By Maria Locsin L.Ac
I have a friend who grows figs in her backyard. She has three different Fig varieties! She also proudly tells me that her figs are organic as well. All young trees, most of her fruit comes from the smallest tree of all. Its the Brown Turkey, that small tree produces a truckload of fruit. The sweeter Black Jack, and, Black Mission fig trees are harvest lean, but wow are they good and delicious! Touted as the most alkaline of fruit, figs are one of the safest treats the body can have.
Why do we distinguish between alkaline and acidic foods? Because cancer cells are smart; they love acidic foods. This article is an attempt to promote eating alkaline foods versus the acidic ones. A list of alkaline foods follows for your convenience. Scroll down below, the list of alkaline foods is a large list, and, surprisingly varied. What a pleasure to recognize how tasty alkaline foods can be! Now, because it is relevant to this conversation, we will list the acidic foods, and, spices as well. First, we need to get educated. It is not surprising at all to see how meats are acidic. Lemons, which we think is acidic, produces the opposite because it helps in the digestion of food, and, drink. The end result is alkaline. The citric acid in lemons produces an alkaline effect in the system.
In Chinese medicine, we are aware of temperature. Food, drink, and herbs, have an intrinsic temperature. For example, Green tea is cold; it is good to use with inflammations, or, a fever. Cinnamon, a cold beer, medication, recreational drugs are hot. 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. Back to very acidic lemons whose end products produced after digestion and assimilation are very alkaline. Lemons are alkaline forming in the body. On the other hand, meat will test alkaline before digestion; it leaves a very acidic residue in the body so, like most animal products, meat is very acid-forming. However I recommend fish. Nourish your kidneys, whose pathway includes bones, marrow, and is manifested in your hair. I use salmon (Oh no! It’s on the acidic list!) for it’s Omegas to work on my heart, my skin, and maintain the color of my hair. It is most important to balance one’s diet by consuming more foods from the alkaline list.
There are several versions of the acidic and alkaline food chart to be found in different books and on various reliable sources on the Net. There are foods that are sometimes attributed to the acidic side of the chart and sometimes to the alkaline side. Remember, you don’t need to adhere strictly to the alkaline side of the chart, just make sure a good percentage of the foods you eat is alkaline. It’s about balance. Provided below is the Unknown pH’ list.
We live to enjoy food and drink. We can control the alkalinity of our of diets because we don’t want to become magnets to sickness with an acidic one. We adjust. We eat alkaline. We prevent cancer. We are what we eat. We want to live long, healthy, and cancer-free…
List of Alkalizing Foods:
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 greens, 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, Chestnuts, Millet, Tempeh (fermented), Tofu (fermented), Whey Protein Powder
Alkalizing Sweeteners
Stevia
Alkalizing Spices & Seasonings
Chili Pepper, Cinnamon, Curry, Ginger, Herbs (all), Miso, Mustard, Sea Salt, Tamari
Alkalizing Other
Alkaline Antioxidant Water, Apple Cider Vinegar, Bee Pollen, Fresh Fruit Juice, Green Juices, Lecithin Granules, Mineral Water, Molasses, blackstrap, Probiotic Cultures, Soured Dairy Products, Veggie Juices
Alkalizing Minerals
Calcium, Cesium, Magnesium, Potassium,Sodium
List of Acidic Foods and Spices:
Acidifying Vegetables
Corn,Lentils, Olives,Winter Squash
Acidifying Fruits
Blueberries, Canned or Glazed Fruits, Cranberries, Currants, Plums**,Prunes**
Acidifying Grains, Grain Products
Amaranth, Barley, Bran, oat bran, wheat Bread,Corn,Cornstarch,Crackers, soda,Flour (wheat),Flour (white) , HempSeed Flour, Kamut, Macaroni, Noodles, Oatmeal, Oats (rolled), Quinoa, Rice (all), Rice Cakes, Rye, Spaghetti, Spelt,Wheat Germ,Wheat
Acidifying Beans & Legumes
Almond Milk, Black Beans, Chick Peas, Green Peas, Kidney Beans, Lentils, Pinto Beans, Red Beans, Rice Milk, Soy Beans, Soy Milk, White Beans
Acidifying Dairy
Butter, Cheese, Cheese, Processed, Ice Cream, Ice Milk
Acidifying Nuts & Butters
Cashews, Legumes, Peanut Butter, Peanuts, Pecans, Tahini ,Walnuts
Acidifying Animal Protein
Bacon, Beef, Carp, Clams, Cod, Corned Beef, 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, Butter, 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
Acidifying Drugs & Chemicals
Aspirin, Chemicals, Drugs, Medicinal Drugs, Psychedelic Drugs, Herbicides,Pesticides,Tobacco
Acidifying Junk Food
Beer, Coca-Cola, Coffee
Foods of Unknown pH type
Brazil Nuts,Brussel Sprouts,Buckwheat,Cashews,Chicken, Corn,Cottage Cheese, Eggs,Flax Seeds, Green Tea, Herbal Tea,Honey, Kombucha,Lima Beans, Maple Syrup,Milk, Nuts, Organic Milk (unpasteurized),Potatoes (white),Pumpkin Seeds, Quinoa,Sauerkraut, Soy Products,Sprouted Seeds, Squashes, Sunflower Seeds, Tomatoes, Yogurt
** These Foods leave an alkaline ash but do have an acidifying effect on the body.
