Alkaline diet: What’s allowed and what’s not?

Purpose

Your body produces uric acid when it breaks down purines. Purines occur naturally in your body, but you also get them from eating certain foods, such as organ meats, anchovies, herring, asparagus and mushrooms.

This diet helps to control the production and elimination of uric acid, which may help prevent diseases incl cancer.

Diet details

This diet reduces your intake of foods that are high in purines, such as animal products, which helps control your body’s production of uric acid. The diet also limits alcohol, however, avoid fasting and rapid weight loss because these can promote acidity. Drink plenty of fluids to help flush uric acid from your body. Also avoid high-protein weight-loss diets, which can cause you to produce too much uric acid (hyperuricemia).

To follow the diet:

• Limit meat, poultry and fish. Animal proteins are high in purine. Avoid or severely limit high-purine foods, such as organ meats, herring, anchovies and mackerel. Red meat (beef, pork and lamb), fatty fish and seafood (tuna, shrimp, lobster and scallops) are associated with increased risk of acidity. Because all meat, poultry and fish contain purines, limit your intake to 4 to 6 ounces (113 to 170 grams) daily.
• Cut back on fat. Saturated fat lowers the body’s ability to eliminate uric acid. Choosing plant-based protein, such as beans and legumes, and low-fat or fat-free dairy products will help you cut down the amount of saturated fat in your diet. High-fat meals also contribute to obesity.
• Limit or avoid alcohol. Alcohol interferes with the elimination of uric acid from your body.. If you’re having an attack, avoid all alcohol.
• Limit or avoid foods sweetened with high-fructose corn syrup. Fructose is the only carbohydrate known to increase uric acid. It is best to avoid beverages sweetened with high-fructose corn syrup, such as soft drinks or juice drinks. Juices that are 100 percent fruit juice do not seem to stimulate uric acid production as much.
• Avoid foods containing gluten or refined sugars.
• Choose low-fat or fat-free dairy products
• Drink plenty of fluids, particularly water. Fluids can help remove uric acid from your body. Aim for 8 to 16 glasses a day. A glass is 8 ounces (237 milliliter).
• Allow yourself one espresso/cappucino/frappe at around 10am and avoid further caffeinated beverages the rest of the day. If you can drink as much green tea as you can which stimulates weight loss and decreases risk of chronic diseases.
• Choose foods naturally high in iodine like sea weed to help stimulate your thyroid naturally.
• Avoid soy products and products containing colourants, flavourants and preservatives. Stay away from products that contain E’s
• I.e. read all labels before eating stuff and where possible avoid anything that comes packaged as opposed to fresh product.