The List of Alkaline vs. Acidic Foods!
Well, here we are and you are probably thinking that by the time all is said and done, you won't have many foods left to choose from in your diet.
Wrong!
Keep in mind that you are not wanting to eliminate acidic foods from the diet, just lesson them. In every food group there are better choices to choose from. For example, ice cream is considered, in food group terms, to be a grain and a fat. So, you could choose ice cream or you could choose brown rice and butter. It is up to you. You have plenty of choices, just try to make wise ones more often!
Foods That Leave Acidic Ash in The Body
Processed Foods, Junk Food & Fake Food
Processed Foods...
started out as real food, but was then put through the process of being devitalized through chemical and preservative additions. These foods, when eaten, increase the acidity of our bodies, which in turn leads to poor health. Avoid anything that has chemicals on the label.
Alcohol, all.
Bagels, pretzels, pizza, croissants, muffins, most breads and scones all prepared for you and made with enriched or white flour.
Bananas, very ripe.
Beans, legumes and lentils are all slightly acidic, including Soy beans, String beans. Lima beans, navy beans (white) and lentils are considered the best of the lot.
Beef jerky or dried, sulfured or glazed fruits.
Bologna, hot dogs, bacon, sausage and meats with nitrates.
Bread (any and all made from refined flour). Of the breads, rye, whole grain and whole meal are less acidic.
Butter - (I have seen butter on alkaline lists. I believe it belongs here due to the animal fat in it. Still, it is better to use butter than trans-fat margarines.)
Cake, brownie mixes, etc.
Canned, bottled tea and coffee drinks.
Carbonated beverages.
Chicken and eggs (egg whites and chicken breast are less acidic).
Chips and popcorn roasted or prepared in hydrogenated oils.
Cranberries (and also plums and prunes, contain benzoic acid.)
Custards.
Goat cheese, cow cheese, processed cheese and cheese substitutes - (Soft cheeses are a little less acidic, but still acidic. See 'Proteins' under Alkaline Foods.).
Grains (amaranth, barley, buckwheat, corn, cornmeal, rolled oats, quinoi, all rice, rye, spelt, kamut, wheat and wheat germ, hemp seed, flour).
Instant foods - (cereal, mashed potatoes, etc.)
Low-fat yogurt, jams, jellies, preserves with added sugar or fake sugar.
Mayonnaise.
Milk - All milks that have been pasteurized are acidic.
Miso - (I have seen Miso on alkaline lists.)
Mustard - (I have seen Mustard on alkaline lists.)
Nuts and some seeds - Cashews, brazil nuts, walnuts, peanuts, peanut butter, pecans, tahini, pumpkin, sunflower.
Oils - Canola oil, Corn oil, Hemp Seed oil, Lard, Safflower oil, Sunflower oil, Olive oil and Avocado oil. (See 'Oils' under Alkaline Foods.)
Olives, green and black.
Pasta (white) - macaroni, noodles, spaghetti noodles.
Plums and Prunes (contain benzoic acid).
Potatoes - (are less acidic with the peels left on while cooking)
Red meat - Beef, lamb, pork, rabbit, turkey and venison.
Rice cakes and wheat cakes.
Seafood - Carp, clams, fish, lobster, mussels, oysters, salmon, shrimp, sardines, tuna, pike and haddock.
Soy beans and Soy cheese (slightly acidic to neutral).
Sparkling water and Spring water.
Spinach, cooked.
Store bought canned foods, soups, gravy and sauces.
Sugars - Dark brown, Light brown, Molasses (unless non-sulfur and raw, which is rather neutral).
TV dinners.
Vegetables - Nearly all vegetables are alkaline until they are cooked, which casues them to become slightly acidic. The best way to cook veggies is to slightly steam or stir fry, which eliminates excess cooking.
Water - Our tap water is acidic. Use distilled water for teas, tinctures and cooking broths that you will be drinking. Otherwise, drink mineral water, or filter your water and add lemon, apple cider vinegar or Bragg's (found at your health food store) to alkalize it.
Wheat germ and other 'brans'.
White, or distilled, vinegar.
Yogurt, sweetened (very acidic), plain (moderately acidic).
Junk Foods...
...contain very little real food. They are processed, have had chemicals, preservatives and hydrogenated fats added as well.
Anything made with refined (enriched) white flour or sugar.
Candy, cereal and canned breakfast drinks.
Cocoa, carob and chocolate.
Cold, sugary cereals.
Doughnuts and toaster pastries.
Fried foods and fast foods.
Pre-made low fat and low calorie foods.
Pork skins.
Powdered mixes and snacks made with them.
Sodas with caffeine and sugar or fake sugar.
Ice cream products (unless completely natural), sorbet and sherbet.
Store bought cookies and sugary snack foods.
Syrups: Fudge, Corn (etc.) and anything high fructose.
Fake Foods...
...are made mostly of chemicals to provide taste and often contain gum and sugar fillers. Some even contain cement.
Aspartame (and other fake sweeteners).
Caffeine in coffee and tea.
Dehydrated soups and bouillon.
Dressings, distilled vinegars and sauces (especially diet ones).
Eggs, egg and sour cream substitutes.
Flavor enhancers.
Hoisin, oyster and worcestershire sauce.
Imitation bacon bits, butter, mayo and processed cheese.
Ketchup, olives and relish.
Margarine and hydrogenated oils.
Marshmallow cream.
Meat tenderizer.
Micro-waveable imitation food snacks.
No-dairy creamers.
Packaged food helpers.
Powdered fruit drinks.
Prepared mixes for alcoholic beverages.
Sandwich spreads.
Shortening
Starch
Whipped cream (artificial).
Other Non-Food Acid Forming Substances...
... to take precautions with or avoid completely.
Alcoholic beverages - Wine, spirits, hard liquor and beer.
Chemicals.
Cosmetics (some) and hair dye.
Excess use of salt.
Herbicides.
Prescription and over-the-counter drugs.
Pesticides
Poisons (insect and garden) and chemical household cleaners.
Nicotine and tobacco.
Self-care products with chemicals (deodorants, toothpaste, etc.).
Caffeine. Good or Bad For Us?
Caffeine is a drug that is considered a mood enhancer because it helps to keep us alert. However, it also causes worry, anxiety and panic attacks. In the body, caffeine, when over used, causes increases levels of norepinephrine. This is what causes you to feel energetic. This seems like a good thing, right? Not so.
Every time you drink something with caffeine in it, such as tea, coffee or soda, you body loses its natural ability to release these feel good chemicals. Not only that, but caffeine increases the release of adrenalin, which causes anxiety and, over long term use of caffeine, can damage the nervous system. What's more is that caffeine inhibits melatonin and serotonin, which are necessary for good sleep and proper mood balance. And, if this isn't bad enough, caffeine also robs the body of important minerals, such as calcium, and can be a major contributor toward muscle and bone disease. And, all of this, of course, increases your levels of acidity.
There are reports that a little caffeine can be good for you. This is true. However, many of us think that if a little of something is good for us, then more is better. This is not the case with caffeine. Try to keep your caffeine below 100 mg per day. A can of coke has 34 mg per serving and there may be two or more servings depending on the size of the bottle. There are 48 mg in a 16 oz bottle of Coke! Mountain Dew has 55 mg per serving. True tea (black, green and white) has somewhere between 85-155 mg of caffeine per cup. Just one cup of coffee can have between 85-150 mg of caffeine. Even decaf coffee has at least a 3% caffeine content. Be aware of your caffeine intake and choose to keep your levels low.
Wow!...OK...So what's left for us to eat?
The foods listed below are the alkaline foods that we need to increase in our diets. As I said before, it is not that we want to eliminate acidic foods, as that would cause other health conditions, but to increase those foods that will keep us healthy and vital at the cellular level. Everything depends on the health of our cells and that health depends on being pH balanced. So, decrease the amount of acidic food in your diet, make wiser choices about what types of acidic foods you will eat, and increase the following alkaline choices.
Start slowly! Maybe this week you could focus on more pure water or mineral supplements, next week more whole fruit or whole fruit juices, the following week more veggies, and so on, so you don't stress your body or yourself. Stress increases body acidity! Don't worry. It will all fall into place. Keep a little notebook handy to jot down the changes you have made and your results.
Are You Ready For The Alkaline List?
Vegetables
Alfalfa, Artichoke, Asparagus, Watercress, Barley grass, Beets, Broccoli, Brussel sprouts, Cabbage, Carrot, Cauliflower, Celery, Chard, Chicory, Chives, Collard greens, Cucumber, Daikon, Dandelion, Dill, Dulce, Eggplant, Endive, Fermented veggies, Garlic, Green beans, Green peas (fresh from the pod), Kale, Kohirabi, Kombu, Leek, Lettuce, Maitake, Mushrooms, Mustard greens, Nightshade veggies, Nori, Okra, Onions, Parsnips, Peppers, Pumpkin, Reishi, Rhubarb, Rutabaga, Sea salt, Sea veggies, Shitake, Spinach (raw only), Spirulina, Sprouts, Squashes, Stevia (plant based natural sweetener), Tamari, Umeboshi, Wakame, Water chestnut, Watercress, Wheat grass, Wild greens, Zucchini.
Want to grow your own sprouts?
Herbs, Spices & Seasonings
All herbs, Green juices (made from powders), Veggie juices (made from fresh veggies), Horseradish, Flowers (edible), Curry, Chlorella (sea algae), Chili pepper, Cinnamon, Tamari, Ginger.
Items I have seen these two on both alkaline and acidic lists: Miso and Mustard.
Fruits
Apples, Apple cider, Apricots, Avocado, Bananas (unripe), Berries (nearly all), Cantaloupe, Cherries, Coconut (fresh), Currants, Dates, Dried fruit (except for cranberries, plums, prunes, which contain benzoic acid), Figs, Fruit juices (fresh), Grapes, Grapefruit, Guavas, Kumquats, Lemon, Limes, Mangoes, Melons (watermelon, musk melon, honeydew), Nectarines, Oranges, Papayas, Peaches, Pears, Persimmons, Pineapple, Pomegranates, Quinces, Raisins, Strawberries, Tangerines, Tomatoes, Tropical fruits.
Note: Despite citrus containing acids, they are not acid-ash forming and are considered alkaline foods.
Proteins (including grains) & Dairy
Organic unpasteurized Milk (slightly acidic), Acidophilus, Buttermilk, Nuts (almonds and chestnuts), Seeds (Millet, buckwheat, flax, pumpkin, sunflower, sprouted seeds, squash), Tempeh (fermented), Tofu (fermented), Whey protein powder. Hemp is the only grain that is a complete protein, carrying all the amino acids in one vegetable. Hemp flour is available in Canada. Hemp Protein & Fiber Powder is available at Fred Meyers. (WA State)
For those not considering going vegetarian, aim for eating Wild Salmon 2-3 times per week (moderately acidic). It's a great source of Omega oils. Chicken is an acidic food, chicken breast is considered on the scale to be only slightly to neutrally acidic (we do need some acids). The same goes for plain organic yogurt. Egg whites, cottage cheese (regular) are moderately acidic.
Hemp Powder is a good source of protein. If you work in a place that requires random drug tests, don't use this product more than a couple of times per week. It won't make you high, not at all, but it may show up in your urine from time to time and make it look like, to your boss, that you are!
Sugars - Some Better Choices
Honey (slightly acidic), Stevia (alkaline with no glycemic affect), real Maple syrup (slightly acidic), dried Sugar Cane juice (slightly acidic), Turbinado (raw sugar, slightly acidic), Brown Rice syrup (slightly acidic).
Fats
Flax oil and Raw Coconut oil (both alkaline), Borage oil (alkaline), Sesame (slightly alkaline) and Olive (slightly alkaline to neutral).
Butter and Margarine are both slightly acidic.
Other
Bulk Tea (green, Dandelion, Ginseng, Banchi, Kombucha and herbal), Apple Cider Vinegar, Baking soda, Mineral water, Evian, Fiji and Hawaiian bottled water, alkalinized water, Bee pollen, Lecithin granules, Probiotic cultures.
How To Get Started On An 'Alkaline Diet'!
The All Natural Weigh incorporates the philosophy of an Alkaline Diet, which is primarily vegetarian. The Natural Weigh is more familiar to most of us and includes meat, fowl and dairy. I offer both on my website. I do suggest that if you are struggling with symptoms of metabolic acidosis, or you have tested your pH balance and it shows high acid levels, to start with the The All Natural Weigh and once your pH is balanced, to begin slowly adding back in some of your favorite foods (The Natural Weigh), while keeping an eye on your acid levels. To get you started on flushing the acid from your system, here are some starter tips.
1. Eliminate most of the foods from the 'Acidic Food List' that you have been eating. Reduce these foods to only 20-25 % of your diet. If you were to divide your plate into 4 parts, 3 parts would consist of alkaline foods and only 1 part would be whole supportive foods and/or acidic foods.
An example of a 'whole supportive food' might be a serving of beans to go along with your rice in order to create a complete chain of proteins for that meal.
2. Continue to increase alkaline foods to 75-80% of your diet until you reach pH balance.
3. Drink only Mineral water, Filtered water with a bit of Lemon juice (1 oz. per 8 oz of water), Apple-Cider-Vinegar or Bragg's, or beverages listed under Alkaline Foods. Drink at least 8 glasses of water per day. Tea and juice do not count as water.
Invest in pH balanced water by purchasing a water filter system, or purchase pH water drops. Having something that hooks up to the sink is handier than water drops for every day needs. However, pH drops come in handy for traveling.
4. Begin cutting back on acid-ash forming habits such as smoking, drinking coffee, black tea, alcoholic or caffeinated beverages. Avoid chemicals in household cleaning products and hygiene products. Use some natural alternatives.
5. Begin replacing important minerals! Calcium and Magnesium are critical to overcoming acidity. If you have Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue or chronic Pain, try Malic Acid. Malic Acid helps to produce ATP (cellular energy) and reduces muscle breakdown.
6. Try to reduce stress. One way to do this is to take a hot bath. Hot water helps to flush out toxins!
7. Establish a regular sleeping pattern. This is especially important for anyone trying to recover and gain energy. Think like a cave-woman. Sleep in a cool, dark room. Also, try to eliminate EMFs in your bedroom. use a wind-up clock. Stash a TV in a cabinet or drape it with something. Read more about creating peaceful energy in the bedroom in 'Claiming Radiance!'.
Energy Wellness Tip! When taking alkalizing products (supplements, green powders, etc.), be sure to take them at least a half hour before eating or and hour afterwards or you won't have enough stomach acid to break down your foods.
Back to 'The Importance of pH Balance!'
May Energy & Love Be Yours!
