Here is a list which foods are Alkalizing and which foods are Acidifying - for balancing your pH. When something is acid forming that does not mean it is necessarily bad unless it your pH is already too acidic. In following the 80/20 rule, you can find a nice balance; 80% alkaline and 20% acidic.
ALKALIZING VEGETABLES
Alfalfa, Barley Grass, Beet Greens, Beets, Broccoli, Cabbage, Carrot, Cauliflower, Celery, Chard Greens, Chlorella, Collard Greens, Cucumber, Dandelions, Dulce, Edible Flowers, Eggplant, Fermented Veggies, Garlic, Green Beans, Green Peas, Kale, Kohlrabi, Lettuce, Mushrooms, Mustard Greens, Nightshade Veggies, Onions, Parsnips, (high glycemic) Peas, Peppers, Pumpkin, Radishes, Rutabaga, Sea Veggies, Spinach, green, Spirulina, Sprouts, Sweet Potatoes, Tomatoes, Watercress, Wheat Grass, Wild Greens
ALKALIZING ORIENTAL VEGETABLES
Daikon, Dandelion Root, Kombu, Maitake, Nori, Reishi, Shitake, Umeboshi, Wakame
ALKALIZING FRUITS
Apple, Apricot, Avocado, Banana (high glycemic) Berries, Blackberries, Cantaloupe, Cherries, (sour) Coconut, (fresh) Currants, Dates, (dried) Figs, (dried) Grapes, Grapefruit, Honeydew Melon, Lemon, Lime, Muskmelons, Nectarine, Orange, Peach, Pear, Pineapple, Raisins, Raspberries, Rhubarb, Strawberries, Tangerine, Tomato, Tropical Fruits, Umeboshi Plums, Watermelon
ALKALIZING PROTEIN
Almonds (soaked in water 12-24 hrs, refrigerate to keep from going bad)
Chestnuts,
Millet,
Tempeh, Tofu (I do not recommend)
Whey Protein Powder (I only recommend raw)
ALKALIZING SWEETENERS
Stevia
ALKALIZING SPICES & SEASONINGS
Chili Pepper, Cinnamon, Curry, Ginger, Herbs, (all) Miso, Mustard, Tamari
ALKALIZING OTHER
Apple Cider Vinegar
Bee Pollen
Fresh Fruit Juice – preferably diluted with fresh water.
Green Juices
Lecithin Granules – I recommend Exsula line. They sell a Q10/Lecithin which is amazing.
Mineral Water – Gerolsteiner or Pierre
Molasses, blackstrap
Probiotic Cultures
Soured Dairy Products
Veggie Juices
ALKALIZING MINERALS
Calcium: pH 12
Cesium: pH 14
Magnesium: pH 9
Potassium: pH 14
Sodium: pH 14
Although it might seem that citrus fruits would have an acidifying effect on the body, the citric acid they contain actually has an alkalinizing effect in the system.
Note that a food's acid or alkaline forming tendency in the body has nothing to do with the actual pH of the food itself. For example, lemons are very acidic, however the end products they produce after digestion and assimilation are very alkaline so, lemons are alkaline forming in the body. Likewise, meat will test alkaline before digestion, but it leaves very acidic residue in the body so, like nearly all animal products, meat is very acid forming.
When something is acid forming, that does not mean it is bad unless your pH is already too acidic. In following the 80/20 rule you can find a nice balance. 80% alkaline and 20% acidic.
ACIDIFYING VEGETABLES
Corn, Lentils, Olives, Winter Squash (except yellow variety)
ACIDIFYING FRUIT
Canned or Glazed Fruits, (I do not recommend) Cranberries, Currants
Plums**
Prunes**
ACIDIFYING GRAINS, GRAIN PRODUCTS
Amaranth
Barley
Bran, oat
Bran, wheat (I do not recommend eating wheat)
Bread
Corn
Cornstarch
Crackers, soda (I do not recommend eating)
Flour, wheat (I do not recommend eating)
Flour, white (I do not recommend eating)
Hemp Seed Flour
Kamut
Macaroni (I do not recommend eating)
Noodles (I do not recommend eating)
Oatmeal
Oats (rolled)
Quinoa
Rice (all)
Rice Cakes
Rye
Spaghetti (I do not recommend eating)
Spelt
Wheat Germ
Wheat (I do not recommend eating)
ACIDIFYING BEANS & LEGUMES
Almond Milk (I do not recommend eating)
Black Beans, Chick Peas, Green Peas, Kidney Beans, Lentils, Pinto Beans, Red Beans
Rice Milk (I do not recommend eating)
Soy Beans (I do not recommend eating)
Soy Milk (I do not recommend eating)
White Beans
ACIDIFYING DAIRY
Butter (this is more pH neutral)
Cheese
Ice Cream
Ice Milk
ACIDIFYING NUTS & BUTTERS
Cashews, Legumes, Peanut Butter, Peanuts, Pecans, Tahini, Walnuts
ACIDIFYING ANIMAL PROTEIN
Bacon, (I do not recommend eating) Beef, Carp, Clams, Cod, Corned Beef, (I do not recommend eating) Fish, Haddock, Lamb, Lobster, Mussels, Organ Meats, Oyster, Pike, Pork, Rabbit, Salmon, Sardines, Sausage, Scallops, Shellfish, Shrimp, Tuna, Turkey, Veal, Venison
ACIDIFYING FATS & OILS
Avocado Oil, Canola Oil, Corn Oil, Flax Oil, Hemp Seed Oil, Lard, Olive Oil, Safflower Oil, Sesame Oil, Sunflower Oil
ACIDIFYING SWEETENERS
Carob, Corn Syrup, Sugar
ACIDIFYING ALCOHOL
Beer, Hard Liquor, Spirits, Wine
ACIDIFYING OTHER FOODS
Catsup, Cocoa, Coffee, Mustard, Pepper, Soft Drinks, Vinegar
To neutralize a glass of cola with a pH of 2.5, it would take 32 glasses of alkaline water with a pH of 10.
ACIDIFYING DRUGS & CHEMICALS
Aspirin, Chemicals, Drugs, Medicinal, Drugs, Psychedelic, Herbicides, Pesticides, Tobacco
ACIDIFYING JUNK FOOD
Beer: pH 2.5
Coca-Cola: pH 2
Coffee: pH 4
** These foods leave an alkaline ash but have an acidifying effect on the body.
Extremely Alkaline
Lemons, watermelon.
Alkaline Forming
Cantaloupe, cayenne celery, dates, figs, kelp, limes, mango, melons, papaya, parsley, seaweeds, seedless grapes (sweet), watercress. Asparagus, fruit juices, grapes (sweet), kiwifruit, passionfruit, pears (sweet), pineapple, raisins, umeboshi plums, and vegetable juices.
Moderately Alkaline
Apples (sweet), alfalfa sprouts, apricots, avocados, bananas (ripe), currants, dates, figs (fresh), garlic, grapefruit, grapes (less sweet), guavas, herbs (leafy green), lettuce (leafy green), nectarine, peaches (sweet), pears (less sweet), peas (fresh, sweet), pumpkin (sweet), sea salt (vegetable).
Apples (sour), beans (fresh, green), beets, bell peppers, broccoli, cabbage, carob, cauliflower, ginger (fresh), grapes (sour), lettuce (pale green), oranges, peaches (less sweet), peas (less sweet), potatoes (with skin), pumpkin (less sweet), raspberries, strawberries, squash, sweet Corn (fresh), turnip, vinegar (apple cider).
Slightly Alkaline
Almonds, artichokes (Jerusalem), brussel sprouts, cherries, coconut (fresh), cucumbers, eggplant, honey (raw), leeks, mushrooms, okra, olives (ripe), onions, pickles (homemade), radishes, sea salt, spices, tomatoes (sweet), vinegar (sweet brown rice).
Chestnuts (dry, roasted), egg yolks (soft cooked), essene bread, goat's milk and whey (raw), mayonnaise (homemade), olive oil, sesame seeds (whole), soy beans (dry), soy cheese, soy milk, sprouted grains, tofu, tomatoes (less sweet), and yeast (nutritional flakes).
Neutral
Butter (fresh, unsalted), cream (fresh, raw), cow's milk and whey (raw), margarine, oils (except olive), and yogurt (plain).
Moderately Acidic
Bananas (green), barley (rye), blueberries, bran, butter, cereals (unrefined), cheeses, crackers (unrefined rye, rice and wheat), cranberries, dried beans (mung, adzuki, pinto, kidney, garbanzo), dry coconut, egg whites, eggs whole (cooked hard), fructose, goat's milk (homogenized), honey (pasteurized), ketchup, maple syrup (unprocessed), milk (homogenized).
Molasses (unsulfured and organic), most nuts, mustard, oats (rye, organic), olives (pickled), pasta (whole grain), pastry (whole grain and honey), plums, popcorn (with salt and/or butter), potatoes, prunes, rice (basmati and brown), seeds (pumpkin, sunflower), soy sauce, and wheat bread (sprouted organic).
Extremely Acidic
Artificial sweeteners, beef, beer, breads, brown sugar, carbonated soft drinks, cereals (refined), chocolate, cigarettes and tobacco, coffee, cream of wheat (unrefined), custard (with white sugar), deer, drugs, fish, flour (white, wheat), fruit juices with sugar, jams, jellies, lamb.
Liquor, maple syrup (processed), molasses (sulphured), pasta (white), pastries and cakes from white flour, pickles (commercial), pork, poultry, seafood, sugar (white), table salt (refined and iodized), tea (black), white bread, white vinegar (processed), whole wheat foods, wine, and yogurt (sweetened).
More Ranked Foods: Alkaline to Acidic
Highly Alkaline Forming Foods
Baking soda, sea salt, mineral water, pumpkin seed, lentils, seaweed, onion, taro root, sea vegetables, lotus root, sweet potato, lime, lemons, nectarine, persimmon, raspberry, watermelon, tangerine, and pineapple.
Moderately Alkaline Forming Foods
Apricots, spices, kombucha, unsulfured molasses, soy sauce, cashews, chestnuts, pepper, kohlrabi, parsnip, garlic, asparagus, kale, parsley, endive, arugula, mustard green, ginger root, broccoli, grapefruit, cantaloupe, honeydew, citrus, olive, dewberry, carrots, loganberry, and mango.
Low Alkaline Forming Foods
Most herbs, green tea, mu tea, rice syrup, apple cider vinegar, sake, quail eggs, primrose oil, sesame seed, cod liver oil, almonds, sprouts, potato, bell pepper, mushrooms, cauliflower, cabbage, rutabaga, ginseng, eggplant, pumpkin, collard green, pear, avocado, apples (sour), blackberry, cherry, peach, and papaya.
Very Low Alkaline Forming Foods
Ginger tea, umeboshi vinegar, ghee, duck eggs, oats, grain coffee, quinoa, japonica rice, wild rice, avocado oil, most seeds, coconut oil, olive oil, flax oil, brussel sprout, beet, chive, cilantro, celery, okra, cucumber, turnip greens, squashes, lettuces, orange, banana, blueberry, raisin, currant, grape, and strawberry.
Very Low Acid Forming Foods
Curry, koma coffee, honey, maple syrup, vinegar, cream, butter, goat/sheep cheese, chicken, gelatin, organs, venison, fish, wild duck, triticale, millet, kasha, amaranth, brown rice, pumpkin seed oil, grape seed oil, sunflower oil, pine nuts, canola oil, spinach, fava beans, black-eyed peas, string beans, wax beans, zucchini, chutney, rhubarb, coconut, guava, dry fruit, figs, and dates.
Low Acid Forming Foods
Vanilla, alcohol, black tea, balsamic vinegar, cow milk, aged cheese, soy cheese, goat milk, game meat, lamb, mutton, boar, elk, shell fish, mollusks, goose, turkey, buckwheat, wheat, spelt, teff, kamut, farina, semolina, white rice, almond oil, sesame oil, safflower oil, tapioca, seitan, tofu, pinto beans, white beans, navy beans, red beans, aduki beans, lima beans, chard, plum, prune and tomatoes.
Moderately Acid Forming Foods
Nutmeg, coffee, casein, milk protein, cottage cheese, soy milk, pork, veal, bear, mussels, squid, chicken, maize, barley groats, corn, rye, oat bran, pistachio seeds, chestnut oil, lard, pecans, palm kernel oil, green peas, peanuts, snow peas, other legumes, garbanzo beans, cranberry, and pomegranate.
Highly Acid Forming Foods
Tabletop sweeteners like (NutraSweet, Spoonful, Sweet 'N Low, Equal or Aspartame), pudding, jam, jelly, table salt (NaCl), beer, yeast, hops, malt, sugar, cocoa, white (acetic acid) vinegar, processed cheese, ice cream, beef, lobster, pheasant, barley, cottonseed oil, hazelnuts, walnuts, brazil nuts, fried foods, soybean, and soft drinks, especially the cola type. To neutralize a glass of cola with a pH of 2.5, it would take 32 glasses of alkaline water with a pH of 10