The alkaline diet is a topic of importance to numerous people. As you would expect, the first thing most people want to know about this kind of diet is whether or not it can help them to achieve and maintain a proper weight. In order to explain this question, let’s first talk about how diets work in general.
How does the alkaline diet–or any diet, for that matter–help you to burn fat? The answer boils down to calories in versus calories out. Practically any food can cause you to gain weight if you eat too much of it. It doesn’t matter whether we’re talking about greasy hamburgers, or a healthy salad loaded with avocados and walnut pieces–if you consume more calories than you expend, you’re going to gain weight.
Consequently, the downside of the alkaline diet is that it does not guarantee weight loss. Some alkaline-producing foods are quite calorie-dense. I’m thinking specifically of nuts and seeds, avocados, and certain healthy oils. These are all very healthy foods, but if you’re attempting to reduce weight, you must eat them in strict moderation.
To this point, it probably sounds as if I’m pretty gloomy about the alkaline diet for weight loss. In reality, I’m just attempting to be realistic. The only way to guarantee that you will lose weight is by counting calories. Any other method, from the alkaline diet to the low-carb diet, is not certain to make you lose weight. The good news about the alkaline diet, however, is that it promotes fresh fruits and vegetables, foods that are high in fiber and very filling, but typically low in calories.
To conclude, the alkaline diet can be an effective approach for weight loss, but just because a food is alkaline-producing doesn’t mean you can eat as much as you want. In other words, be careful to eat high-fat foods in moderation.
Kathy answers questions about health and nutrition for her Alkaline Diet Blog. Stop by today to discover the truth about the high-alkaline diet.