Heartburn and Acid Foods

Have a problem with heartburn or reflux and want to know what foods to avoid? Below is vital information on acid forming foods.

Many people with health problems such as heartburn and acid reflux are told to cut down on acidic foods to ease discomfort.

But what many people don't know is which foods are acidic. Some foods such as lemons appear to be acidic because they taste acidic but in fact they have an alkaline effect.

Acidity and alkalinity are supported by a pH factor ranging from 0-14. pH0 is acidic and pH14 is alkaline.What needs to be understood is that an alkaline diet is not necessarily better than acidic, nutritionally we need a balance of both.

Unfortunately due to diets being high in processed foods, it becomes almost impossible to maintain that balance.

The pH of stomach acid is 1 which we need for that first point of digestion, water is 7 (neutral), our blood is 7.35, sea water is 8.5, and baking soda is 12.

Ideally, our pH should stay on the alkaline side just above neutral, between 7.35 and 7.45. Many health experts have suggested that health deteriorates when our blood changes pH due to an imbalanced diet.

Foods are classified as acid-forming or alkalizing depending on the effect they have on the body, not on their acid content. Just because a food tastes acidic, does not mean it will be acid forming in the body.

An acid-forming food contributes hydrogen ions to the body, making it more acidic. ACIDIC FOODS LIST

An alkalizing food removes hydrogen ions from the body, making it more alkaline.

VEGETABLES

Corn

Lentils

Olives

Winter Squash

FRUITSBlueberries

Canned or Glazed Fruits

Cranberries

Currants

Plums**

Prunes**

GRAINSAmaranth

Barley

Bran, oat

Bran, wheat

Bread

Corn

Cornstarch

Crackers, soda

Flour, wheat

Flour, white

Hemp Seed Flour

Kamut

Macaroni

Noodles

Oatmeal

Oats (rolled)

Quinoa

Rice (all)

Rice Cakes

Rye

Spaghetti

Spelt

Wheat Germ

Wheat
BEANS & LEGUMES

Almond Milk

Black Beans

Chick Peas

Green Peas

Kidney Beans

Lentils

Pinto Beans

Red Beans

Rice Milk

Soy Beans

Soy Milk

White Beans

DAIRYButter

Cheese

Cheese, Processed

Ice Cream

Ice Milk

NUTSCashews

Legumes

Peanut Butter

Peanuts

Pecans

Tahini

Walnuts

PROTEINBacon

Beef

Carp

Clams

Cod

Corned Beef

Fish

Haddock

Lamb

Lobster

Mussels

Organ Meats

Oyster

Pike

Pork

Rabbit

Salmon

Sardines

Sausage

Scallops

Shellfish

Shrimp

Tuna

Turkey

Veal

Venison

FATS & OILSAvacado Oil

Butter

Canola Oil

Corn Oil

Flax Oil

Hemp Seed Oil

Lard

Olive Oil

Safflower Oil

Sesame Oil

Sunflower Oil

SWEETENERSCarob

Corn Syrup

Sugar

ALCOHOLBeer

Hard Liquor

Spirits

Wine

OTHERCatsup

Cocoa

Coffee

Mustard

Pepper

Soft Drinks

Vinegar

Beer: pH 2.5

Coca-Cola: pH 2

Coffee: pH 4

DRUGS & CHEMICALSAspirin

Chemicals

Drugs, Medicinal

Drugs, Psychedelic

Herbicides

Pesticides

Tobacco

If you have a health issue or a problem with acidity, then you may need to cut down on the amount of acidic forming foods found on this list and increase the alkaline forming foods into the diet. Problems can arise with a diet high in processed or takeaway foods as these lack digestive enzymes to aid digestion and puts less stress on the body to produce acid to break down the food.

Try changing to a fresh produce eating plan with a slighly higher alkaline diet and your body will thank you for it.

First published Jul 25, 2010 Kristin Collins

References:

Murray M, & Pizzorno J. (1990). Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine. London. Macdonald & Co.

Yeager S. (1997). The Doctor's Book of Food Remedies. Italy. Rodale Press.