to test to see whether your specific body state is more alkaline or more acidic you can purchase a First Morning Urine Ph Kit.These strips test either urine or saliva (urine is generally considered to be a better indicator).  If you are interested in changing your diet you could also consider getting a copy of The Joy in Living The Alkaline Way.  Both the pH Test Kit and the book are available online at Better Lab Tests Now. 

Simply enter the word Alkaline into the search bar to get a free copy of the book, order the test kit, plus find more information about alkalizing.

So yes, it's a good idea to start your day with an alkalizing beverage and drink for your health. And then evaluate your diet to add more alkalizing foods.

 

Sources

 

 

"Alkaline Water: Better Than Plain Water?". Mayo Clinic, 2021, https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/expert-answers/alkaline-water/faq-20058029. 

Koufman, Jamie A., and Nikki Johnston. "Potential Benefits Of Ph 8.8 Alkaline Drinking Water As An Adjunct In The Treatment Of Reflux Disease". Annals Of Otology, Rhinology & Laryngology, vol 121, no. 7, 2012, pp. 431-434. SAGE Publications, doi:10.1177/000348941212100702.

"Preliminary Observation On Changes Of Blood Pressure, Blood Sugar And Blood Lipids After Using Alkaline Ionized Drinking Water--《Shanghai Journal Of Preventive Medicine》2001年12期 ". En.Cnki.Com.Cn, 2021, http://en.cnki.com.cn/Article_en/CJFDTOTAL-SHYI200112005.htm.

Michelle Liew, B.A. "15 Signs Your Body Has Too High Acidity Levels And How To Fix It". Life Advancer, 2016, https://www.lifeadvancer.com/body-high-acidity-levels/.