Alkaline herbs: the best for the kitchen

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The acid-base balance in balance - how you can increase your well-being with alkaline herbs.

Basil, parsley and thyme
Base-rich herbs are beneficial for the diet [Photo: Okrasiuk / Shutterstock]

Anyone who deals a lot with nutrition and choosing the right food will sooner or later come across the key word acid-base balance. Diet guides, in particular, often use half-truths to warn against over-acidification of the body through improper nutrition and acidic foods. These are said to lead to tiredness, headaches and the accumulation of "waste products" in the body. In fact, over-acidification of the body does not have any previous illness (for example, with chronic Kidney diseases) extremely rare, because the body has a sophisticated buffer system to maintain its pH value to regulate. Scientific evidence suggests, however, that a high-base diet is a positive long-term Affects the body and increases the risk of various diseases such as kidney stones, high blood pressure or gout can lower. While short-term "base cures" therefore have hardly any effect on well-being, the enjoyment of Base herbal teas and other base-rich foods are actually beneficial to health in the long run impact.

Tip: A balanced diet with plenty of water and vegetables but few animal products can generally be viewed as basic-oriented. A healthy diet is therefore the most effective way to support your body.

Bowl of fresh dill
Dill is easy to grow and very healthy [Photo: bigacis / Shutterstock.com]

What are basic herbs and how do they work?

Basic herbs or general basic foods are those foods that are characterized by a high proportion of base-forming components. This has nothing to do with the taste of the plants: alkaline spices can also taste sour or spicy and still have a positive effect on the acid-base balance.
Decisive for whether herbs are classified as basic or acidic is the distribution of cations and anions in the Foods, which are also indicated as PRAL (Potential Renal Acid Load, German: Potential acid load affecting the kidneys) will. Basic herbs have a high proportion of cations, which include sodium, potassium, calcium and magnesium. They are also low in PRAL, which helps the body neutralize acids and restore its natural buffering capacity.
Ideally, two-thirds of the diet should consist of basic food (mainly plant-based foods) and one-third of acidic foods (mainly animal-based foods). Since this is not always possible, basic herbal teas come into play here: Due to their high capacity for Base formation they help to balance acid-forming foods and thereby contribute to a healthy one Nutrition.

Tea glasses and herbs
Alkaline tea is a good addition to a balanced diet [Photo: Sambulov Yevgeniy / Shutterstock]

Tip: If you want to brew fresh alkaline herbal tea, you should always pay attention to the organic quality of your herbs in order to exclude pollution with pesticides or mineral fertilizers. It is even better to grow your herbs in your own garden. So you know exactly what means the plants were treated with. Growing herbs at home is child's play: With ours Plantura herb growing kit For example, beginners can also grow their own alkaline herbs on the windowsill or in the garden.

Basic herbs at a glance

If you want to eat particularly healthy, you can make your alkaline tea with an herbal tea Cover food needs, because the use of herbs as basic spices has a positive influence on the body. We have put together the best basic wild and household herbs for you here:

1. Nettle (Urtica): With a PRAL of -12.6, the nettle is one of the top riders among the alkaline herbs. It can be drunk as a tea or consumed fresh and also stimulates kidney activity.

Herbal tea with nettle
Nettle is particularly rich in bases [Photo: Lunov Mykola / Shutterstock.com]

2. Parsley (Petroselinum crispum): Parsley is also one of the basic herbs. With a PRAL of -12.5, the herb can have an excellent alkaline effect as a spice. But tea made from parsley is also suitable for a healthy diet.

3. Dill (Anethum graveolens): In addition to being known for its appetite stimulating and anti-inflammatory effects, dill has one too positive effect on the acid-base balance - with a PRAL of -12.3, the spice has an alkaline effect on.

4. Oregano (Origanum vulgare): Oregano is not only inspiring as a Mediterranean herb, the plant is also popular as an alkaline spice with a PRAL of -9.8. What many do not know: oregano can also be used excellently as an alkaline herbal tea.

5. Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale): Whether as a tea or fresh in a salad - as an alkaline weed with a PRAL of -9.7, dandelion is an enrichment for every menu. In addition, the basic weeds are characterized by positive effects on digestion.

Salad with cucumber, arugula and dandelion
Dandelions are good for an alkaline diet [Photo: Kostiantyn Ablazov / Shutterstock]

6. Sage (Salvia officinalis): As a base herbal tea, the effect of sage is undisputed: With a PRAL of -7.5, sage relieves the acid-base balance and also has a positive effect on the gastrointestinal tract. The plant can also be perfectly combined as a basic spice.

7. Basil (Ocimum basilicum): Basil lovers can look forward to it: with a PRAL of -7.3, the plant is a perfect addition of the menu and can be beneficial for health both as a spice and as an alkaline herbal tea be.

8. Rosemary (Salvia rosmarinus): Rosemary has long been known as a spice for hearty dishes. But not only its beneficial effect on the gastrointestinal tract, but also its PRAL of -6.1 make the alkaline herb a welcome guest on the table.

9. Thyme (Thymus vulgaris): Fresh thyme tea helps with colds and can also be beneficial for the acid-base balance. Whether as a basic herbal tea or as a spice - thyme is one of the basic herbs with a PRAL of -5.8.

10. Chives (Allium schoenoprasum): With its fresh taste, chives are a popular accompaniment to numerous dishes. Thanks to its PRAL of -5.3, it is also a good basic spice.

Tip: If you are following a healthy diet of alkaline herbs, it is best to leave them as untreated as possible. In addition to not using pesticides and mineral fertilizers, this also includes the use of organic soil. Our Plantura organic herb and seed compost For example, it convinces with 100% natural raw materials and is therefore ideally suited for growing herbs.

Alkaline herbs can be a real treat for our bodies. If you want to find out more about the healthy power of herbs, you can ask about Herbs that strengthen the immune system, inform.