Which foods are alkaline and which are acidic?

2024 Author: Seth Attwood | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 15:55

Which foods are called acidic and which are alkaline, what is the difference between them, and how do they affect human health?

Human blood is alkaline in nature. To maintain the alkalinity of our blood, we need 80% alkaline food and 20% acidic. After going through a full cycle of digestion and metabolic processes in the body, some foods leave behind alkaline waste, while others leave acidic.

We can call such foods alkaline and acidic, respectively.

Usually, acids synthesized during the metabolism of products (for example, uric acid, lactic acid, etc.) enter into a chemical reaction with alkalis of blood, lymph, bile, etc., ultimately being neutralized. But if acidic foods predominate in the diet, the body cannot cope with all the acids supplied, and then symptoms begin to appear: fatigue, headache, loss of appetite (anorexia), insomnia, nervous tension, hyperacidity, runny nose, etc.

There are other important side effects due to the acidity of the blood. The body uses sodium as a buffer to maintain homeostasis and return the acidic pH to normal levels, thereby depleting sodium stores. When sodium can no longer buffer the accumulated acid, the body uses calcium as a second buffer. Calcium is leached from bones and teeth if it is insufficiently supplied from the diet. This leads to weakening of the bones, which become porous and brittle. This condition is medically called osteoporosis.

Chronic hyperacidity is an abnormal condition in which the processes of degeneration and aging of the body are accelerated. All toxic substances in the body are in the form of acids, and in order to prevent or counteract the accumulation of acids in the body, we must eat foods that are mostly alkaline in nature.

Therefore, it is important to know which foods are acidic and which are alkaline. Depending on the effect of food on the urine, they are classified as acidic or alkaline. Calcium, magnesium, sodium, iron, copper, manganese and potassium in food have alkaline effects. Sulfur, phosphorus, chlorine, iodine, carbon dioxide and carbonic, lactic and uric acids in products create an acidic effect.

List of acidic foods

1. All food products of animal origin: meat, eggs, fish, poultry, etc.

2. Dairy products: sterilized and pasteurized milk, cheese, cottage cheese and butter.

3. Dried peas and beans.

4. All cereals and legumes: wheat, corn, rice and beans.

5. All nuts and seeds (dried): peanuts, walnuts, cashews, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, melon seeds.

6. All prepared and semi-finished products: white bread, buns, baked goods, white flour, polished rice, white sugar.

7. Toxic products: tea, coffee, alcohol, tobacco, soft drinks.

8. All fats and oils.

9. All fried and spicy foods.

10. All sugary foods and candies (containing white sugar).

List of alkaline foods

1. All fruits (fresh or dried), including citrus fruits.

2. All fresh vegetables and green root vegetables (except peas and beans).

3. Sprouts of beans, peas, grains and seeds.

4. Sprouted grains and legumes ??

Partially alkaline foods

1. Fresh raw milk and cottage cheese.

2. Soaked nuts and seeds.

3. Fresh nuts: almonds, coconut, Brazil nuts.

4. Fresh green beans, peas, grains and millet.

Some helpful notes

one. As you can see in the table, wholemeal wheat, brown rice, and other cereals are naturally mildly acidic but tend to be more acidic after processing or refining.

2. Almost all cereals, beans, all types of meats, eggs, fish are acidic in nature, while almost all fruits and vegetables are alkaline.

3. All citrus fruits (lemon, orange) initially appear acidic, but their final effect in the body is alkaline. This is why they are classified as alkaline foods.

4. Indigestible legumes are sour foods, but when germinated they become more alkaline and less acidic.

5. There is little doubt about the acidic or alkaline nature of milk. In this regard, it should be noted that fresh raw milk is alkaline, while heated or boiled milk is sour. Various products derived from milk, such as cheese, butter, etc., are also acidic in nature.

6. Among nuts, peanuts are the most acidic, while almonds are the least acidic. Coconut, on the other hand, is alkaline in nature.

The division of food into acidic and alkaline was made by yogis a long time ago. All animal products, many of which are sour, are sour.

Anastasia Solovieva