Acid & Alkaine Foods

Your body likes to function at a pH around 7.4, which is very slightly alkaline. If you eat a lot of foods that are categorized as acidic, it decreases the pH of your body fluids, making your body more acidic as well. According to the University of California San Diego, too much acidity increases your risk of osteoporosis, heart disease and arthritis.

Measuring Acidity Vs. Alkalinity

Foods are classified as acid or alkaline based on the byproduct they give off, not the amount of acid that a food contains. Acidic foods give off hydrogen ions when they are broken down in your body. The hydrogen ions dissolve in your body fluids, lowering the pH. Alkaline foods give off little to no hydrogen ions when they are broken down in your body. Because they do not release hydrogen, alkaline foods do not alter the pH of your body fluids.

Alkaline Foods

Most vegetables, including broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, salad greens, onion, potatoes, cabbage, carrots and asparagus, are classified as alkaline foods. While many fruits are categorized as acidic, some alkaline fruits include lemon, lime, grapefruit, tomato and avocado. Watermelon is classified as neutral. Sprouts, sprouted seeds, chickpeas, hummus, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, almonds, flaxseeds, sunflower seeds, olive oil, flaxseed oil and hemp oil are also classified as alkaline. Alkaline beverages include pure water, fresh vegetable juice, herbal tea, almond milk, unsweetened soymilk and lemon water.

Acid Foods

Animal foods, including beef, chicken, shellfish, lamb, pork, turkey, cheese, ice cream, yogurt and eggs, are classified as acid foods. Cashews, peanuts, pistachio nuts, margarine, vegetable oil, sunflower oil and hydrogenated oils are also acid foods. Many fruits, including raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, plums, apricots and apples are acidic. According to "The Acid-Alkaline Diet for Optimum Health" the less ripe a fruit is, the higher its acidity. Other acidic foods include whole and refined grains, bread, pasta, cereal and white sugar. Some acidic beverages include coffee, fruit juice, milk, tea, beer and liquor.

Considerations

When following a diet based on the acidity and alkalinity of foods, the basis of your diet should consist of alkaline foods. EveryDiet.org recommends consuming 75 to 80 percent alkaline foods and 20 to 25 percent acid-forming foods.

You should also eat many of your alkaline foods raw. Overcooking the food not only depletes some of the nutritional value of the foods, but it can also change the structure, turning alkaline foods into acidic foods.