The Seven Most Acidic Foods

most acidic foods

The Seven Most Acidic Foods (Avoid These Every Day)

Acidic foods can be incredibly damaging to your health. They put your body into a state of high alert and stress as your body has to instantly work to buffer the acidity and neutralise it, maintaining the correct pH balance in your digestive system and blood. When we overload our system with acidic foods something, eventually, will break. I’ll get onto what that could be for you in just a moment.

Now, I’m pretty easy going compared to most. When it comes to helping/teaching/supporting/coaching people to get alkaline and break through their health goals, I have a very realistic, achievable, relaxed (but powerful) approach.

In the fourteen years that I’ve been teaching and living the alkaline diet I’ve learned and proven over and over again that getting alkaline is easiest, most enjoyable and most likely to be stuck with if you take it day-by-day, step-by-step and don’t have perfection as the goal.

By that I mean:

…you should always allow yourself treats, you never have to give up everything and you can still live a normal life, still go out with friends, still socialise and still feel like you can have your favourite foods.

I’ve talked a lot in the past about my method of “Focus on The Good, Crowd Out the Bad” which is a whole other topic, but in short it’s all about making sure you focus on getting the good in rather than worrying about going cold turkey and putting your brain into a state where you’re always worried about restricting yourself, giving stuff up and therefore missing and craving your favourite foods – even if they are acidic!

But…!

There are certain acidic foods that you should try to let go of asap. These are the worst of the worst. The most acidic foods of all of the acidic foods out there. And I really want you to transition away from these as soon as you can.

Certainly don’t let these exist in your everyday life. For each I’ve given some of the known negatives and some scientific research – this is here to try and help increase your motivation to eat these foods less! We all face crossroads every day – when these acidic foods are calling our name, so hopefully this will help you to say no more easily!

What Are the Most Acidic Foods?

Research has proven these to be the most acid-forming foods:

  1. Cola/Soft Drinks
  2. Ice Cream
  3. Sugar
  4. Hydrogenated/Trans Fats
  5. MSG
  6. Yeast
  7. Sweeteners

I will take you through each of the acidic foods, why it is so acid-forming and the research that has been conducted on it which will massively increase your motivation to ditch it!acidic foods effecting the body


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The Seven Most Acidic Foods

Acidic Food #1. Cola/Soft Drinks:

Cola has to come in at number one and I could write a whole thesis on why. But let’s just touch on the main points as to why I quite literally never touch colas, lemonades, sports drinks, and other fizzy, carbonated beverages. Full of sugar, chemicals, sweeteners and ingredients that are actually known and proven as being dangerous for human health (hello phosphoric acid).

It’s almost impossible to know where to start with listing out how SHOCKINGLY BAD cola and soft drinks are for our health (and chemically addictive), so I’ll start with the ingredients and then move onto the research that proves just SOME of the health problems that cola causes (again, proven).

  • Sugar: colas contain sugar. Loads and loads of it. About 10 teaspoons per 330ml can. This. Is. Crazy. Remembering that sugar is more addictive than cocaine, it would be very wise to begin your transition away from cola and sodas right now. Today. As Mercola says “It is a proven fact that sugar increases insulin levels, which can lead to high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart disease, diabetes, weight gain, premature aging and many more negative side effects. Most sodas include over 100 percent of the RDA of sugar.”
  • Phosphoric Acid: known to interfere with the body’s ability to use and absorb calcium, this is one of the main reasons why cola consumption is so strongly linked to osteoporosis
  • Caffeine: caffeine is of course not only highly acidic, but also a cause of dehydration (as a diuretic). Most colas would contain around 55mg of caffeine, which is just shy of the 65mg found in a shot of proper espresso. This is a LOT of caffeine to get from a beverage that isn’t even coffee! Caffeine has also been shown to increase the risk of insomnia, high blood pressure, irregular heartbeat, elevated blood cholesterol levels, vitamin and mineral depletion, breast lumps, birth defects and more.
  • High-fructose modified corn syrup: geez, where do you even start with HFCS. Unquestionably linked to obesity, type II diabetes, heart disease, cancer, dementia, liver failure, kidney failure and more. It’s no surprise to find that since the US consumption per person of HFCS went from 0 to 60 lbs per person per year obesity has tripled and diabetes has grown seven-fold. Of course, there are other variables but you can’t ignore this. Now I could go into a LOT of depth here on HFCS but let’s just leave it here. It’s a horrible, horrible curse that has been put upon our modern society by the food industry in the last few decades. Thank goodness for people like Dr Mark Hyman and others – we’re all smartening up!
  • Other random chemicals: While the federal limit for benzene in drinking water is 5 parts per billion (ppb), researchers have found benzene levels as high as 79 ppb in some soft drinks, and of the 100 brands tested, most had at least some detectable level of benzene present
  • Aspartame: the worst of the worst when it comes to sweeteners (and the reason why diet sodas and colas are just as bad as the regular kind), aspartame is the sweetener with over 92 different health side effects that have been associated with it’s consumption including brain tumors, birth defects, diabetes, emotional disorders and epilispsy/seizures and more.

And the simple fact is, sugar, caffeine, HFCS, sweeteners are all HIGHLY acidic foods, and sodas contain them in abundance.

Let’s put it like this – you can’t be alkaline and consume cola on a daily basis.

But here are some other scary facts about regular cola/soft drink consumption:

  • The British medical journal “The Lancet” published a study showing that, during a two year study, those 12-year olds who drank soda on a daily basis had a 60% increase in the risk of obesity!
  • One cola per day can increase your risk of diabetes by up to 85%
  • Sheffield University research discovered that the chemical called sodium benzoate which is found in almost all colas and soft drink actually disrupts and damages DNA! The researcher reported that “And there is a whole array of diseases that are now being tied to damage to this DNA – Parkinson’s and quite a lot of neurodegenerative diseases, but above all, the whole process of aging.”
  • and so much more!

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Known Negatives of Cola/Soda: cola consumption is linked to an increased risk of: obesity, diabetes, liver damage, tooth decay, chronic kidney disease, heartburn/reflux, osteoporosis, heart disease, gastrointestinal diseases, cancers, gout and so much more.

Scientific Research:
Bray, G.A., Nielsen, S.J., and B.M. Popkin. 2004. Consumption of high-fructose corn syrup in beverages may play a role in the epidemic of obesity. Am J Clin Nutr. 79(4):537-43.

1. Caroline M. Apovian, MD. 2004. Sugar-Sweetened Soft Drinks, Obesity, and Type 2 Diabetes. JAMA. 2004;292(8):978-979. doi:10.1001/jama.292.8.978.

2. Matthias B. Schulze, DrPH; JoAnn E. Manson, MD; David S. Ludwig, MD; Graham A. Colditz, MD; Meir J. Stampfer, MD; Walter C. Willett, MD; Frank B. Hu, MD. 2004. Sugar-Sweetened Beverages, Weight Gain, and Incidence of Type 2 Diabetes in Young and Middle-Aged Women. JAMA. 2004;292(8):927-934. doi:10.1001/jama.292.8.927.

3. Hyon K Choi,Soft drinks, fructose consumption, and the risk of gout in men: prospective cohort study. 2008. British Journal of Medicine. BMJ 2008; 336 doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmj.39449.819271.BE (Published 7 February 2008)

4. J James, D Kerr. Prevention of childhood obesity by reducing soft drinks. 2005. International Journal of Obesity (2005) 29, S54–S57. doi:10.1038/sj.ijo.0803062

5. Malik, SV et al. Sugar-Sweetened Beverages and Risk of Metabolic Syndrome and Type 2 Diabetes. 2010. Diabetes Care November 2010vol. 33 no. 11 2477-2483

—> and SO many more, I could go on all day!

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Acidic Food 2. Ice Cream

All dairy is acidic (yes, milk is not good for you and doesn’t lead to stronger bones, it actually leads to weaker bones) but ice cream is the worst, most acidic foods because it’s just so dense! Something that is always scary is the amount of something alkaline needed to neutralise a strong acid – the ratio is 20:1.

That means it takes 20 cups of something alkaline to neutralise 1 cup of a strong acid. Unfair isn’t it? This ratio is certainly true of milk – it would take 20 glasses of alkaline water to neutralise 1 glass of milk. Not good. But it actually works out that it would take twelve times as much, that’s 240 cups of something alkaline to neutralise ONE cup of ice cream! Crikey! This makes ice cream one of the most acidic foods you can possibly consume!

It’s that bad. Truly.

Personally, if I ever have even a little bit of ice cream I feel tired instantly and get a headache. It’s instant. I hate the stuff for it. It literally couldn’t taste good enough for me to want to eat it and get that response in my body. It takes 12lbs of milks to make 1lb of ice cream – always remember that.

And this doesn’t even take into consideration the additives, colourings, sweeteners and other chemicals and acidic substances that go into ice-cream to make it so addictive and sweet.

Ice cream is an easy one to get rid of. Do it!

[note, if you need any more convincing, I just found this on forbes.com about vanilla ice-cream:]

If you’re a label-reader like me, you may see castoreum listed on vanilla & raspberry ice cream. Ick factor: What they don’t say on the label is that castoreum is the anal secretions & urine from a beaver. While not known to be harmful, knowing there’s beaver pee in your ice cream may help you cut empty calories!

Hope that helped!

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Known Negatives of Ice Cream/Dairy: one of the most concentrated acidic foods, mucous forming, causes acne, heightens allergies, contains hormones, pesticide residues, microforms, mycotoxins, saturated acidic fats, lactose, bacteria, can lead to bone weakening, weight gain and digestive issues, high impact on cardiovascular health.

Scientific Research:

1. Soedamah-Muthu SS, Ding EL, et al; Milk and dairy consumption and incidence of cardiovascular diseases and all-cause mortality; American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2011 Vol 93 no 1, 158-171

2. Adebamowo, CA, D Spiegelman, CS Berkey, et al. Milk consumption and acne in adolescent girls. Dermotol Online J. 2006;12:1

3. Lanou AJ, Berkow SE, Barnard ND. Calcium, dairy products, and bone health in children and young adults: a reevaluation of the evidence. Pediatrics. 2005;115:736-743.

4. Feskanich D, Willett WC, Colditz GA. Calcium, vitamin D, milk consumption, and hip fractures: a prospective study among postmenopausal women. Am J Clin Nutr. 2003;77:504-511.

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Acidic Food 3. Sugar

Sugar is sugar is sugar. It’s at the root of all acidity!

Sugar is quite literally an acidic waste product that for acids in the body is like petrol on a fire. And this counts for all sugar, white, brown, raw, cane, corn, malts, honey, molasses, sucrose, fructose (yes fruit), lactose, maltose, glucose and anything else ending in -ose.

Now, I know this isn’t exactly an easy one to give up entirely and so it sticks out in this list a little (and this article as a whole) but I do want you to start to lower the amount of sugar in your life and move slowly away from it. It’s at the root cause of all sickness and disease.

All sugars cause a rapid rise in blood sugar, which then creates an environment for the creation of bacteria, yeast and mold within the body (i.e. a hugely acidic digestive system, candida overgrowth, digestive issues, mal-absorption of nutrients and any sickness or disease you can think of).

The worst thing is, of course, the more sugar the body gets, the more acidic it gets, and so the more it craves – to keep feeding these acidic microforms. As I said earlier – sugar is more addictive than cocaine – and so the only way to cut this off is to alkalise the body and slowly transition away.

Giving up sugar is normally really hard, but with the alkaline approach – the more alkaline you get the less you’ll crave. It makes it so much easier and less stressful to give up this drug.

But as you look at our sugar consumption increase over the past 300 years, it’s clear to see that something needs to be done:

Refined Sugar Consumption Trends in Past 300 Years:

In 1700, the average person consumed about 4 pounds of sugar per year.
In 1800, the average person consumed about 18 pounds of sugar per year.
In 1900, individual consumption had risen to 90 pounds of sugar per year.
In 2009, more than 50 percent us consumed 1/2 pound of sugar per day, which is 180 pounds of sugar per year.
In 2016 I am sure it’s even more. The trend just keeps going up and up as the food manufacturers KNOW that it’s the way to keep us addicted to their products.

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Known Negatives of Sugar: highly acidic, inflammatory, oxidising, endocrine distrupting, cancer-causing, diabetes starting, disgustingly addictive and the root of all sickness and disease!

Scientific Research:

1. Bostick M et al. Sugar, meat, and fat intake, and non-dietary risk factors for colon cancer incidence in Iowa women (United States). Cancer Causes & Control January 1994, Volume 5, Issue 1, pp 38-52

2. Michaud DS et al. Dietary Sugar, Glycemic Load, and Pancreatic Cancer Risk in a Prospective Study. JNCI J Natl Cancer Inst (2002) 94 (17): 1293-1300.

3. Slattery ML et al. Dietary sugar and colon cancer. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev September 1997 6; 677

4. Meyer KA et al. Carbohydrates, dietary fiber, and incident type 2 diabetes in older women. Am J Clin Nutr April 2000 vol. 71 no. 4 921-930

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Acidic Food 4. Hydrogenated and Partially Hydrogenated Fats/ Trans Fats:

As healthy as the healthy oils (omega 3, 6 and 9) are to the body, the wrong fats are devastating. We all know just how bad the bad fats are, and we’ve been told about them for many decades (clogged arteries, heart disease, cancer etc). Animal fats, cheap vegetable oils, butter and (worse, much worse) margarine, trans fats and a lot of saturated fats (coconut aside) are all most definitely up there as one of the most acidic foods, absolutely shocking for our health.

Trans fatty acids, also known as trans fat, is an artery-clogging fat that is formed when vegetable oils are hardened into margarine or shortening. It’s found in all of the most acid-forming foods – takeaways, fried foods, refined foods, cakes, biscuits, chocolates and chocolate snacks, chips, pizzas etc. You know the drill.

The consumption of trans fats is one of the main causes for the current obesity epidemic and absolutely a huge reason for the diabetes epidemic. Trans fats are proven to increase blood levels of low density lipoprotein (LDL), or “bad” cholesterol, while lowering levels of high density lipoprotein (HDL), known as “good” cholesterol. The swines!

Sadly, and truthfully, many food companies use trans fat instead of oil because it reduces cost, extends storage life of products and can improve flavour and texture.

Bear in mind too, and you’ll know this if you’ve seen Hungry for Change, you’ll know that the three ingredients that food companies use to get us addicted to these acidic foods are the acid-forming-combo of fat, sugar and salt.

Steer clear of these fats!

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Known Negatives of Trans Fats/Hydrogenated Fats: artery clogging, raised ‘bad’ cholesterol and lowered ‘good’ cholesterol, high impact on cardiovascular health, obesity, cancer, diabetes and more.

Scientific Research:

1. Mozaffarian D, Katan M et al. Trans Fatty Acids and Cardiovascular Disease. N Engl J Med 2006; 354:1601-1613 April 13, 2006

2. Erkkilä A, de Mello VD, Risérus U, Laaksonen DE. Dietary fatty acids and cardiovascular disease: an epidemiological approach.Prog Lipid Res. 2008 May;47(3):172-87.

3. Mensink R, Katan M. Effect of Dietary trans Fatty Acids on High-Density and Low-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol Levels in Healthy Subjects. N Engl J Med 1990; 323:439-445 August 16, 1990

4. Salmerón J et al. Dietary fat intake and risk of type 2 diabetes in women. Am J Clin Nutr June 2001 vol. 73 no. 6 1019-1026

5. Van Dam M R et al. Dietary Fat and Meat Intake in Relation to Risk of Type 2 Diabetes in Men. Diabetes Care March 2002 vol. 25 no. 3 417-424

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Acidic Food 5. Monosodium glutamate:

When we’re talking about acidic foods – we have to include this one – even though it’s more of an additive than a food. Monosodium glutamate, also known as sodium glutamate or MSG, is the sodium salt of glutamic acid, a non-essential amino acid. Even though it was classified by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration as generally recognized as safe (GRAS) the FDA still stated that:

“Studies have shown that the body uses glutamate, an amino acid, as a nerve impulse transmitter in the brain and that there are glutamate-responsive tissues in other parts of the body, as well.

Abnormal function of glutamate receptors has been linked with certain neurological diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease and Huntington’s chorea. Injections of glutamate in laboratory animals have resulted in damage to nerve cells in the brain.”

Eeek. If the FDA are saying things like this then it’s time to get worried…

Dr. Russell Blaylock, a board-certified neurosurgeon and author of “Excitotoxins: The Taste that Kills” explains that MSG is an excitotoxin, which means it overexcites your cells to the point of damage or death (the same as aspartame and other sweeteners which we’ll get on to), causing brain damage to varying degrees and possibly even causing the worsening of learning disabilities, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, Lou Gehrig’s disease plus more. Wow.

MSG was always known as being something that we only found in Chinese food. This is very misleading – it’s everywhere. Well, it’s everywhere if you eat a lot of refined and fast foods. MSG is a very powerful flavour enhancer so it’s used in products such as crackers, chips, microwave meals, canned foods etc in order to make them taste fresher and more flavoursome.

MSG is hidden in lots of foods within ingredients, so look out for the following on your food labels: Autolyzed Yeast, Calcium Caseinate, Gelatin, Glutamate, Glutamic Acid, Hydrolyzed Protein, Monopotassium Glutamatem, Sodium Caseinate, Textured Protein, Yeast Extract, Yeast Food, Yeast Nutrient.

…and is often found in Flavors and Flavorings, Seasonings, Natural Flavors and Flavorings, Natural Pork Flavoring, Natural Beef Flavoring, Natural Chicken Flavoring, Soy Sauce, Soy Protein Isolate, Soy Protein, Bouillon Stock Broth, Malt Extract, Malt Flavoring, Barley Malt, Anything Enzyme Modified, Maltodextrin, Pectin Enzymes, Protease, Corn Starch, Citric Acid, Powdered Milk, Anything Protein Fortified, Anything Ultra-Pasteurized

[props to Mercola for his research on MSG]
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Known Negatives of MSG: a highly acidic food and included in so many other acidic foods, numbness, burning sensations, tingling, facial pressure, chest pains, breathing difficulties, headaches, nausea, weakness, fatigue, obesity, kidney failure & more
Scientific Research:

1. Ka He, Liancheng Zhao, et al. Association of Monosodium Glutamate Intake With Overweight in Chinese Adults: The INTERMAP Study. Obesity, 2008; Volume 16, Number 8, pp. 1875–1880.

2. Olney, JW, Ho OL. Brain Damage in Infant Mice following Oral Intake of Glutamate, Aspartate or Cysteine. Nature, August 8, 1970; Volume 227, pp. 609 – 611.

3. Redding T.W. · Schally A.V. · Arimura A. · Wakabayashi I. Effect of Monosodium Glutamate on Some Endocrine Functions

4. Nakanishi Y et al. Monosodium glutamate (MSG): A villain and promoter of liver inflammation and dysplasia. Journal of Autoimmunity Volume 30, Issues 1–2, February–March 2008, Pages 42–50

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Acidic Food 6. Yeast:

Having too much yeast in the body is predominantly the most acidic thing we can do, and also the biggest cause of acidity – and hence yeast is one of the most acidic foods we can consume!

When we consume yeast, it’s like we’re throwing acid after acid into our body. The outcome of this is that your body is constantly in a state of absolute acidity and the worst thing is the consumption of yeast and the body’s production of yeast is a vicious cycle – the more yeast we throw in, the more yeast we have in our system and the more acids the growth of these yeasts creates, which then feeds the yeast to grow further. Here is my super-simple-diagram to help explain what happens when we keep consuming yeasts, sugars (which turn into yeasts) and more:

cycleofimbalance

In an acidic state, the body is constantly being ravaged. The stress of maintaining this level of alkalinity is just too much and so we get sick, tired and full of disease.

Yeasts from bread, pasta, alcohol, baked goods and anything that is made from yeast can cause huge microform overgrowth!

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Known Negatives of Yeast: highly acidic and used in so many other acidic foods, kidney stones, digestive issues, liver complaints, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, kidney disease, heart disease, diabetes, candida, fungal infections and more.

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Acidic Food 7. Sweeteners:

As acidic foods go this is a shocker. I’ve kept this broad as ‘all sweeteners’ because they’re all pretty bad, even the natural ones. BUT from here on presume I’m talking about the super-commercial artificial ones (not the stevia types).

If you use these sweeteners in your daily diet – please stop asap! They’re SUCH bad news for your health and are one of the most acidic foods (or ways to make a food much more acidic) that you can consume!

And worse still, many are truly not proven as safe for human consumption. Let’s look at Splenda. At the time of it’s approval for the FDA it was claimed it was proven as safe after the review of 110 pieces of research. However, further investigation of that research uncovers some interesting facts:

  1. Of these 110 studies only TWO were human studies
  2. The longest human study lasted FOUR DAYS!
  3. It included only 30 participants
  4. And the study was on tooth decay not our health!

This just goes to highlight another example of the complete and utter bull***t that exists out there when money talks.

The REAL story is this – use of Splenda has been shown to decrease our healthy stomach bacteria by up to 50%.

Ultimately, whichever brand you use you’ll be ingesting one or more of the following: aspartame, saccharine, neotame, sucralose, acesulfame and or cyclamates. These are all highly acidic to the body. For instance, when ingested, aspartame breaks down into formaldehyde in the body!

Please just don’t let them into your body!

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Known Negatives of Sweeteners: highly acidic, carcinogenic, migranes, dizziness, fatigue, insomnia, weight gain, loss of taste and linked to a worsening of Parkinson’s fibromyalgia, Alzheimers, thyroid disorders and many more.

Scientific Research:

1. Maher T J , Wurtman R J . Possible neurologic effects of aspartame, a widely used food additive. Environ Health Perspect. 1987 November; 75: 53–57.

2. Mead N. Sour Finding on Popular Sweetener: Increased Cancer Incidence Associated with Low-Dose Aspartame Intake. Environ Health Perspect. 2006 March; 114(3): A176.

3. Vartanian LR et al. Effects of Soft Drink Consumption on Nutrition and Health: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. American Journal of Public Health: April 2007, Vol. 97, No. 4, pp. 667-675.

4. Yang Q. Gain weight by “going diet?” Artificial sweeteners and the neurobiology of sugar cravings. Yale J Biol Med. 2010 June; 83(2): 101–108.

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What Next >> The Acid Alkaline Diet Fundamentals: The Easy Way to Rock It

I’m all about mastering the fundamentals. The core handful of super-effective stuff that will make the biggest amount of difference (80/20 rule). This, to me, is much more preferable to trying to aim for perfection and doing it all at once. And in all of my experience this has helped me get more than 4,000 people alkaline and living in their dream body, with their dream health, vitality and energy – while enjoying the process.

If you can master the few simple, core fundamentals then you’ll get 80% or more of the benefit with only 20% of the hard work needed.

I’m going to be talking about this a lot in the next few weeks and months, but right now I want you to consider this guide as being one of the core fundamentals.

Here are a few of the others:

  1. Eat the seven most alkaline foods daily – especially the greens
  2. Transition away from the seven most acidic foods
  3. Stay properly hydrated with good quality alkaline water
  4. Exercise daily – even if just a 15 minute walk or some squats or something! (note: it’s the habit that’s important
  5. Consume omega 3 oils daily
  6. Get plenty of alkaline minerals
  7. Get sunshine and smile!

And even if you want to narrow that down I’d say: greens, oils, hydration & alkaline minerals (you can check out my alkaline supplement guide here). Get those four every day and you’ll see huge improvements.

If You Want To Get Alkaline: Here is What to Do Now…

If you’re ready to start getting alkaline and getting to (and way beyond) your big health goals then I recommend you start with my Beginners Guide to the Alkaline Diet!

My three-video, absolutely free training can be accessed from my homepage right here – sign up next to the pic of me!

This will take you through all of those core fundamentals I mentioned plus more and get you on the fast track to getting alkaline now.

And if you have any questions – just post them below in the comments and I’ll get back to you as quickly as I can!
Ross


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Ask Me a Question or Leave a Comment Here - I'd Love to Hear from You

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  1. Nancy Reply

    I’m on a natural thyroid med and have actually gotten my thyroid to rejuvenate itself and start producing its own T4 which docs were surprised about; but, changing my diet, eliminating all gluten, removing all chemicals from my body, and eating a more balanced diet has helped tremendously. HOWEVER, I was diagnosed with a severe case of GERD. Docs just want me to start taking prescription meds, which I hate doing. Can you help?

  2. Carl Reply

    Your list indicates yeast bacteria has an acidic affect. Does that apply to the live bacteria present in the whey from kefir and similarly in the live bacteria in Kambucha? These are both commonly consumed by people with cancer… yet people with cancer benefit from an alkaline diet.

    • JEAN MICHEL Reply

      Hi Carl,
      No, the 2 questions I asked ONE YEAR AGO are only centered on MARMITE… MAR-MI-TE !
      Is the yeast extract contained specifically in Marmite is acidic or alcalin ?
      I am definitively not speaking about kambucha or kefir.
      I just want to know if eating MARMITE is an acidic food !!!
      Thank you to answer me
      Best regards
      Jean-Michel

      • ross Reply

        Hey Jean Michel – Marmite/Vegemite is 100% very acidic. It’s pure yeast extract.

  3. Lou Nell Bath Reply

    Could an acidic condition contrbute to my vertigo?

  4. jean michel Reply

    Hi Ross,
    I asked you already twice these 2 following questions, but it seem that you never answer the questions we make. That’s a little bit discouraging !
    FIRST QUESTION : are the British MARMITE black paste an acidic food ?
    I am a Belgian “lover” of this paste for over 50 last years. I love it for the taste but also for its dietetic components (thiamin, niacin, riboflavine, vit B12) – I mix and eat 10 grs of Marmite per day with my high diet of various (alcalin) esevegetables.
    Being made of yeast EXTRACT, is the yeast level problematic in Marmite and at the dose I mentioned ?
    SECOND QUESTION : I drink 3 cups of expresso MAX / day. Could this rate really deplete my calcium levels ? – Furthermore, I read from the PRAL international index, that expresso coffee is quite an alcalin beverage ! OK, I know that the PRAL index is rather an “in vitro” value than an “in vivo” value. But, what’s the reality ?What is your personal opinion about my 3 cups per day of coffee ?
    Thank you so much to give me an answer for each of these two questions here above.
    Jean-Michel

  5. Simon Bloomfield Reply

    Hi Ross, I’ve been reading a book by Robert Morse titled “The Detox Miracle Sourcebook”. I thought he advocated an alkaline approach to nutrition, however his principles deviate quite a bit from yours. He seems to be all about raw foods, with the emphasis on fruits and veggies. Some of his “acid forming foods” are at odds with yours, so I’m really confused here. For instance Lentils, Dried beans, Oatmeal, Soy, Garbanzos, processed oils, Nuts etc, which I’m sure are staples for pretty much all vegans, of which I have been one for over a year now. He says we should be Frugivores! Yet you suggest limiting fruit to 2 pieces a day?
    I’d love to know your thoughts on this. He apparently treated all manner of diseases for 40 years prior to his death, including Cancer of all things, but he did die at 58 of a heart related condition. Of course this could have been a defect and we don’t know if he followed his own advice towards the end?

    • ross Reply

      Research into fructose and inflammation has highlighted a LOT since Morse’s work. 2-3 pieces of fruit a day is great, but the focus has to be on veggies, pref leafy greens. PLUS, raw is important but not all has to be raw.

  6. Ann Reply

    Is powdered goats milk alkaline or acidic?

    • ross Reply

      Acidic

  7. Darlene hlady Reply

    Where do you start if you are trying to help someone that is a stubborn alcoholic?

  8. lisa hansell Reply

    I see yeast included on the things that should be avoided. Does that include nutritional yeast?

  9. BALTEAU Jean-Michel Reply

    Hi Ross,
    I asked you allready this question but it has disapeared
    The Ultimate Question spelled another way : are the British “love or hate” black paste that you spread on toasts an acidic food ?
    I am a Belgian “lover” of this paste for over 50 last years. I love it for the taste BUT ALSO for its dietetic components (thiamin, niacin, riboflavine, vit B12) – I mix and eat 10 grs of Marmite per day with my vegetables.
    What is your opinion about this well known product as an acidic food or not ?
    Being made of yeast EXTRACT, is the yeast level problematic in this product ?
    Thank you in advance for your opinion
    Sincerely
    Jean-Michel Balteau

  10. Mrs Angela Alexander Reply

    Hi my name is angela, I’m 63 and have developed burning gmouth syndrome. I’m post menopausal and have had what I thought was a reasonable Mediterranean diet. I am at my lowest state now. I feel so I’ll . I was given vaclovir for zoster vitus and now my health has spiraled down. I really need help. I’ve lost faith in doctors.

  11. BALTEAU Jean-Michel Reply

    Hi Ross,
    The Ultimate Question : are MARMITE made of yeast extract, an acidic food ?
    I am a Belgian “Marmite lover” for over 50 last years. I love it for the taste BUT ALSO for its dietetic components (thiamin, niacin, riboflavine, vit B12) – I mix and eat 10 grs of Marmite per day with my vegetables.
    What is your opinion about Marmite as an acidic food or not ?
    Being made of yeast EXTRACT, is the yeast level problematic in Marmite ?
    Thank you in advance for your opinion
    Sincerely
    Jean-Michel Balteau

  12. Lorraine Baril Reply

    I have high blood pressure. Is it safe to ingest turmeric etc?

    • ross Reply

      Turmeric – yes (unless you ate crazy amounts, like a LOT – which you wouldn’t, it would be a very very very very large amount every day for a long time)

      But supplements – be a little more careful. Supplements are concentrations of the main anti-inflammatory compound called curcumin. This is what CAN be contra-indicated with some blood pressure medication.

      If you’re not on medication, there isn’t an issue.

  13. Juliet Termini Reply

    What can I eat if I have Barrett Disease?
    Please help!!

  14. Nancee Reply

    Thank you so much Ross! This is amazing 7 alkaline food and 7 acid-forming food so easy to remember! Will just concentrate on the alkaline food. Appreciate your hard work in teaching us to live healthily!

    • ross Reply

      My pleasure Nancee!

      Ross

      ———————-

      Get Ross’ New Book: The Alkaline Reset Cleanse

      http://smarturl.it/amz-arc

    • Jo Hoye Reply

      Hello. I read everything you send. I am the world’s biggest skeptic, because I’ve tried everything under the sun to lose weight and get healthy, and nothing has worked For me. But your advice makes sense to me. I am obese, diabetic, and filled with health issues (arthritis, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, neuropathy, and more!). These articles about the best and worst alkaline foods just make sense to me. The depth of research you put into the articles you share with us is evident. It puts something on my mind to make me really think about what I’m doing to my body to promote the health issues I’m dealing with. I tried your alkaline reset cleanse and I really felt the difference. I didn’t stick to it past a week, but reading these two articles has motivated me to get back on the right track. Starting today I am striking those 7 worst acidic foods from my diet! And I’m going to the store today to stock up on the 7 most alkaline foods. I will vow to eat them every day for a week and see how I feel. Thanks for everything. And please keep doing what you do. Your honesty and sharing freely your knowledge and expertise is very encouraging and helpful.

      • ross Reply

        Hey Jo

        I have some questions for you – I’ll drop you an email 🙂

        Ross

  15. Kate Reply

    Hi Ross!
    Im curious about a few things. Is nutritional yeast acidic then as well?
    How about natural sweeteners such as sugar alcohols like xylitol and erythitol?
    As to other sugars: are maple syrup and brown rice syrups acidic?
    I love your blog! I have found a lot of great recipes as well as purchased your book. I have yet to do the cleanse though.

  16. Izuchukwu Reply

    Hi Ross,
    Many thanks for your educative write-up. Quite eye opening.

    I was wondering, where would maize (corn), both white and yellow fall into. Not sweet corn. Are they acid forming or alkaline?

    How would you compare red and green apples in terms of which is healthier?

    Many thanks for your feedback.

    Izu

  17. Anna Reply

    How acidic are popcorn and oatmeal?

  18. Manal Reply

    Hey Ross,
    when you say : All dairy is acidic (yes, milk is not good for you and doesn’t lead to stronger bones, it actually leads to weaker bones)
    you mean all dairy? even organic goat milk?

    Thank you ^^

  19. Annette Reply

    Dear Ros,
    I just love your site, and the wisdom that you share through it.
    I have been into the natural way of eating, (natural remedies, etc.) for decades, but for the last three weeks or so, I have been recovering from Cystitis. When I do eat bread it is organic, gluten-free, and I see you have a couple of amazing recipes for the best bread, which I have downloaded and printed out. My question is, would Amaranth flour be another good choice for making bread. And I love a good, healthy pancake occasionally, so would Amaranth be suitable for pancakes too?

    We are all Blessed to have you guiding us towards the ultimate healthy food plan and lifestyle.
    Thank you,
    Annette Amor.

  20. Bruno Reply

    I’ve just read an article about Sucralose citing a study that says:

    “increased fecal pH,
    The presence of sucralose in the gut raised pH, the amount of alkaline material. That means that it REDUCES the amount of acid (HIGHER pH means LOWER acid). Acid is necessary for digestion and it seems that acid levels are “out-of-whack” in almost everyone…”

    https://thecompounder.com/sucralose-a-bitter-reality/

    It seems no matter what fancy nutrition trend you follow, you can’t win. 🙂

    • ross Reply

      Hey Bruno

      Understand your confusion and frustation over this – the bottom line is that the pH of the gut and other areas of digestion are not all intended to be alkaline, and eating strong acid-forming foods upsets the pH from where it needs to be. When we eat highly acidic foods the body will INSTANTLY release huge amounts of sodium bicarbonate and utilize it’s other acid-buffering mechanisms (the other main one is the kidneys upregulating the amount of glutaminase) – this is designed to INCREASE the pH of the gut area to ensure all digested food reaches a pH back to 7 by the time it passes onto the duodenum and then the small intestine (which have a pH of about 6.8-7.2).

      Eating acidic food stresses this first phase of digestion in the stomach which is where the most damage can occur. Because the food HAS to have the correct pH after it leaves the stomach the body will go through huge stress to make this happen. When excessive hydrochloric acid is needed to digest the food AND the food has an acidic pH the volume of sodium bicarbonate needed is huge. This is why splenda is having the effect. The splenda digestion increased the production of sodium bicarbonate.

      The article you’ve quoted is simplifying the extremely complex process of digestion so ridiculously. It’s fuzzy logic to the extreme.

      I’m so glad you’re doing your research, but if you ever see a fuzzy logic statement like that, definitely keep questioning it.

      Ross

  21. Janice Reply

    Are white potatoes okay? What about fish? My sister and I are going to start the foods that are in the 7 group . I thought we ate healthy.

  22. PROTUS KATIMI Reply

    I am grateful for the free information given.GOD bless you as you continue educating the world.

    • ross Reply

      My pleasure Protus and all the best to you too.

  23. Llewellyn Reply

    Ice cream is great. It tastes great, and is packed with ice, which is water, which is good for you.

    Did you know that to this day, no double blind studies exist around ice cream consumption, and so, we really do not know anything about this mysterious super food. But what we do know, we often get wrong, and this wrong doesn’t make a right.

    Ice cream is that hidden unicorn in the mystical forest, somewhere out there.
    No one really knows this beast, they hear stories, sometimes they get a glimpse of it, they see a hoof, or a horn and say its THAT. But unicorns don’t exist.
    No its best to leave Ice-cream and unicorns alone. Say no ill words about either.

    • ross Reply

      Merry Christmas Llewellyn, that’s hands down the best comment I’ve ever had. I actually love this.

  24. Gail Reply

    Is popcorn acid or. Alkaline

  25. Sable Seline Reply

    Hi,

    You mentioned that when having sweeteners, that you’re potentially consuming aspartame and when this is ingested it breaks down into formaldehyde in the body. I’ve just done a Google search and some of the foods that are known to contain natural forming formaldehyde are apples and bananas which is also on Dr Sebi’s alkaline diet list. I’m confused here!

    • ross Reply

      Hi Sable

      I disagree with some of Dr Sebi’s teachings – apples and bananas are most definitely not alkaline forming due to their high fructose content. Fructose is an incredibly hard sugar for the body to metabolise, as *only* the liver can metabolise it. When a lot of fructose hits the liver the byproduct of this is the formation of visceral fat cells, a spike in inflammation, and disruption to the endocrine system – most notably to the adrenals (due to the regulation of blood sugar/insulin and the resulting cortisol spike) and the thyroid – alongside your ‘weight/hunger’ hormones: leptin and ghrelin.

      The levels of naturally occuring formaldehyde in these fruits aren’t a concern, and I’m not saying avoid all fruit – 1-2 pieces a day is fine if your other sugar consumption is low – but they are most definitely not alkaline forming.

      Ross

  26. Elizabeth Reply

    Is Frozen yogurt safe to eat?

    • ross Reply

      Nope – yoghurt (dairy) is quite acid forming and 99% of frozen yoghurts are absolutely packed full of sugar.

  27. annie Reply

    thanks for the info

  28. Ann Reply

    I have a fatty liver, but do not know why? As I don’t eat a lot of fat and never touch alcohol.
    Recently I was told Thát an MRI scan had shown up a small tumour! I knew I had some scarring on my liver, but did not expect this.Do you think an alkaline diet will improve this condition, I have heard that cancer cannot live in an alkaline body!

  29. Lauren Reply

    Hi Ross, your content is wonderful and I have only begun to delve in. Questions: I thought I saw that you occasionally use wheat bread in your recipes. Do you feel it doesn’t contribute to inflammatory response? Also, would organic cane sugar sometimes found in boxes but milks be considered acidic and should be skipped? Lastly, can you point me to the EASIEST recipes on your site for a beginner? Thank you! And congratulations on your success!

    • ross Reply

      Hey Lauren

      I don’t recommend any regular wheat bread. You shouldn’t have seen this on my site anywhere?

      Cane sugar should be skipped whenever possible, absolutely. Organic makes no real difference.

      The easiest recipes are…well, most of them!

      For breakfast look up the Chia Pots and Simple Alkaline Oats (just google liveenergized chia pots for example)
      Soups: Tuscan Bean Soup, Gut Healing Soup
      Smoothies: pH Boosting Protein Shake, Anti-Oxidant Super Smoothie
      Juices: Big Bad Green Juice, Anti-InflammatioN Juice, Triple A Juice
      Salads: Fill You Up Salad & Summer Salad
      Lunches: Simple Alkaline Wraps and any other salad, soup etc.

      This post might help too: http://liveenergized.com/alkaline-diet-resources/ross-top-21-popular-alkaline-recipes-free/

  30. Wally Schiel Reply

    Hi Ross,
    What about Stevia as a sweetener? It is plant based, so is it ok in very small amounts, as per 1 tab per cup of green tea?
    Cheers
    Wally

  31. shank Reply

    Is consuming olive oils are acidic or in alkaline in nature?

  32. Shah Reply

    What diet to follow for shingles?

  33. Rory Cripps Reply

    Do the positive alkaline effects of foods such as collard greens, broccoli, bell peppers, etc. break down or diminish if they’re cooked?

    • ross Reply

      A little, but not so much that you’d worry about it. Eating *everything* raw is not that sustainable for 99% of people.

  34. Ann Reply

    I want to transition go an alkaline diet but love that one cup of coffee in the morning. Is this horrible if I concentrate on keeping the rest of my diet alkaline? Also, I had but out artificial sweeteners and was using sugar to avoid the chemicals but I heard that Stevia was ok. Could you tell me if stevia/Trulia is as bad as all the others??

  35. Mirrett Benta Reply

    Is nutritional yeast and honey bad for this diet?

  36. Willy Reply

    My question is, SODA WATER. I have a soda fountain so I fill up a bottle of filtered water and then I carbonate the water to have a slightly sparkling soda.
    Is this good or bad?

    Thanks a lot

  37. Rachel K Reply

    Hi, my son is 8 years old and has already had 9 cavities, two crowns and two root canals! Bad teeth run on my side of the family. I just started testing the ph of our saliva and he has acidic saliva. I’d like to put him on a high alkaline diet. How do I make this tolerable for an 8 year old?

  38. Candoo Reply

    What is the most important thing I can do to battle my skin cancer. It is coming up everywhere?
    I have been alkaline now for 3 weeks.

    • ross Reply

      Hi Candoo

      I can’t make suggestions directly related to a personally diagnosed condition. The information on my site should help direct and guide you to implementing the alkaline diet.

      Thanks – sorry I can’t be more specific – it’s all legal stuff.
      Ross

  39. Kelly Reply

    Amazing facts there, thank you so much.
    I give my children a daily multi vitamin and omega 3 supplement which a purchase from ‘natures Earth’ website. I was dissapointed to see that they both contain sweeteners.
    I m sure my children do get quite a good diet but I have always believed in vitamins.
    Can you recommend any good ones for children that don’t contain sweeteners ??
    Thanks Kelly

  40. Nancy Reply

    I see leafy greens at the top of most alkaline lists. I am on a blood thinner, coumadin, for life and have to avoid them! Vit K. Can you recommend ways for someone like myself to stay alkaline w/o too much vit K?
    Thanks.
    I’m pretty confused trying to do a low carb, high fiber, low K and now alkaline diet. I’m trying to lose 20 lbs, have digestive problems (sluggish and constipation) taking psyllium, lots of water and walking daily but still not feeling optimal and have not been for on and off a year.

  41. Angelika Reply

    Hi excellent article didn’t know so many things. Question in regards to sugar, what can you use instead? I have an extremely sweet tooth when it comes to chocolate or even sweetening my oats in the morning. Sweet drinks are not the problem more the chocolate.

    Thanks

    • ross Reply

      Hey Angelika

      Just transition up and up with the cocoa content until you get to 85% or 90% cocoa dark chocolate. It is the best way to go as you find you can take the edge off the craving, but you don’t crave more once you’ve eaten it. A cube does the trick!

      Ross

      • Ashley Reply

        Hi Ross,

        What about Xylitol?

  42. Lee Reply

    I cut out fast food, milk, red meat, sugar and sweet snacks. Eating lots of salads, vegetables but my problem is I don’t need to lose ANY weight. After cutting these out of my diet, I look too thin. I honestly don’t know what I can eat to get the weight I need back on. I’m not going to eat celery and carrots sticks all day, any suggestions of healthy foods that help you gain weight? Please help. Also would love to have access to healthy recipes. Thanks

  43. Randy Powell Reply

    As usual, your info and writings are on point! I frequently follow your Facebook page and share your posts with my fan page followers. Please keep up the GREAT work!

    Randy Powell

    • ross Reply

      Thanks Randy!

      • David bahnsen Reply

        Hi Ross
        The only sugar i eat is pure organic honey.Every thing i’ve read about the heeling properties of honey can’nt be that bad for you.
        Thanks David

        • ross Reply

          Hi David

          It has healing properties for sure, in the same way that red wine does. But that doesn’t mean that it’s good for you. It’s largely a combination of fructose and glucose (and water) which is a bad combination of sugars. It also averages a pH of around 4.

          It has uses, but I personally wouldn’t recommend using it daily or regularly.

          Ross

  44. Amanda Reply

    Ross or Felicity,

    Any advice for a hiatal hernia sufferer? The hernia causes reflux and so they put me on acid reducing drugs. I’m not too “keen” on that idea, any suggestions? Would an alkaline diet help in a case such as this where its more of a mechanical issue than dietary? I eat mainly a vegetarian diet with a couple of poultry-centered meals a week. No milk in my diet. Thank you!

  45. charlene Reply

    hi ross
    thanks so much for an easy reading web page…i have damaged teeth and dentists argue with me about sports drinks i am drinking a lollies i eat…which i do neither of…so they couldnt get why my teeth were being damaged by ‘acid’. i also realised (rather embarrasingly) that when i sweat (i am a very active person) that i stink of an acidic smell like cat pee!! gross. anyways….i started to investigate acidic foods and realise i eat a lot of them – love bread, for instance and yoghurt etc etc. not big on sugar but do like dark chocolate a lot. so here is my answer to get rid of or eliminate more acidic foods, hopefully help my teeth and my stench LOL!! thanks so much, this is easy quick reading for quick direction on what not to do and also what to do, thanks ross! kind regards charlene

  46. Jackson kipkan Reply

    Hi Ross my name is Jackson from Kenya.i have read your article and am now convinced that sugar is bad.Lately the doctors say I have an acidity problem so I would really appreciate it if I got more articles to read and practice so as to improve my health.

  47. jonkautz Reply

    Dear ross,

    I think it very funny how you make it seem that milk is this highly acidic liquid that we ingest. Its nowhere nearly as acidic as you make it seem. Most milk has a ph level slightly below 7. Making it barely acidic and if not in some or most cases ph neutral. If you are in posession of some milk that is highly acidic, please do a litmus test and show us the milk and results as proof.

    • Energise Ross Reply

      A common misconception – it’s not the pH of the substance outside of the body that matters. It’s the affect it has once consumed – the effect on the body.

      Thanks
      Ross

  48. Elise Perez Reply

    This is great!! Yes, I know that sugar is bad just because of how it effects me. I have cut cane sugar out of my diet completely. But I am wondering about other sugars such as beet sugar, maple sugar, coconut sugar and agave. Especially coconut sugar is supposed to be very good for you. Please help me figure this out. I’m very health conscious and there is not much material on this subject.

    • Ross Bridgeford Reply

      Hey Elise

      All sugar is sugar, sadly. You should try to avoid all forms if possible.

      Ross

  49. angelabean Reply

    Dairy is alkaline not acidic its used as an antacid. U can become too alkaline u need to test your ph to see. When i eat too many alkaline foods i have to take acid wirh meals ir drink tea to acidify gut. The gut needs to be acid to digest food . U can go too alkaline. Do not recommend taking baking soda with meals it stops u digesting.

    • Ross Bridgeford Reply

      Hey Angela

      Long time! Hope you’re going great.

      Regarding your comment, I respectfully disagree. It’s not alkaline, it is acid forming. The lactose, hormones, chemicals, bacteria etc all contribute to it’s acidity.

      It’s incredibly, incredibly difficult to be too alkaline to the point of it becoming a problem. Think of it this way, even people who are too acidic ALL DAY every day still live into their 70’s, 80’s and 90’s. If it were the case that you accidently became too alkaline your body would just regulate your pH in the same way as it does all day every day with acidity. It wouldn’t be a problem.

      Being consistently over-alkaline in the same way as most of us are over acidic would be practically impossible.

      Thanks
      Ross

  50. Becky Reply

    Where can I order your book about the diet? I’m much better with something I can carry around with me rather than look on the computer.Please let me know asap. Thank you, Becky

  51. Roel Reply

    Hi Ross, Youve mentioned Omega 3, but why this trigger my acid reflux. My assumption is that it lowers (alkalize) my stomach acid. As i understand ph level on our stomach should be very high.

  52. nur Reply

    I consume milk like a bottle a day so is that bad ? omg what should I do

    • Ross Bridgeford Reply

      I’d definitely be looking to cutting that down and then cutting it out.

      Ross

  53. Charles A. Reply

    I would ask a few questions but I c that there have not been any replys to the ones already made. Thanks for the post.

    • Ross Bridgeford Reply

      Hi Charles

      Yeah, been super busy right now. Am actually hiring someone to be my assistant right now, so will have more time for comments, content and videos 🙂

      Ross

  54. Joanna Reply

    Hi Ross,
    thanx so much for your web site and recipe book!
    Im on alkaline diet since January and lost 15kg ( base-70kg),
    I have so much energy, I do not feel this strange “hunger” and unbalance need for sugar!I just feel great and look realy good! On other diets I have problems with my skin and hair- now my skin is perfect and hair are shiny – just love it!

    I’ve stoped eating red meat, ( white meat and fish only once a week as extras in my salads), gluten and sugar ( only couple fav. fruits), drinking coffee and black tea.
    I try to drink at least 3 l of water per day!

    I do have issue with water- I was thinking about Reverse Osmosis- what is your opinion?

    Still cant believe how much I achived during such a short time!

    cheers!

    best regards from Poland, Joanna

  55. Diana Reply

    Hi,

    Thanks for this great information. What about Xylitol as a sweetenerÉ

    • Ross Bridgeford Reply

      Hi Diana

      Xylitol is better than the more chemical sweeteners like nutrasweet – but I still recommend keeping it to a minimum and transitioning away when possible.

      Thanks
      Ross

  56. Mich Nicolas Reply

    Hi Ross!

    Dairy is in the list of acidic foods. Which brings me to this question: Milk is advised for children. I have a five-year-old who drinks milk everyday. What to make of this then?

    Thanks and God bless you!

    • Ross Bridgeford Reply

      Hey Mich

      That has to come down to your own beliefs and preferences. I don’t believe dairy is good for anyone, kids, adults – anyone. I recommend checking out the info on http://pcrm.org regarding dairy. It offers a good, alternative but medically based opinion.

      Thanks
      Ross

  57. Meriel Reply

    Hi Ross, thank you for the info, much appreciated, have you written an article on stevia? Thnx, have had some success on your diet, watched hungry for change and the food revolution and have found that what you offer seems to be more pertinent, food wise for me. Is there some where you post these questions above as some are interesting and I would like to see the answers….
    Bye for now m

    • Ross Bridgeford Reply

      Hey Meriel

      How are you?!

      Stevia is probably the best of a bad bunch. I’d use it as a transitional tool, but do try to steer away from it in the end.

      Hope all is well with you
      Ross

  58. Jenny Reply

    Hi Ross,
    My friend has been diagnosed with bowel cancer, he had an operation a week ago. He will have chemotherapy later. What kind of alkaline food or recipes you have is good for him?
    Thanks

  59. Deborah Reply

    Hi Ross,

    I eat Kale, broccoli, almonds every day and except for milk I do not eat any of the above acidic foods.
    So I am basically alkaline.

    What is your opinion on Reverse Osmosis systems and adding a FILTER which would alkalize the water. I wanted to get a system to minimize the flouride and chlorine that I digest, as I hear that’s bad for you too.
    Thanks,
    Deborah

    • Chris Reply

      Go to a doctor right now! You indicate that you are “basically alkaline.” If you are too far from the 7.35-7.45 pH you may be suffering from alkalosis! If you are below this level, I would be concerned as well. You may be diabetic (ketoacidosis) or suffer from other issues.

      If your acidity is truly a concern I would recommend adding baking soda to all of your food. If you want to reduce the acidity, this is the most effective way (or drink a teaspoon of draino…don’t do this).

      You could also try intravenously injecting a sodium bicarbonate solution (baking soda). This treatment is often used in cases of severe acidosis. Not only will this neutralize your acidity, but it will contribute to your blood buffering system. By the henderson-hasselbalch equation, we see how such substances can minimize pH fluctuations. pH=pKa + log(base/acid). Because of the nature of the log term, big changes in concentrations of H+ will contribute to a slightly alkaline pH.

      I would also caution you with some of Ross’s recommendations in this article. I am not entirely sure of his qualifications/degrees, but looking at these recommendations and on previous articles, he does a excellent job of misinterpreting results and making crazy interpretations on the results of the studies. Many of these articles are behind pay walls, and I doubt he took the time to read them.

      In this article, he states that “is not good for you and doesn’t lead to stronger bones, it actually leads to weaker bones.” No where on that page and in the articles is there an indication that bones are weakened. In fact, the studies clearly indicate that some studies show benefits, while most have no relation. He is effin with you pretending like there is science in this whole acidity thing, while citing articles on healthy foods to deceive you. The shocking truth is that you likely do not have any issues with your acidity. If you did, you would know (passing out/seizures/metallic taste in mouth).

      Disregard my recommendations I said in the first few paragraphs. If you are on a municipal water system, you water is tightly regulated and should be fine (if you are concerned..get it tested by your water company). If you use wells, there may be benefits with water filtration systems because of the lack of processing.

      • Michael Reply

        Bah!

  60. Fred Reply

    Hi,
    I am new to this alkaline diet thing and I am really excited about all this great news and information! I only have basic chemistry knowledge (high school), so I am not sure about all of this acid/alkaline information.

    Firstly, what feature of the foods define their acidity? If I recall correctly from HS and the different definitions of acidity, protons (H+ or H30+) are essentially the atom that contributes to the acidic nature of a substance.
    Am I right in thinking this?

    Secondly, if we are trying to neutralize acidic foods would it be alright to supplement with proton pump inhibitors (these are prescription, but i can get them from my friend) to reduce H+ stomach secretion. Maybe I can take some antacids or milk of magnesia. Would this provide any beneficial results? I am concerned because milk of magnesia relieves constipation (dont want any accidents, haha!).

    Thanks,
    Fred

  61. Andrea Reply

    Hi Ross,
    I was then wondering about Kefir and the culturing of milk which has huge health benefits in the digestive system adding probiotic bacteria. Is this product, Kefir also acidic or has it been converted after the culturing process?
    I enjoyed your article btw, thank you and I would like to know the 7 most alkalising foods to have daily
    Regards, Andrea

  62. Jenni Reply

    Hi Ross,
    Can you get back to me about the Chanson machine. The Microscopist that I have signed up with says that spring water would be more beneficial than a Chanson in terms of the filtration system used. Forvarious reasons my Chanson has not been used, and i am considering returning it this week.

    Kind regards

    Jenni

  63. Sharon Reply

    Hi Ross, I was wondering if you mean by “all milks” does that include nut milks like almond, soy and coconut milks?

  64. Pat Reply

    What is your opinion of frozen and fresh yogurt.

  65. Shona Doyglas Reply

    Hi Ross, I am celiac and I do crave sweet things and chocolate . I do try to use brown sugar a little and never drink pop. Please advise on how to cut back on sugar intake . What is alkaline water? I drink Almond milk as I feel upset with dairy products. Is brown sugar the best product to use to sweeten food? Thanks

  66. Justine Reply

    That milk and ice cream part broke my heart. T_T

    I’m pretty much guilty of it.

    Nevertheless, thanks for this very informative guide. 🙂

  67. Debra Reply

    Ross, you say that potatoes are also acidic unless they are new potatoes. What is the difference?
    Also, home made popcorn – a little bit of oil in the pan and then pop your own…..? Not microwave popcorn. Acidity levels?
    Thanks.

  68. Sari Reply

    Hi Ross,
    Thank you for all the info you share with us. I have a question about omega 3 ‘s. can you please recommend a brand and type to buy. I always thought omega 3 is an acidic compound. I would appreciate your comments.
    Thank you

  69. Rita Reply

    What about soy milk?

    • Pam Reply

      What about Soy Milk?

  70. Ginny Reply

    Hi Ross, I just wanted to say thank you for all of the hard work that you do putting this together. It’s totally worth it for me. 🙂

    I know dairy is a no no but I do include some cheese in my diet. For instance I take chunks of eggplant baked in the oven with lots of coconut oil, top it off with some tomato sauce and some cheese and boy is that good. I know I probably should lay off the cheese though but I just love it. I’m Italian.

    Oh yeah, what are the best alkaline minerals in your opinion?

    • Chris Reply

      spoonful of baking soda every morning. works wonders.

  71. rosalinda piczon Reply

    very informative and truly inspiring.

  72. Nancy Hart Reply

    If one has to use bottled water a lot, what are the best ones to buy that are the most alkaline. I have a good filtered water system at home but when traveling and out, I would like to know a good one to buy!
    Thanks,
    Nancy Hart

  73. Shiloh Reply

    P’s. Animal milk is bad. Raw or otherwise. What decade are we living in people?

  74. Shiloh Reply

    Hi Ross, I stay away from milk and diary, but wondering in regards to nut milks where they land. I love almond milk, I can make it fresh but sometimes the almonds are too expensive and I buy the bottle, unsweetened. It’s blue diamond, almond breeze. Thoughts? Thanks! Love and light. x

  75. Nadèl Reply

    Hi Ross,

    If even fructose (and I presume then raw honey as well) is bad, what sweetener does one use? I made the transition from sugar to fructose a few years back, since I’m allergic to honey, and heard it’s about the second best thing to raw honey.

    Thanks

    Nadèl

  76. Thomas J. Obazee Reply

    Thank you very much for your dedication to improving significantly the health of everyone through teaching mankind the good foods to eat and the bad ones to avoid. I have benefited tremendously from the good work you are doing and wish to encourage to continue on this path. God Bless

  77. Kim Reply

    LOVED your article Ross! I just forwarded it to most of my list!
    Thanks so much for sharing your knowledge!!
    Kim ~

  78. Jim Reply

    Could you please explain – The Cycle of Imbalance – diagram above: It says on the bottom of the diagram: “quickly turns healthy red blood cells into bacteria and yeast”? The acidic state may foster the growth of bacteria and yeast but red blood cells can’t be turned into bacteria or yeast!

    • Chris Reply

      its cause its bull. =).

  79. Kaz Reply

    Great article Ross, many thanks.

    Dick a cow’s milk is for her calf not humans. Reasearch the dairy industry, associated politics and animal abuse and you might change your mind about wanting to consume dairy. The fact that its acidic is only one reason not to consume it, albeit a good one.

  80. Sarah Reply

    Hi when you say all dairy is sheep and goats yogurt I clouded in that?

  81. Sarah Reply

    Hi when you say all dairy are sheep and goat milk included I that?

    • Ross Bridgeford Reply

      Hi Sarah

      They’re better than cows, but both still are acid forming.

      Thanks
      Ross

    • Samina Reply

      I have asked the big man about this (Dr Robert Young) when I met him in 2009. He said goats milk is the closest in nature to human milk and if you want to have dairy, it’s the best since it is only weakly acid.
      It has better chemistry and humans are more tolerant to it then any other dairy.

      Goat’s like us only have one stomach as opposed to cows who need four stomachs to process their food and milk.

      Goat’s milk is not mucus forming. It is great for healing from mucous conditions, sinus problems and eczema. Wean kids straight from breast milk onto goat’s milk. Breastfed babies will naturally take to it. Adults can slowly get used to it by mixing their regular milk in large quantities first. Then decreasing the amount of cows milk steadily over week or so.

      • Ross Bridgeford Reply

        Hi Samina

        Goats is certainly a big improvement on cows, but is still acidic.

        Thanks
        Ross

  82. Natalie Reply

    I know all that is true about pasteurized homogenized milk – but not for raw milk… which is a completely different food. Please clarify next time. 😉

    • Ross Bridgeford Reply

      Hi Natalie

      It is my understanding that raw milk still contains lactose, and that alone would make it acid forming. Feel free to include raw milk as part of your diet – I always suggest following the approach 80/20 or 70/30.

      Cheers
      Ross

  83. Davida Reply

    Hello Ross.
    What’s your take on fermented vegetables and Kombucha tea.
    I make & consume both. The sugar used to ferment the Kombucha is totally processed by the tea & we all know that raw fermented vegetables are really good to help fight bad bacteria in the digestive system but there is always yeast present in both & I am curious to hear your opinion on both. Kombucha was & still is a very popular drink in some villages of the Ukraine & China & many have attributed their good health & longevity to their drinking it. Thank you in advance. Davida

  84. dick J Reply

    All dairy is acidic (yes, milk is not good for you and doesn’t lead to stronger bones), THIS IS WHERE I STOPED READING YOUR SO CALLED “INFORMATIVE” ARTICLE. ARE YOU REFERING TO “RAW MILK” OR UNPASTURISED? A STATEMENT LIKE THAT & WE ARE NOT EVEN ON THE SAME PAGE!!

    • Ross Bridgeford Reply

      Hi Dick

      Yes, this is all milk, including unpasteurised and raw. Unfortunately, even though these less spoiled milks are much improved on the commercial pasteurised milk that makes it to our store shelves, dairy is still acidic.

      Thanks
      Ross

      • Natalie Reply

        Can you site studies for your opinion, regarding raw milk?

        • Felicity Reply

          Ross I am drinking Hemp milk when I have tea..is great..

          Soya milk caused problems with thyroid.

          Rice milk is nice but they add sugar. Please send any info for readers.

    • lynn Reply

      I have been told by more than one doctor and nutritionist that dairy products are ALKALINE not acidic. I agree that milk is not as good for us as we were lead to believe and it does create mucous in those sensitive to it but I stopped reading when I hit, in my opinion, your inaccurate info…

      • Angie Reply

        Lynn,
        It’s after you digest it that it becomes acidic…

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