Put the Alkaline Diet to the Test
GAME-CHANGER OR ANOTHER MOLE TOWHACK?
NIGHTSHADES
Americans know a thing or two about diets. It seems like we’re constantly playing whack-a-mole with nutrition plans — as soon as we knock one down, two more pop up begging for their validity to be debunked. It can be more defeating than productive. Many of these nutrition plans come with promises of paradigm-altering revelations that will reshape your future. But most “new” diets are just slight variations of old plans with new names. With that said, an alkaline diet could be a game-changer that overthrows nutritional trends. Its adherents tout its ability to reduce inflammation and help you maintain a healthy weight. A few even go so far as to claim it can cure cancer, though there is no research to support this. Learn more about the alkaline diet, and decide if it’s right for you. Before you rule out this diet because it eliminates meat, it’s important to look at why. The plan focuses on eating alkaline foods (foods with a higher pH). Acidic foods (foods with a lower pH) negate the positive effects of an alkaline body. Meat is widely believed to promote acidity in the body, so the diet suggests avoiding all beef, poultry, and fish. MEAT
Alkalizing vegetables such as broccoli, turnips, cauliflower, kale, and spinach are pivotal to this diet. But things get tricky when you try to explain nightshades. Nightshades are a family of flowering plants that include potatoes, tomatoes, and peppers. Even though these are in fact alkalizing vegetables, they are thought to promote inflammation because they contain an inflammation- inducing alkaloid called solanine. Alkalinity has even gone all the way to water. You can now find bottled “alkaline water” fortified with calcium, silica, potassium, magnesium, and bicarbonate at the grocery store. It’s advertised as offering anti-aging properties and immune system support, and it claims to offer superior hydration and water retention. It’s important to understand that the basic and acidic nature of your food is really about the way it interacts with your body. There are plenty of acidic foods that actually promote alkalinity. Whether or not this diet will be one more mole that needs to be knocked down, we’ll have to wait and see. WATER
Take a Break!
SAUTÉED ZUCCHINI AND SQUASH WITH FETA
Zucchini and summer squash are arriving on grocery store shelves. Here is a great way to take these humble, delicious vegetables to the next level.This easy dish is perfect for early summer.
Ingredients
2 teaspoons fresh thyme 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese Salt and pepper to taste
1 zucchini 1 summer squash 1/2 medium red onion 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Directions
Season with salt and pepper; cook 4–5 minutes until squash barely begins to caramelize.
1. Cut zucchini into 1/4-inch- thick semicircles. Dice onion. 2. Heat a large skillet to medium high. Add olive oil, onion, and thyme. 3. Once onion is soft (about 2 minutes), add zucchini and squash.
4. Place in serving bowl and top with feta.
Recipe courtesy of LoveAndLemons.com
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