All substances can be measured by a PH value, including high acid foods. The PH scale is made of 14 points, of which 7 is the median or neutral PH. The lower the PH, the more acidic a substances is – the higher the PH, the more alkaline it is. The body tries to keep a regular PH, but if you have a lower PH, such as that from eating many high acid foods, you might run into problems. Symptoms of a high acid diet might include irritability, headaches, dry skin, low energy levels and fatigue, and recurring infections. High acid foods can also make any of these conditions worse if you have them already.
Knowing which foods to avoid can be helpful to maintain your body’s ideal PH levels. These are the foods you might want to skip if you are dealing with a PH level that isn’t quite where it should be.
Though vegetables are good for you most of the time, the high acid in corn, lentils, olives and winter squash might be an exception. They are packed with fiber and nutrients, but with PH levels that range from 5.2 to 6.3, they might not be the best options if you are trying to lower your acid levels.
Some fruits are more acidic than others. Blueberries, cranberries, currants, glazed fruits and canned fruits are often very high in acid. The sweeteners and preservatives added to glazed and canned fruits make it worse. Processed fruit juices also have a low PH. When you eat these, you are getting a PH between 2.3 or 3.3.
Most processed foods have a high acid content, and that is true with white bread, pasta, white rice, bagels, doughnuts, biscuits, crackers and assorted pastries. The PH typically varies from 5 to 6, and besides that, these items are often low in fiber and nutrients.
You might be surprised to learn that smooth, creamy dairy products are on the more acidic side. All milk, cottage cheese, cream cheese, hard cheese and butter fall into the high-acid category. Non-fat versions have just as much acid as the full-fat versions. They range from 5 to 6.4, and watch out for those eggs too – they have a PH of 6.1.
Some nuts are very high in acid, including pistachios, peanuts, cashews, walnuts and pecans, with a PH of around 5.4. Some of the oils we use to cook with or put on salads also have an acidic PH, including sesame, safflower, sunflower, canola, corn, avocado and olive oil.
No matter the calories, any type of alcohol is going to have a very low PH, and thus a high acid content. An example is sherry, which has a PH as low as 3.4. Hard liquor, scotch, spirits, beer and wine are all included in this acidic range. Coffee and soda are also low in PH.
Speaking of soda, keep in mind that any fizzy, carbonated beverage is likely filled with not only acid, but with ingredients that are bad for you. They are full of sugar and sweeteners, but they are also filled with chemicals, some of which might not be safe. These drinks should be avoided not just because of the acid content, but of how much they contribute to problems like heart disease, irregular heartbeat, vitamin and mineral depletion and more.
Putting sugar into your body is loading you up with so much acid, it is the equivalent of pouring gasoline onto an already-raging bonfire. All sugars can make your blood sugar rise fast, and that provides the perfect opportunity for bacteria, mold and yeast to take hold within the body. What’s more, once you start taking in sugar, your body wants more and more of it, and so you crave it. Avoid anything that has sugar in it, including raw, cane, brown, white, corn, and malts. Natural sweeteners like honey and molasses also have a low PH. Anything that ends with –ose is to be avoided, such as those that have sucrose, lactose, maltose, glucose, sucrose, and the like.
This video can help you understand the PH of the body and the foods we eat, and why it might be best to avoid high acid foods in order to feel better.
Improving your health, especially the health of your bones, is very important at every point in your life. You can help do this by improving the balance of acid and alkaline in your body. This is important to do, no matter how good your intake of nutrients might be.
Here’s an excellent example of an alkaline diet plan. This one-day plan will give you a good idea of the kinds of foods that are best for you. Remember to pair this with a good amount of exercise, and also limit toxins as you try to find better health.
| Breakfast |
Scrambled eggs, one to two per person, mixed with sautéed green onions, green peppers, tomatoes and any other leafy green veggies. A cup of ginger tea is also a good addition. |
| Lunch |
Two cups of steamed veggies, such as kale, carrots, broccoli or onions, alongside a bowl of lentil soup. Drizzle a touch of salad dressing over the veggies, and wash it down with water. |
| Dinner |
Have a 4 oz. serving of a lean meat, such as fish or chicken, alongside a leafy green salad and a baked sweet potato. You could also try grating some parmesan cheese over the baked potato. |
| Snacks |
There are many snacks that suit this diet, including almonds, pears, apples, toasted pumpkin seeds, hard-boiled eggs, celery and carrot sticks, red bell peppers and flat-leaf parsley. |