Acidity

Acid and Alkaline Foods

This information is based on Alternatives 5/02.

The pH (acidity) of our bodies is important. The body maintains slightly alkaline pH of about 7.4 (pH 7.0 is neutral). Since waste products tend to be acid, we need sources of alkalinity. To help this, you should eat less acid-producing foods than you eat alkaline-producing foods (perhaps 3-to-1). It is not the acid in the food that matters (e.g., citrus are acid), but what they lead to in the body (citrus are alkaline-producing). Small amounts of bicarbonate (NaHCO3 or, better, KHCO3), just under 5 grams, daily reduce acidity and can increase rate of bone formation, but it can also interfere with digestion so, firstly, don't take it at mealtime and, secondly, adjusting diet is probably better.

Consequences of acidity: The body will use calcium from bones and break down muscle tissue to achieve the desired pH. Risk of osteoporosis is greater and the risks of cancer, heart disease and arthritis appear greater.
Signs of high acidity: fatigue, out of breath easily, muscle pain/cramping easily.
Some people are too alkaline, but this is quite rare.
In contrast, many people in our society are too acid, due to excessive consumption of sugars, grains, animal protein and (legal) drugs.

CATEGORY	ACID (limit amounts)	ALKALINE (good)
protein (some)	meats, fish	eggs, tofu
dairy	cheese (hard is worst)	yogurt (unsweetened), whey, milk
nuts	Brazil, cashew, filbert, macadamia, peanut, pecan, pistachio, walnut, dried coconut	almonds, chestnuts, pine, fresh coconut
seeds	pumpkin, sunflower	flax, sesame; sprouted alfalfa & radish
grains and grain products	common ones (including corn & rice)	flax, millet, quinoa, amaranth
legumes	most	peas, green & lima beans, soy
other vegetables		most (including potato)
fruits	blueberry, cranberry, plum, prune	most
drinks	alcoholic, caffeinated, cola & other drinks with phosphates	milk, most herb teas, vegetable juice, juice of alkaline fruit
oils	corn	most unprocessed, cold-pressed oils are neutral or alkaline
sweetners	most, including sugars, molasses, maple syrup, processed honey, aspartame	raw honey, brown rice syrup, Sucanat*
herbs and spices	salt, mustard, nutmeg	most
condiments	mayonnaise, soy sauce, vinegar
miscellaneous	most drugs, tobacco	gelatin, arrowroot, miso, brewer's yeast

*Someone else labelled Sucanat acid-producing.