Acid Alkaline Diet

acid-alkalineThe acid-alkaline balance within your body can be disrupted by your diet, producing acidic internal fluids which cause unwanted health problems.

This can be rectified by adopting an alkaline (or alkalizing) diet, which is reflected in low acid levels in the body.

Acidity-Alkalinity measure

The acidity of a solution (any liquid substance) is measured on the pH scale – termed the ‘power of hydrogen’. The pH scale shows the activity of hydrogen ions present in the sample. The scale is a reverse logarithmic one – high acidity is represented by a low value, and low acidity (that is, alkaline or base substances) by a high value, with acidity level at each ascending step being one tenth that of the previous step.

For example, compared to lemon juice at pH 2.4, orange juice at pH 3.5 is less than one tenth as acidic, and beer at pH 4.5 is less than one hundredth as acidic. The pH of most substances falls between 0 and 14. Gastric acid has a pH of 1.5 to 2 (very acid), pure water 7 (considered to be neutral, neither acid nor alkaline), and household bleach 12.5 (extremely alkaline).

pH levels in the body

The pH level of the body’s internal fluids affects every cell, and if out-of-balance this will be detrimental to the normal functioning of cells, tissues and organs. The western diet is typically based around meat and dairy products, sugars, alcohol, saturated fats and caffeine, all of which creates an acidic cellular environment. Such an unbalanced pH level can result in health issues like cancer, heart disease, obesity, weight problems, allergies, fatigue and premature aging as well as problems with the nervous system, cardiovascular system and muscles.

The ‘alkalarian’ approach to diet reverses over-acidification in the body, first detoxifying and then creating and maintaining a more alkaline environment in which the body can heal itself.

An alkaline diet is one which produces an alkaline effect on the body, based upon the residue that remains after our foods are consumed or metabolized.  Some foods leave an acid residue, others an alkaline residue. Testing of bodily pH levels using @pH strips@ can determine whether a balanced range is generally present (6.75 to 7.25 depending on type of testing – salivary or urinary).

Alkalizing Diet

We need to adopt and adhere to an acid reducing lifestyle to achieve the correct balance. This is done by consuming alkalizing foods and drinks, while eliminating acidifying foods and drinks from the diet. In general, if an alkaline diet is recommended, use these guidelines for an alkalarian lifestyle based on a mainly vegetable diet:

Alkaline Forming Foods

Sample alkaline foods to comprise most (75-80%) of your diet. Eat salads, fresh vegetables, healthy nuts and oils, and plenty of raw foods. Drink at least 2-3 liters of clean, pure water daily.
Vegetables

Asparagus
Beetroot
Broccoli
Brussels Sprouts
Cabbage
Carrot

Cauliflower
Celery
Courgette
Cucumber
Garlic
Grasses (eg wheat, barley)

Green Beans
Lettuce
Onion
Peas
Radish

Fruits

Avocado
Grapefruit
Lemon
Lime

Rhubarb
Tomato
Watermelon (neutral)

Fats & Oils

Avocado

Borage oil
Evening Primrose oil
Flax
Hemp oil
Olive &
Oil Blends

Seeds, Nuts, Grains

Almonds
Buckwheat Groats
Cumin
Flax

Lentils
Pumpkin
Sesame
Spelt
Sprouts/sprouted seeds fresh & as pastes: soy, alfalfa, mung bean, wheat, little radish, chickpea, broccoli, hummus, tahini

Sunflower

Drinks

‘Green Drinks’
Fresh vegetable juice
Pure water (distilled, reverse osmosis, ionized)
Lemon water (pure water + fresh lemon or lime).

Herbal Tea
Vegetable broth
Non-sweetened Soy Milk
Almond Milk

Acid Forming Foods

Sample acid-forming foods to comprise the remainder (20-25%) of your diet. Avoid fatty meats, dairy, cheese, sweets & candy, chocolates, alcohol and tobacco.  Beware of hidden content of packaged foods and microwaved meals.  Don’t overcook meals – this removes all of the nutrition!
Meats

Beef
Chicken
Crustaceans & other seafood (apart from occasional oily fish such as salmon)
Lamb
Pork
Turkey

Fruits

All fruits not listed in the alkaline table.

Dairy Products

Cheese
Cream
Ice Cream

Milk
Yoghurt

Fats & Oils

Corn Oil
Hydrogenated Oils

Margarine
Saturated Fats
Vegetable Oil
Sunflower Oil

Drinks

Beers
Carbonated Drinks
Coffee
Dairy Smoothies
Fruit Juice
Milk

Spirits
Tea

Convenience Foods

Candy/Sweets
Canned/Tinned Foods
Chocolate

Fast Food
Instant Meals
Microwave Meals
Powdered Soups

Seeds & Nuts

Cashew Nuts
Peanuts
Pistachio Nuts

Others

Artificial Sweeteners
Biscuits

Condiments (tomato sauce, mayonnaise etc.)
Eggs
Honey
Soy Sauce
Tamari
Vinegar

White Bread
White Pasta
Wholemeal Bread

See Also

  • The pH Miracle by Robert Young – achieving weight loss through correct pH balance – at Amazon. Also, other titles are available from this author on the relationship between good health and balanced pH levels.
  • 60 Seconds to Slim – Emphasizes the importance of pH balance to weight loss.

See the Acid Alkaline diet course

 By Mizpah Matus B.Hlth.Sc(Hons)
    References:
  • McLauchlan, G., Fullarton, G. M., Crean, G. P., & McColl, K. E. (1989). Comparison of gastric body and antral pH: a 24 hour ambulatory study in healthy volunteers. Gut, 30(5), 573-578. link
  • Bloomfield, A. L., & Keefer, C. S. (1928). Gastric acidity: relation to various factors such as age and physical fitness. Journal of Clinical Investigation, 5(2), 285. link
  • Remer, T., & Manz, F. (1995). Potential renal acid load of foods and its influence on urine pH. Journal of the American Dietetic Association, 95(7), 791-797. link
  • Buclin, T., Cosma, M., Appenzeller, M., Jacquet, A. F., Decosterd, L. A., Biollaz, J., & Burckhardt, P. (2001). Diet acids and alkalis influence calcium retention in bone. Osteoporosis International, 12(6), 493-499. link

8 Comments or Reviews

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  1. richardlukin

    Terrifyingly unclear! In the various often-well-intentioned acid-alkaline-forming lists, one finds enormous–and potentially dangerous!–disagreement about (a)foods that create ACID REFLUX and (b)foods that RATE as “acid-forming” but strangely don’t do this. Can anyone clarify? Thanks!

  2. Lainey

    The list is correct, except they have not included low acid fruits like melons etc. I have been on this diet fo four months – due to necessity. I had acid reflux so bad that no medications would help anymore.
    I am now acid free! The basis of this diet is to eat mainly fruits and vegetables, what a proper diet should be anyway. It works. I am proof of it.

  3. Rhonda Bentley

    Grapefruit will tear your stomach up if you have acid reflux. I think you got the list backwards.

  4. Kate

    I was also confused momentarily, however on re-reading this list, it doesn’t say those grains and pulses are alkaline – it refers to GRASSES(eg wheat grass, barley grass) and SPROUTS/SPROUTED SEEDS (soy sprouts, alfalfa sprouts, mung bean sprouts, chickpea sprouts etc.)

    It’s the green shoots and grasses that are alkaline-forming.

  5. cheekymonkey

    For a good book about this topic and more info i found helpful check this out

    http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/24/health/24brod.html?_r=1

  6. sharon anzalone

    i noticed that this website has distilled water on the alkaline food and drink list. i have read that distilled water can turn the body acidic. im really confused and hope you can clarify this for me.

  7. mumtaz

    i am a little confused as every acid/alkaline forming food list i check on the internet has something different.
    e.g. in this list it says chickpeas, hummus, tahini, wheat and barley are alkaline.
    however in this site in the acid/alkaline forming list it is listed under acid http://www.angelfire.com/az/sthurston/acid_alkaline_foods_list.html
    how would i know whether it is acid or not?
    i have also checked some other sites where it is listed in the acid foods

  8. Prof. RN Ratnaike

    There are a few inaacuracies in your lists of acid and alkaline foods. Please check the Mayo Clinic Diet Manual.