Lower down foods (even within single categories) become more acid-forming (usually more difficult to digest), i.e. less alkaline
LEAST ACID-FORMING (MOST ALKALINE):
The best foods, also good for “graduated fasting”.
- Lemon/calamansi water with a little salt
- Herb tea, Apple cider vinegar
- Coconut water
- Citric fruit juice, water with little honey
- Other fruit juices
- Vegetable juice
- Lactobacteria drinks without milk
- Citric fruits
- Juicy fruits
- All other fruits including super-ripe banana (except starchy fruits below)
- Green leafy vegetables, sea vegetables, sprouts, spices
- All other vegetables (except starchy veggies in next category, and three more listed at the bottom)
- Extra-virgin oil produced without heat friction
- Raw juicy young sweet corn & young peas
SLIGHTLY ACID-FORMING (SEMI-ALKALINE):
Good for healthy people
- Small amount of yogurt just for lactobacteria (among dairy, best is goat’s milk yogurt)
- Legume/nut milk
- Black-strap molasses
- Starchy vegetables/fruits (potato, cassava, jackfruit, “normal” (not super-ripe) banana)
- Fresh tofu
- Nuts (in small quantity, blended or very well-chewed, not fried – best soaked)
SEMI-ACID-FORMING:
Good for healthy people in smaller quantity
- Buckwheat (which is an herb, not a grain)
- Whole grains #1: millet, quinoa, kamut, amaranth
- Other whole grains (including 100% wholegrain bread/rice/noodles, corn, oats, barley)
- Legumes (e.g. mung beans, lentils, soya, peanuts)
ACID-FORMING:
A little bit is not too bad for healthy people
- Mildly sautéed vegetables
- Raw sugar
- Refined grains (including white bread, white rice, white noodles), veggie-meat
- Refined sugar, tea, coffee, most non-fried vegetarian junk foods
EXTREMELY ACID-FORMING:
Eliminate or minimize
- Vegetarian deep-fried foods
- Fish
- Poultry
- Meat
- Eggs
Notes:
1) Dairy products vary according to personal situation – for some it is good, for some it is bad.
2) Refined sugar, tea & coffee are not difficult to digest, but if one consumes them liberally then they are very acid-forming, create stress, and also rob the body of needed nutrients.
3) Onion, garlic and mushroom are not difficult to digest, but they heat up the lower glands, and thus very much disturb the emotions.
