pH Chart Of Acid and Alkaline Forming Food Affect On The pH Of Your Body
The pH chart below lists foods that decrease pH (acid forming food) and increase pH (alkaline forming food) of the body. The affect of acid forming food and alkaline forming food on the body can be measured with a pH meter and with pH test strips (strips of litmus paper).
pH Chart Rule Of Thumb
Most fruits and vegetables have a low pH because of their acid content, so you would think fruits and vegetables would lower your pH. The acids of most, but not all, fruits and vegetable are broken down during digestion, and once digested most fruits and vegetables raise pH due to their high potassium content. Potassium is highly alkaline forming. Most meat and dairy foods measure as alkaline, but when digested lower pH because of their high protein content. Protein lowers pH. But some dairy products raise pH due to their high calcium and potassium content – calcium is also highly alkaline forming.
Find “Alkaline-Forming Foods” (.gov)Fruit’s Alkaline Forming Properties (.gov)
Why A Food Would Lower pH
Food that lowers pH is acid forming (acidifying). There are several reasons why a food would decrease your pH. Proteins are broken into amino acids which lower pH. The break down of nucleic acids (RNA, DNA) in food forms uric acid which lowers pH. Human digestion can’t break down acids found in some foods. Because vitamin C is an acid (ascorbic acid) and not broken down by digestion, it’s acid forming, especially mega doses of vitamin C (excluding a few alkaline forming forms of vitamin C – See pH chart below).
The element carbon is acid forming. The bubbles in soda are carbon dioxide, causing soda to be significantly acid forming. Soda also contains phosphorus, which is acid-forming.
A deep thiamin deficiency causes acidosis. More than a serving of coffee, decaf, tea, or raw fish daily can cause a thiamin deficiency, keeping pH lower. Food and thiamin HCL supplements are useless sources of thiamin, small doses of thiamin mononitrate is best. Acidosis is when pH is too low.
Low pH Acidosis Traced to Thiamin Deficiency (.gov)Why A Food Would Raise pH
Food that raises pH is alkaline forming (alkalizing). There’s only one reason why a food would increase pH – high alkaline forming mineral content, most often potassium and or calcium. Milk, fruits, and vegetables are almost all of the foods that are significantly alkaline forming. Magnesium is highly alkaline forming and zinc is somewhat alkaline forming, but there’s not enough of these minerals in most foods to affect pH. But mineral supplements of potassium, calcium, magnesium, and zinc in citrate, picolinate, and orotate forms are particularly highly alkaline forming. You’ll see these terms on the label (i.e. “zinc citrate”). When taking these forms of minerals, you can raise your pH too high (alkalosis), so you may want to buy some pH test strips or a pH meter.
See Testing Saliva pHWhat Should Saliva pH Be
The goal is to keep your saliva pH around 7.0. When your pH is too low (too far below 7.0, acidosis) the low pH deteriorates the body causing the body to pull calcium and magnesium from bone to maintain blood pH and causes the kidneys to overwork. Some symptoms of acidosis are fatigue, apathy, irritability, for some unexplained rapid breathing. When pH is too high (too far above 7.0, alkalosis), the high pH causes absentmindedness, lightheadedness, irritability, and hyperactivity. You want to keep saliva pH above 6.7 and below 7.5. It is necessary saliva pH is measured an hour or more after a meal or anything is eaten, two hours if a large meal is eaten. Digestive acids will push saliva pH down so you don’t want any digesting occurring when measuring saliva pH.
Alkalosis (.gov)Acidosis (.gov)
The pH Chart
The pH chart below will help you decide what foods to eat more of and what foods to eat less of in order to keep the general pH of the cells of your body (which is close your saliva pH) at least 7.0 (excluding during digestion). Remember that the pH scale is different from the pH chart below. The pH of a food before a food is eaten is information of the pH scale and is useless for controlling your pH, but the pH of your saliva is also information of the pH scale and you use the pH scale in measuring the pH of your saliva for controlling your pH. Because many foods measure acidic on the pH scale but increase your pH (alkaline forming foods) instead of lowering your pH and because many foods measure as alkaline on the pH scale but lower pH (acid forming foods) instead of increasing your pH, the pH chart below is a chart of the affect of different foods on the pH of your body after a food is eaten, not the pH of a food before a food is eaten.
The acid-base hypothesis: diet and bone in the Framingham Osteoporosis Study (.gov)“Clinical Studies” On Alkaline forming Foods and Bone Health (.gov)
The pH Chart Of Acid and Alkaline Forming Foods
0 | Acidic | 7 | Alkaline | 14 |
| Acid Forming elements: chlorine phosphorus carbon sulfur iodine hydrogen | Alkaline Forming elements: calcium sodium potassium magnesium selenium oxygen |
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Fruits and Vegetables | ||
Most fruits and vegetables have a low pH because of their acid content. Cranberries and prunes are acid forming because they contain acids human digestion can not break down. The amount of these indigestible acids out weighs the alkaline forming potassium content of prunes and cranberries. Acid forming fruits and vegetables: | … But most fruits and vegetables are alkaline forming because during digestion the acids are broken down, leaving only the high potassium content, which is alkaline forming. Poor digestion (i.e. digestive illness/disease, age, medication etc.) may not break down acids well, which could make fruits and vegetables less alkaline forming. | |
Grains | ||
Grains are acid forming because of their protein content. Common cat and dog food is very acid forming because of the high meat and wheat gluten content and hard on their kidneys and bones. Whole grains are very nutritious – don’t avoid whole grains completely, complement whole grains with foods that raise pH. (Why grains are important (.gov)) What are the grains anyway? Wheat, corn, rice, and barley are the main grains of the world. Other grains are oats and rye (sorghum and millet in arid climate countries). Plant foods that are complete proteins and also acid forming: quinoa, soybeans. Buckwheat is a complete protein – no agreement on whether it’s acid or alkaline forming. |
Plant foods that are complete proteins and also alkaline forming: amaranth, spirulina. Millet is slightly alkaline forming. Buckwheat is a complete protein – no agreement on whether it’s acid or alkaline forming. |
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Beans (Legumes) | ||
Beans are acid forming due to their high protein content. Phosphorous is acid forming. Phytate (phytic acid) is the form of phosphorus in plants. Humans and other non ruminant animals lack the enzyme phytase and therefore can not digest phytate, making phytate not acid forming. But phytate binds to 3 alkaline forming minerals, calcium, magnesium and zinc, and binds to one acid forming minerals, iron. Phytate is found within the hulls (outer shell) of seeds, beans, nuts, and grains. Sesame seed flour is particularly high in phytate (5.3%). Pinto beans and flaxseed are a little high in phytates (2.3, 2.1%). Phytate is inositol hexakisphosphate, but other forms of inositol, myo-inositol, phosphatidyl inositol, are not phytate and are important in human biochemistry. Phytate is also called IP6. |
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Nuts | ||
| Acid forming nuts: Peanuts Walnuts Cashews Pecans Tahini (sesame seed butter) |
Alkaline forming nuts: Brazil nuts Almonds Chestnuts |
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Meat and Dairy | ||
During digestion the nucleic acids (RNA, DNA) of meat and dairy are broken down (metabolized) to uric acid. Protein is broken down to amino acids, amino acids lower pH. Meat and dairy and some plant foods (legumes) are high in protein. |
But some dairy foods are very high in alkaline forming calcium. Milk and cottage cheese are alkaline forming because of their high calcium content. Eggs are alkaline forming. |
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!! Same Affect On pH | ||
! The substances below are acids and affect the body in the same way they measure for acidity – they lower pH of the body. |
An alkaline substance is an “alkali” and commonly called a “base”. !The substances below are alkalis (bases) and affect the body in the same way they measure for acidity – they raise pH of the body. |
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Table salt labeled “iodized” is pure salt plus a very small amount of iodine added to prevent goiter (hyperthyroidism). Iodized salt decreases pH only a little because iodine is highly acid forming. |
Canning salt is pure salt. While pure salt contains just as much sodium as chloride, pure salt raises pH some because sodium pushes pH up more than chloride pushes pH down. |
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Soda pH: 2.5 – 5.5 A few sips might be “refreshing” but after that there’s nothing positive to say about soda. Soda is the worst food there is for the body. |
The pH of tap water should be between 7 and 8. Chlorine kills mold and fungus and is added to tap water in many countries to prevent spread of disease but chlorine also pushes the pH of water down. Those inexpensive activated charcoal filters remove chlorine (just before you drink the water) and are a good investment in your health. You’ll benefit more from throwing your money in a fire pit and feeling the warmth than spending your money on bottled water. |
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Most beverages made with alcohol have a low pH and are acid forming because of the alcohol content. Wine, beer, whiskey, rum, etc. are acid forming. | Baking soda is a pretty strong alkali (base) with a pH of 9. |
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Pure ascorbic acid (vitamin C) has a pH of only 2.2 and is highly acid forming. |
Mineral form ends with
“ate” then the mineral
supplement is alkaline forming, for example: Sulfur is an acid forming mineral not an alkaline forming mineral. Sulfur is the “S” in MSM. Unexpectedly, my experience is always that MSM raises pH. |
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| Non Food Acid Extreme: Battery acid pH 1.0 |
Non Food Alkali Extreme: Drain cleaner pH 13 |
Here’s another pH chart which lists specific foods by their acidifying or alkalizing quality.
Remember that elements mined from the Earth are called minerals, so in nutrition some elements are referred to as minerals (potassium, magnesium, zinc, etc.) and elements not mined from the Earth are usually referred to as elements (carbon, oxygen, nitrogen).
Acid Forming, Alkaline Forming Strength Of Elements
The electrons of atoms of elements are what are interacting between atoms in chemical reactions. The outermost electrons of an atom of a mineral (an element) are called valence electrons, and usually are the only electrons involved in chemical reactions. Elements with a valence of 1 have one electron available for chemical reactions. Elements with a valence of 2 have two electrons available for chemical reactions. Elements with a valence of 1 or 2 are very alkaline forming elements. Elements with a valence of 3 are less alkaline forming. Valence of 4 or more are acid forming elements. Elements with a valence of 5 or 6 are more acid forming. Elements with a valence of 7 are highly acid forming.
Acid Forming Alkaline Forming Strength Chart
| 1 Potassium Sodium Cesium |
2 Magnesium Calcium Zinc |
3 Boron Iron | |
| 4 Carbon Germanium |
5 Nitrogen Phosphorus |
6 Sulfur Oxygen Selenium Chromium |
7 Iodine Fluorine Chlorine |
As you can see from the valence chart, potassium is a strong alkaline forming mineral. Sodium is also a strong alkaline forming mineral but sodium is not a mineral you want to get too much of because sodium attracts water causing blood pressure to increase. Calcium, magnesium, and zinc are good alkaline forming minerals. As you can see carbon, phosphorus, and chlorine are acid forming.
No Water or Minerals Then No pH: What Is The Origin Of Minerals and Water?
Without elements (including minerals) there is no pH. Since the minerals in the food and supplements of your diet determine your pH, where do elements come from? In massive stars hydrogen atoms combine forming carbon, oxygen, and eventually all of the elements. Iron collects in the core which causes massive stars to collapse and then explode (supernova) spreading the elements created into space where they collect and form planets.
Elements are only acid forming and alkaline forming when in water. Without water pH doesn’t exist and the pH scale and pH chart don’t apply. Where does water come from? Water being H2O, hydrogen is abundant in the universe. Oxygen has a high affinity for most elements, including hydrogen. Water on Earth formed either during the early formation of the Earth and in space during formation of comets which crashed into Earth.
Technically, pH is a measurement of the number of hydrogen ions compared to the number of hydroxide ions in a solution, with a pH of 7 mathematically defined as an equal number of both. “pH” is an abbreviation for potential hydrogen.
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