By Chere Di Boscio

Clean eating is a phenomenon that’s not going away. After realising how much crap is in our food, people are wising up to the fact that perhaps increased cancer rates and an epidemic of malaises  ranging from allergies to skin conditions are related to the  lack of  natural, organic food in our supermarkets. Vegan, organic and paleo diets have all gained popularity amongst those who believe, as Hippocrates said, that ‘food should be your medicine.’ But one type of eating that often gets overlooked is the alkaline diet. Devotees swear it does wonders for their digestion, skin and mood, and British  chef Natasha Corrett is living proof. Since clearing up her  own health issues through dietary changes, she’s been on a crusade to help people stop creating food-induced acidic environments in their bodies which can lead to illness and cancer. Word has it that Victoria Beckham‘s highly improved skin is down to following Natasha’s recipes.

Mainly, she recommends eating  predominantly vegetarian foods, as these tend to be the most alkaline of all, and reducing your intake of coffee, alcohol, sugar and white flour. She’s produced a plethora of delicious low-acid recipes for her Honestly Healthy blog and cookbook, and now she’s got a second book out called Honestly Healthy in a Hurry for healthy food lovers on the go.

Here in this exclusive interview, she shares her kitchen must-haves, go-to dinner party food and why alkaline eating is so essential.

Here’s a wee taste (heh heh) of Natasha’s unique health-enhancing recipes. Unlike those in her upcoming book, these take a bit of time to make, but they’re worth it!

Starchy carbs tend to be acidic, so Natasha has dreamed up a recipe for Chinese food lovers that contains none of the white rice and all of the flavour as egg fried rice.  Like the looks of this? Get the recipe here.

Eating alkaline doesn’t have to mean giving up your favourite foods. These high protein granola cookies are a neat treat that deliver a spicy crunch.  Get the recipe here.

Tumeric is one of the hottest food additions right now. Thanks to its strong anti-cancer properties, it’s being added to everything from pancakes to tea. Add some (ironically) acid-busting lemon to this recipe, and you have some highly healthy pancakes!  Get the recipe here.