When it comes to eating, foods are considered to be either alkaline or acidic. When a food is alkaline, it is said to be a "base forming food." When a food is acidic, it is said to be an "acid forming food." This is determined from the "ash," or residue, that is left behind in the tissues of the body after digestion has taken place.
Significance
Balance is the key to base and acid foods. In your diet, you should aim for 60 percent base and 40 percent acid forming foods as a maintenance level. If you are trying to improve your health, you should aim for an 80-20 ratio weighted toward alkaline.
Function
The pH level of the body is a measurement of how acidic or basic you are. This is determined from a scale that goes from 0 to 14, with 7 being neutral--anything above 7 being alkaline and anything below 7 being acidic. Ideally, your pH level should be between 7.35 and 7.45. When you are extremely acidic, you want to aim more for the 80 percent mark with alkaline foods. This determination can be made by way of pH strips that you use with a urine or saliva sample.
Features
Base forming foods are generally uncooked, unprocessed and free of chemicals, pesticides and hormones. They help keep your organs functioning properly, and they keep your immunity elevated. Acid forming foods, on the other hand, can cause your body to work harder with all of its processes, and it can also cause poor absorption of key nutrients. You can eventually experience symptoms such as fatigue, headaches, frequent colds, kidney stones, digestive problems and sore muscles.
Types
For the most part, all fruits and vegetables are base forming. Baby spinach, celery, broccoli, all forms of greens, sprouts, wheat grass, figs, dates, apples and grapes are some of the highest. Foods that are processed and high in animal fat are acid forming. Red meat, eggs, cheese, white bread, bagels, sweets, pasta and condiments are all examples of these. Beverages high in sugar and caffeine are also acidic, such as soda, black tea, wine, beer and cocoa.
Misconceptions
Taste really has nothing to do with how basic or acidic a food is. There are some foods that actually taste acidic, but when your body breaks them down, they form a basic ash in your system. Lemons and limes are two examples of these. You can actually put them in your water to turn it alkaline. On the other side of the coin is foods that are healthy, but are high in acid. Oatmeal, beans, brown rice and fish are examples of these.
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